Fasano Hotel

Jardins, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo & South, Brazil
Book from GBP Book from £412 per night

Fasano Hotel

Jardins, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo & South, Brazil

São Paulo's best hotel and restaurant: elegant, discreetly stylish, and set in the leafiest and trendiest shopping district

São Paulo's best hotel and restaurant: elegant, discreetly stylish, and set in the leafiest and trendiest shopping district

São Paulo may not share the visual splendour of Rio de Janeiro, but Brazil's financial hub and South America's largest city is full of energy and packed with top-notch restaurants, hip bars and glam boutiques; we recommend spending at least couple of nights in this lively metropolis.

For us there's only one place to stay. Walk into the Fasano Hotel and you'll find pure class. Since owner Rogerio Fasano's grandfather came here from Milan in 1900, the name has been synonymous with the city's finest restaurants. A century later their first hotel opened in 2003 to much acclaim, and rightly so. Inspired by 1930s designs, it shines with understated style and matchless quality. Rich hardwoods and antique leather armchairs blend well with contemporary features; its 60 rooms are spacious and supremely comfortable, with subtle retro styling. Service is impeccable, so good in fact, that Brazilian singing icon, Caetano Veloso, has taken a long term residence here.

Highs

  • Classic 1930s-inspired styling makes it the most refined hotel in São Paulo
  • Perfect location in the heart of São Paulo's most fashionable district; you can walk safely round the corner to explore the best shops in town
  • Dining at the historic Fasano Restaurant - the best Italian restaurant in South America
  • Views of São Paulo's expansive skyscape from the small rooftop indoor pool, spa and gym
  • The quality, low-key luxury, attention to detail and exceptional personal service (unusual for Brazil)
  • Its hip jazz bar, Baretto, is the draw of the city, where renowned Brazilian singers and acclaimed international musicians smooch

Lows

  • You'll pay handsomely for the experience of dining at the Fasano Restaurant - but you won't forget it
  • Limited outdoor space (although breakfast can be taken on a shaded terrace)
  • Traffic in this concrete jungle can be hellish - avoid travelling across the city in rush hour

Best time to go

Anytime of year. Weekends are best for nightlife.

Our top tips

One of our favourite restaurants is just around the corner: Figueira Rubaiyat is a must-try, with tables beneath a spectacular 150-year-old fig tree. Nowhere does steak taste better, and the grilled octopus (polvo espanho) rocks.

Great for...

City Style
Family
Foodie
Spa
  • Boutique Hotel
  • 60 rooms
  • Restaurant and bar (open daily)
  • All ages welcome
  • Open all year
  • Indoor Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Beach Nearby
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Car not necessary
  • Parking
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
  • Concierge Service
Room: Deluxe Room

Rooms

Whatever room you choose you'll find 1930s-inspired design (think subtle Art Deco styling) along with more modern touches. You'll walk on parquet floors and striped kilims and find dark polished writing tables, soft brown leather chairs from Italy, and brass reading lamps. It all feels very Godfather and smacks of solid quality. Old black and white photos of past Fasano businesses give a glimpse of days gone by before São Paulo grew into a forest of skyscrapers. You also get WiFi, a CD/DVD player (there's a good selection of films at reception) and an electrically operated blind that rises up to reveal the leafy Jardins district below.

We found the huge beds sublimely comfortable, with their crisp Trussardi 300-thread count linens and excessive number of goose down pillows. The timeless white marble bathrooms have large walk-in showers; Deluxe Rooms and Suites also have big bathtubs. You get a generous selection of Fasano's own branded lotions and potions, soft sheet towels and bathrobes and a hairdryer, plus a free pair of Havaianas to walk up to the spa and pool.

There's a choice of 60 rooms (including 50 Superior or Deluxe Rooms, 6 Suites, 2 Suites Deluxe and 2 2-Bedroomed Suites). The difference between these is largely size, but Superiors don't come with bath. Suites are located on the top floors of the hotel with larger closets, a sitting area and a guest bathroom, as well as a large wide-screen plasma TV and a powerful music system. For the best views pick one of the 2-Bedroom Suites on the 19th and 20th floors, or one of the Suites on floors 16 to 18.

All rooms have AC, a safe and a minibar, as well as your welcome bowl of fruit you'll also discover a useful info pack, personally signed by the owners.

