Modern design and Brazilian artistry revive a historic corner of Sao Paulo at South America's first Soho House
Editor's Note
Editor's note: Soho House Sao Paulo provided TPG with a complimentary three-night stay so that we could get an inside look at the hotel and its amenities during its opening week. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author and weren't subject to review by the hotel or any external entity.
There's a cool new kid on the block in Sao Paulo's charming Bela Vista neighborhood — and we can now say that we know for certain why it earned a spot on TPG's list of the most exciting hotel openings in 2024. Located in a slightly quieter pocket of Brazil's lively financial center, Soho House Sao Paulo gives guests a respite from the bustling city while staying close to the heart of the action; the design-forward property is just a quick walk to major attractions like Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo, Parque Trianon and the shopping and dining of one of the city's most important avenues, Avenida Paulista.
Here's what my stay at Soho House Sao Paulo was like during the property's soft opening.
What is Soho House Sao Paulo?
Earlier this summer, Soho House Sao Paulo — the brand's first property in South America — opened its doors to local and international House members. Tucked away among dense tropical greenery just around the corner from Avenida Paulista, the property breathes new life into a striking 20th-century Italianate building. The House is a partner of the luxury Cidade Matarazzo urban redevelopment complex, which is also home to the nearby Rosewood Sao Paulo.
How to book Soho House Sao Paulo
At this time, Soho House Sao Paulo is open only to Soho House members. Members can book a room at the hotel by visiting the website and signing in using their membership credentials or by calling the property directly.
Artwork and decor highlight Brazilian artists and designers
The space is a stunning blend of old and new. Originally a hospital, the Soho House's design team has maintained the building's bones and historic charm — think arched windows and doorways, antique wooden walls, exposed brick, original doors and ironwork — with a brilliant splash of Brazilian modernist decor throughout. The interior design was helmed by Danielle Vourlas, director of Soho House Design for the Americas.
"The architecture is neoclassical, in the Italianate style. We preserved almost all of the existing details, even down to many of the original light fixtures," Vourlas said in a statement from the brand in June.
While all that history is so easily felt throughout the light-filled hallways, meandering through the space is akin to being in a modern art gallery thanks to a vibrant collection curated by Sara Terzi, Soho House's senior art collections manager. All of the interiors have been intentionally designed with Portuguese heritage and Brazilian artistry in mind, with modern art exclusively from Brazilian artists (many local to Sao Paulo) taking center stage.
Glance around any room on the property, and it's a kaleidoscope of texture: reclaimed wooden floors; antique light fixtures and intricate chandeliers; wooden furniture in rich, warm tones; neutral walls with vibrant pops of color from paintings and photographs; mixed textiles and patterned upholstery; worn leathers; ample greenery — all illuminated by abundant natural light streaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Further, there is plenty of room to spread out — after passing through a dimly lit lobby, the first floor opens up into spacious lounge areas that encircle a central courtyard (which serves as the main dining area).
Two different bars mean there is plenty of space for sipping cocktails and socializing, and an outdoor terrace with couches provides even more room to roam.
Unsurprisingly, Soho House Sao Paulo draws a design-minded, hip crowd — during my visit in June, the halls and lounge spaces were filled with the city's chicest creatives and devastatingly cool fashionistas. Nightly events, specifically ones celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community for Pride Month in Sao Paulo, kept the party going until the wee hours.
Members could be seen relaxing and socializing on sofas, by the bar and in the historic courtyard, enjoying cachaca or a meal from the Brazilian-forward terrace menu, playing pool and chatting over the din of local music. It's a lively place by night, and while it feels quieter by day, it's still the spot to see and be seen.
Food is simple, with an emphasis on Brazilian cuisine
The breakfast, lunch and dinner menus (all meals can be served in the courtyard or any of the first-floor bar and seating areas) highlighted Brazilian classics.
The food was delicious in its simplicity and expertly crafted. For breakfast one morning, I enjoyed an order of tapioca, a tortilla-like flatbread filled with strawberries and bananas (about $15).
Another breakfast I enjoyed was a sort of Brazilian twist on a classic English breakfast, including sumptuous roasted herby tomatoes, bacon, grilled Brazilian curd cheese and bread with eggs any style (about $20).
My favorite dinner included a refreshing tuna poke bowl with jasmine rice, cucumber, avocado, chili, green onion and lime (about $24).
Guest rooms are modern, sophisticated and design-forward
In terms of the guest rooms, only half are currently open, though a total of 32 rooms — sizes include Tiny, Cosy, Small, Medium or Big — will be open by the end of the year.
When I entered my Big room through the front door, I came in through the bathroom (perhaps an unexpected entry point, but it provided a good incentive for slipping into a comfy bathrobe immediately). The space was moodily lit and large, with standout features like a two-tone wooden wardrobe, marble countertops and artsy wall sconces.
A master light switch feature to the left of the doorway controlled all the lights in both the bathroom and the bedroom.
Citrus-scented bath amenities from a local company called Rio Negro flanked both ends of the countertop and were also placed in the shower and by the bedroom's bathtub. Other amenities on the bathroom counter included drinking glasses (replaced daily), a dental kit, mouthwash, tampons, condoms, a shaving kit and a shower cap. Towels were stored underneath: plentiful, white and fluffy. In a small basket under the marble countertop, I found a hair dryer and a flat iron, which was a nice touch.
