Intercontinental Hotel
1123 Alameda Santos
Jardins area



This is my first time staying at this hotel. My nightly rate is 170 US per night.

On previous visits I have stayed at Mercure Jardins, the Renaissance, and Hotel Unique. Hotel Unique is in a league of it's own. The only problem I had with Unique was it's location. I really like the tree lined streets of Jardins as they feel like a neighborhood in NYC.

I have walked all of the streets around the hotel. There are a ton of great restaurants, bars, etc.... Of all of the places in SP I have stayed in the past this neighborhood is hands down my favorite.

Other hotels in the area worth considering are the Grand Melia Mofarrez and the Maksoud, the latter being beyond its prime (it was one of the better hotels in SP sometime ago) but nevertheless a step up from a budget hotel.

I also like this area alot, although being close to FNAC (CDs, DVDs, Books, etc.) can get very costly, particularly if you are a Brasilian music fanatic (like me).

Interesting the reference to NY. I have often thought the same thing, but moreso when I'm walking in the area of Haddock Lobo, about five or six blocks down from the Renaissance.

I saw the Grand Melia while I was exploring yesterday. Their rates always seem to be in the high hundreds and unfortunately they are independent so no perks for repeat travelers.

Interestingly enough, I checked out the Maksoud Plaza today and the hotel looks very impressive from the outside. I have read some travel forums and it seems like you can get great rates (low 100's) but it would be for one of their outdated rooms.

I also noticed when you head over the main drag to the other side of Avenue Paulista (where the Maksoud Plaza is) the area is not nearly as nice as the Jardins side. There are fewer trees, the buildings are more dated (less resemblance to NYC) and there's more graffiti.

One last thing... is the weather ever bad in SP? I have visited a handful of times and it seems like the weather is always perfect.

The Gran Melia used to run around $150 a night but is probably a bit higher now. It was worth it because as a frequent guest they upgraded me to a suite. Also, they have their own frequent guest program, although it is not as good as Starwood's, e.g. However, the reason I stopped using the hotel was the internet was unreliable, which caused me some serious problems with my work.

The way to book Maksoud is through one of the U.S. websites, paying in advance in dollars. Their prices have bounced all around but usually you can get something decent for around $100 to $110 U.S. Everything though is a bit outdated there, except they have a decent gym, and also wideband internet (although for R$30 a day, it is no bargain). I agree the other side of Paulista is better, although it is only a two block walk to Alameda Santos.

Yes, the weather is sometimes bad in SP. Try January and February for massive thunderstorms. However, they usually are only in the afternoons, and the temperature remains decent during these months. Other than the thunderstorms in those months, SP weather is not that much different from Los Angeles or the San Francisco bay area.