Features include:

  • Bathrobes
  • Hairdryer
  • Minibar
  • Safe box
  • WiFi

Eating

The Fasano Restaurant is one of the world's greats so you'll have to book ahead. It's a cathedral of taste and before you let an olive pass your lips you'll be awed by its vast high ceilings and massive rack of wine placed high-up along its back wall. There's definitely a sense of occasion here. There's also some attention to detail that helps explain why Rogerio Fasano is São Paulo's number 1 restaurateur. Its tables for 2 are a joy to sit at - each cubicle's divide is low enough for you to feel private but not too remote from the restaurant's buzz. Even acoustics have been considered - the ceiling is clad in suede to prevent echoing. Attentive 'old-school' waiters flit around with baskets of fabulous, freshly baked breads.

We recommend opting for one of the Italian set menus which venture from Milan, Venice and Piemont to Sardinia. Needless to say our quail and osso buco with saffron risotto were delicious. But we must say the warm Sicilian lemon pie with a gooey centre and hot chocolate sauce was even better. There's a suitably extensive and expensive wine list to match.

Breakfast can be taken in Nonno Ruggerro, the bijou Italian trattoria on the hotel's first floor. You can eat inside or on the terrace outside, where the walls are planted with fresh herbs. They lay on a spread of fresh juice, tropical fruit, hams, cheeses, breads, pastries, jams, cereal and yoghurt. Coffee and tea comes in silver pots and if you want some eggs or something hot they'll bring it to you. If you don't want the full-on experience of dining at the Fasano Restaurant, here's where you can take a lighter, more casual lunch of antipasto buffet or plate of pasta.

If you want to stay in your room and curl up with a DVD, there's an excellent 24-hour room service menu, offering dishes from simple burgers to Fasano Restaurant classics, all wheeled in on a large table with starched white linen.

Features include:

  • Bar
  • Restaurant
  • Restaurants nearby
  • Room service
Eating:
Activity:

Activities

  • Dinner at the Fasano Restaurant is a must - it's one of the greatest restaurants in the world

  • Go to the Baretto bar (on the ground floor) - Wallpaper called it "the No 1 Bar in the World". It attracts musicians and beautiful Paulistas, and is small, intimate, comfortable and discreet

  • Shop Shop Shop: São Paulo takes shopping to new levels. Right on your doorstep is Rua Oscar Freire. Here you can saunter along to not only the usual suspects -Tiffany, Cartier, Louis Vuitton etc - but also to more cutting edge boutiques like Clube Chocolat, with its basement beach café and colourful parrots.

  • Have a massage in the spa (22nd floor). Re-energise from long haul flights and indulge in Shiatsu, Reflexology, Hot stone massages or acupuncture (open from 8am to 11pm weekdays - till 9pm weekends)

  • Work out in the well equipped gym (23rd Floor) with fantastic views across the city, take a dip in the small indoor pool or unwind in the sauna, steam room or one of the Japanese hot tubs

  • At sunset go to the Edificio Italia on Avenida Ipiranga. It'll take 2 lift rides to reach the top of the highest tower in São Paulo. There's a little-known bar at the top and the view is just astonishing. Best sampled with with a glass of Champagne

  • Go out on the town to a myriad of fine clubs, bars restaurants, galleries and experience the energy, imagination and excitement of this fantastic city

Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Museums / galleries
  • Nightlife
  • Shopping / markets
  • Swimming
  • Well being

Kids

Children are welcome - there's no charge for those under 12 and staying in their parents roomif no extra bed is needed. Cots and babysitting are all available - the hotel will even provide colouring-in books to keep kids occupied.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Babysitting:

Babysitting available by arrangement at extra cost

Baby equipment:

Baby cots available on request

Remember  baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking

Kid Friendly:

Location

The Fasano is located in the Jardims district of São Paulo. It's a 5-10-minute taxi ride from the business districts of Faria Lima Avenue and Paulista Avenue.

By Air:
São Paulo Guarulhos (28km) is the city's international airport; Congonhas Airport (12km) is served by domestic flights. Please see the links below for a list of airlines serving each airport.

From the Airport
The hotel can arrange a private transfer in one of its smart black Chryslers - please enquire at the time of booking. Alternatively, you can take a taxi from the airport - it's a 20-minute journey; double that in rush hour.

By Car:
If you want to hire a car to get around and to explore the surrounding region, see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be provided when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Brazil and getting around

Airports:

  • São Paulo Guarulhos 28.0 km GRU
  • São Paulo Guarulhos 12.0 km CGH

Other:

  • Beach 80.0 km
  • Shops 0.1 km
  • Restaurant 0.0 km

Rates for Fasano Hotel

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