"Location, location . . . and now luxury. The Portuguese chain Tivoli overhauled this 220-room concrete business hotel one block from São Paulo’s main drag (Avenida Paulista), two blocks from its best museum (the MASP), and in its top restaurant area (Jardins), finally giving the perfect address the swank it deserves. The glass-enclosed lobby is surrounded by vegetation that makes it feel more tropical retreat than big-city high-rise. Set beyond the slick Narã Bar & Lounge is a cozy pool area with a multitude of lounging options among the cushiony daybeds, beach chairs, and chaise longues. The orange-tiled pool itself is oddly overheated but perfect for admiring over a complimentary caipirinha. (Order the tangerine version with pouco açucar—lightly sweetened.) Earth-tone rooms are spacious if utilitarian, though a Nespresso machine and Brazilian-themed turndown service (Havaianas flip-flops and a treat like a chocolate-honey pão de mel) add a homey touch. Catalan chef Sergi Arola’s first restaurant outside Spain, Arola Vintetres, has a high-end tapas menu; the twenty-third-floor restaurant is already a hot spot with Paulistas. Overall, service is extremely considerate if occasionally flawed: Dial "3" for everything becomes dial "3" for nothing if no one answers, as happened twice to our reviewer. But as long as someone picks up the phone, requests are fulfilled with speed and flair."
