Hello dear Friends,

As a native Carioca, which means being born in the city of Rio, writing about São Paulo is particularly interesting, as the city is somehow the "opposite" of Rio.

I booked through the Internet the Bourbon, knowing only that is is located literally in the heart of Sao Paulo glam, the Moema neighborhood, and very competitive rates.

I was on a trip to cover the Miss Universe contest in the city, and arrived very late at the front desk. Although it was almost 1:30 AM, I had no problems with my reservations and was already positively impressed by the courteous Vicenti , which helped me through the reservation numbers, etc..

The room impeccable, very very clean, and with a huge bed. Both pillows and bed sheets were pure Egyptian, comfortable. The size of the room was also considerably higher than the average. Bathroom also very clean , with several amenities, and a hot shower so I could sleep well and prep for the next business day.

The next day would be tough, with 2 meeting and In needed that "energized breakfast" so as to stand still until lunch time. It had everything you could think of , from fresh fruits, to hot meals, different kinds of breads and strong good coffee. It kept me going until 2 PM, when I had lunch.

On the way out, front desk Concierge pointed out a nice church I could visit five blocks from the Hotel - which I recommend a visit - the Moema Church, which has amazing vitrails.

The hotel is conveniently located at a 10 minutes taxi cab ride to Congonhas airport, which is also a plus , in a city with such a traffic jam.

Definitely recommend.

The Bourbon Ibirapuera is in a busy area of Sao Paulo and was convenient to the office that I was visiting. Based on earlier reviews, I set my expectations low and they were, unfortunately, not exceeded. Service was usually pretty good at the front desk, but I was surprised on my first business day that there was no bell captain to help me communicate with the cab driver, who did not speak English. Later in the week, there were a couple of people assisting guests, when the hotel seemed to have some kind of convention business.

Everything about the Hotel Bourbon indicates that management is trying to save as much money as possible. The carpets are unattractive with visible wear and seams that just don't blend in. The worst part, however, is the hall lighting which is activated by motion sensors. As you get out of the elevators, you see a dark hallway in front of you that is suddenly (although poorly) illuminated. Unfortunately, the light in front of my room was burned out, so it was always a trick to get the card key into the slot to open my door.

There is certainly nothing special about the Bourbon, but I have stayed in worse places. "Average" is about the most complimentary word I can think of. The breakfast buffet is mediocre, as was the dinner fare in the only full service restaurant in the hotel. There are a couple of decent restaurants in the nearby shopping mall, which has also seen better days. If I had to stay here again, I could, but not without checking for a better alternative.

It used to be a very good hotel when managed by the Blue tree group. But since acquired by Bourbon group the standards have fallen alarmingly. The rooms, health club, all now have a run down look and the service standards have fallen down. The only advantage is the location which is next to the Iberapuera shopping mall.

Stayed here for 2 weeks for an extended business trip. Hotel has potential but not being realized. Staff is very hit and miss: a couple of truly excellent people on staff but when those aren't on duty it's hard to say what you will get for service. Always at least one person on staff with very good English skills which was nice. Visually, very clean and well maintained.
Negatives: During the stay I had issues with the AC shutting down every night and with the hot water being at best warm (most times it was fine). The elevators are noisy and make you question their maintenance. Internet service was slow and occasionally (at least once a night) would drop the connection.
On the plus side... Breakfast is very good and they rotate the choices for about 15% of what is on offer each day so you can at least see something new every now and then. Likewise the dinner buffet is very good with many choices and excellent deserts. Also the location is good with many great restaurants near and a grocery and mall right next door.
Over all very average.