Review: Rosewood São Paulo

Why book? A month after opening, the new Rosewood São Paulo is already one of the city’s hottest destinations—the lobby restaurant and bar are buzzing every night of the week with Brazilian models and athletes and well-heeled entrepreneurs, and who can blame them? The striking Philippe Starck-designed interiors, tree-shrouded Jean Nouvel-designed tower, and the touch of nearly one hundred artists make this hotel a landmark first in the city. Set the scene The hotel sits in the Bela Vista neighborhood, which is conveniently home to Avenida Paulista—the city’s main commercial street with great shopping, museums like the MASP, and a complete closure to car traffic on Sundays. The neighborhood itself isn’t among the most popular for visitors—Jardins, Pinheiros, and Vila Madalena usually fall higher on travelers’ must-visit lists—but the coming-soon Cidade Matarazza development that the Rosewood is a part of hopes to change that with dozens of restaurants, shops, and a cultural center set to open later this year. Pop into the hotel on a random weeknight and you’ll see it’s already become a destination, with a glossy crew of Brazilians already packing the house—on one given night, I spotted a famous comedian/actor, a former Argentinian soccer player, a top model, and a host of political heavyweights, not to mention a gaggle of women I trust have a massive collective social media following. Everyone is so primped and polished, I found myself wishing for a secret passageway from my room to the gym—even my sleekest workout clothes were horribly out of place. The backstory This is Rosewood’s first property in South America, making it an exciting opening for a brand that is well-established in North America, Europe, and Asia. (Not to mention it has been in the works for over a decade.) Their “Sense of Place” ideology comes through successfully—though the hotel is unlike any other property in the city, it feels distinctly of Brazil, and of São Paulo specifically. Perhaps that’s thanks to the art commissioned for every space imaginable, from the illustrated rooftop pool floor to the elevator interiors to the custom pillow covers in each room, from primarily Brazilian artists and makers (nearly everything is available to purchase, too). Perhaps it’s a result of the way that designers Jean Nouvel and Phillipe Starck have built this modern design marvel into the interior of a former maternity ward where half a million Paulistas were born (including several employees). It no doubt owes some thanks to the living and breathing Paulistanos who are already flocking, infusing the space with life around the clock. The rooms The rooms, from $455 per night, are gorgeous: Touches of rich warm wood are punctuated by bright whites and pops of color, and details invite you to linger a bit longer (though let’s be honest, the city is going to keep you busy). A lamp in the corner plays double duty as a bookshelf, with Brazilian novels and poetry books winding up the base; in the suite, a wooden box of dominos sits invitingly on an agate-inspired table; the freestanding tub in premier rooms has a shelf beside it just wide enough for one of the crystal cocktail glasses from the in-room wet bar. Just keep in mind that the interior maternity ward rooms sitting around the courtyard are privy to some noise bubbling up from the restaurant below, though only the lightest of sleepers are likely to notice. Another word to the wise: the Premier and Grand Premier king rooms feel larger (and have more closet space) than the more expensive Junior Suites. Food and drink The dining concepts at the hotel are fantastic—I didn’t have one bad meal over a five-day stay. Standout destinations, though, are Blaise, which features Brazilian-French fusion in a log cabin studded with faux emerald gemstones built off the side of the main restaurant; the outdoor patio at Taraz, which serves pan-Latin American cuisine amid a reconstructed olive grove; and cocktail hour at the Rabo di Galo jazz bar beneath the illustrated night-sky ceiling from artist Cabelo Cobra Coral. The spa Though it is not yet open, Rosewood is building out the brand’s trademark Asaya spa at this location in 2022. In the meantime, massages are offered in your room and they’re fantastic—just make sure you know the words for “softer” and “stronger” in Portuguese. The neighborhood/area You’re coming to this hotel to be at the hotel—and, then, to have a car shuttle you to wherever else you’d like to go. Just a few blocks away are main attractions: the Avenida Paulista, where you can’t miss a visit to the MASP art museum; and the leafy neighborhood of Jardins, which is home to some of the city’s best restaurants and shopping. The service The service here really is the stuff of “your wish is our command,” with an always-staffed concierge in the lobby and a butler Whatsapp number you can text at any time. If you’re looking for a spot for live samba on a Sunday, the team’s got a suggestion and a car that can take you. If you need help finding a souvenir from your favorite Brazilian soccer team, they’ll locate it in a matter of hours in the sprawling city (this was a request of mine, and the team pulled it off seamlessly). At times, there can be too much of a good thing—I had to escalate requests that housekeeping stop replacing barely-used bottles of shampoo every time they cleaned (twice per day), and by day four I was leaving notes to ask that they, please, hold off on the complimentary desserts being left in the room each night that I hadn’t touched. It’s a good problem to have, but as we all try to travel more mindfully the over-serving felt out of tune with today’s conscious traveler. 

Accessibility There are three elevators that connect the lobby and main dining areas to the rooms, plus two additional elevators in the towers. The rooftop pool, though, is only accessible by stairs, and it’s not clear whether or not the still-in-progress main pool will have a lift. Worth noting, though, is that there are two Shabbat suites on the ground level that have been fully modified to accommodate observers, and the in-room dining menu has an entire Kosher section. Anything left to mention? The Cidade Matarazzo opening will be a game-changer for the Rosewood. It’s exciting to see how much energy the hotel has prior to its opening; what will be most revealing though is how the space changes when that major development welcomes the rest of the city. From the look of things, it’ll just make the Rosewood a more desirable—and competitive—place to stay.