São Paulo
Brazil


The Experience

Design takes center stage in this pet project by Rogerio Fasano, scion of the Fasano gastronomic family. Retro-chic furniture from the 1930s and '40s -- suede sofas, teak side tables and Eames lounge -- give this boutique city hotel a refined finish in keeping with its location (set among the city's flashiest shops). Even locals and visitors who aren't lucky enough to have secured one of the 64 rooms cozy up in the basement bar, the city's hippest late-night hangout.

The Rooms

All the rooms overlook São Paulo's famous Jardins, and are roomy enough to have workspaces where you can actually work. The magic is also in the details, like free Havaiana flip-flops and make-up remover for the ladies. The "apartments" are more spacious and are worth the upgrade for balconies overlooking South America's fashion capital. All the rooms are equipped with a single remote control to operate everything from the blinds to the stereo and thermostat, and are furnished like a gangster movie from the ‘30s.

The Service

In a hotel where major business deals are conducted, staff has to be discreet and predictive, and they are: Glasses are whisked away and refilled before you have to ask, a fleet of limousines awaits direction from able doormen. And because this is also a fashion hub, staff are outfitted in slick suits and ties. Yet it's also so personalized that each guest receives a handwritten note upon arrival.

The Highlights

This is the legendary Fasano family, after all, so the food has to be outstanding. The hotel's Fasano Restaurant has been judged to have the best Italian cuisine in South America (stick to the rich pastas like ravioli stuffed with duck -- you can get meat anywhere else in this city). Find the hotel's hip soul in the Baretto jazz bar, all smoky 1960s vibes with rocket-fuel caipirinhas and beautiful women. A rooftop spa has a minimalist marble plunge pool, a steam room, rare (and signed) chairs by Hans Wegner and uninterrupted views of the skyscraper skyline.

-- Heidi Mitchell

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