There was a small, separate wash closet with a toilet off the main bathroom, and the shower was on the other side of the wash closet. The interior of the shower featured beautiful clay-red wall tiling juxtaposed with smaller, lighter pink tiles on the floor. Guests can rinse off with either a removable wand or an overhead rain shower fixture.
The bathroom also had a small vanity with a seat and mirror. The mirror was a bit wobbly, though, which put me off from using the area — I was worried if I touched the table, the mirror may fall over (it looked antique and fragile).
Inside the two-toned wardrobe, there were plenty of hangers, as well as two fluffy bathrobes, two umbrellas, two pairs of flip-flops, a bag and order slip for laundry and a steamer (which saved the day, considering the amount of linen I packed).
The bathroom led into a high-ceilinged bedroom, replete with eclectic modernist furniture and art, leaning into that characteristic blend of textures and patterns reflected throughout the rest of the House.
The king-size bed was a welcome respite with seven fluffy pillows (and two throw pillows, along with a throw blanket). I really enjoyed the melding of textures and patterns here.
There were lamps and type C outlets on both sides of the bed. On the right side, above the lamp, there were more controls for the lights — though sometimes I found these a bit finicky. I appreciated that housekeeping provided an international adapter for me (even though I brought one); it was a thoughtful touch.
Beyond the bed was a bold velvet couch overlooking the two enormous wooden doors that led to a terrace overlooking the street below.
While the bedroom felt just as high-design as the rest of the hotel, it was also very inviting, warm and ideal for relaxation — nothing about it felt fussy, but rather it was akin to stepping into someone's immaculately decorated home.
The room's amenities were extensive. The bedroom's main wooden hutch (placed below a beautiful hanging textile, which hid a flat-screen television) featured a glimmering display of perfume, local wine, bottle openers and crystalware.
Inside one side of the hutch was a coffee cabinet housing a Nespresso machine and freshly baked cookies as well as sugar and cream. Another drawer slid out to reveal a built-in minifridge featuring a variety of sodas, including Coke and a couple of local Brazilian options, as well as San Pellegrino sparkling water, still water, beer and more wine. There was another drawer with snacks, and then the right side of the hutch housed more glassware — beautiful cocktail and wine glasses for enjoying the beverages on offer. Note that the snacks and drinks are available for a fee, though there was no minibar menu with pricing in the room.
The deep porcelain soaking tub, framed by the antique wood-shuttered windows, made for an eye-catching centerpiece. It had its own set of bath amenities and towels and was situated just beyond the bed near the two sets of double doors (complete with separate exterior wooden shutters for optimal privacy) that led out onto a narrow balcony overlooking the busy street below.
Turndown service was a nightly treat
In my humble opinion, there are few things better than looking forward to nightly turndown service at a fancy hotel. At Soho House Sao Paulo, each night I could look forward to a fresh bottle of water and a porcelain drinking glass next to my bed, as well as the bed made and turned down, the lights dimmed and the ceiling-high curtains drawn close for me.
It was an ideal opening ceremony before getting into bed to count sheep and dream of exploring the storied streets of Sao Paulo.
Reasons Soho House Sao Paulo might not be for you
There are a few reasons that Soho House Sao Paulo may not be the right hotel for everyone, the primary one being that it is only open to Soho House Members.
- The House is certainly a social hub: The parties during the soft opening week went late into the night, and the rooms don't have the best soundproofing. Those who don't want to be disturbed by loud parties may want to look elsewhere or at least check the event schedule at the hotel ahead of booking.
- While the food I tried at Soho House Sao Paulo was delicious, I wouldn't say that the menus are super-extensive, and there is only one dining venue open as of now (though I was told at least one more restaurant would open within the next few months).
Accessibility
While the Soho House Sao Paulo website does not have a dedicated accessibility page, the hotel staff was happy to inform me that there is an accessible landscaped path entry to the left of the main hotel staircase with an elevator that goes directly up to reception. There are wheelchair-friendly elevators throughout the property's interior, and there are also several accessible bedrooms. The building's safety systems are designed for vision and hearing impairment, and there is also tactile and high-visibility wayfinding signage throughout the House.
Soho House's main company website does have a page dedicated to accessibility.
Checking out
Pretending to be a Soho House member for a few days was a treat. This property is certainly the newest darling of Sao Paulo's trendy hotel scene. Yes, it's still in its soft opening stages — by the end of the year, the House will debut a gym with daily fitness classes and a rooftop pool with a bar and sunbeds. But as of now, the first-floor lounge areas and workspaces are fully open to Soho House members, as are both of the bars, the dining courtyard and several upstairs lounge areas (note that the upstairs lounge areas are reserved for members staying overnight at the hotel).
Those Soho House members who have an appreciation for interior design, and more specifically Brazilian modernist decor, Portuguese heritage and Brazilian artwork, will be delighted to walk the hallowed halls of this Bela Vista gem.
Membership rates at Soho House Sao Paulo start at R$8,150 ($1,512) per year or R$5,160 ($938) for members under age 27.
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