The Best Hotels for Exploring the LGBTQ Scene in São Paulo

With a name inspired by a Venetian palace, Hotel Ca’d’Oro is famed for its welcoming ambience. A particular sweet spot is the stylish, contemporary restaurant with an impressive antique piano. The northern Italian-influenced gastronomy includes chunks of juicy meat, creamy polenta and succulent carpaccio. The hotel is just steps from Shopping Frei Caneca (affectionately known as Shopping Gay Caneca), a glamorous mall known for its LGBTQ clientele.

Meliá Paulista sits conveniently on the doorstep of Consolação’s metro station, right in the heart of the action. Only a block away is Padaria Bella Paulista, a bakery bursting with sweet treats from custard tarts to chocolate brioche, and in the opposite direction is the chic MASP, São Paulo Art Museum, which is on the pride parade route. The hotel is swanky and design-focused, and if its motto you are the journey is anything to go by, you’re guaranteed to be the centre of the staff’s attention.

Hotel Intercity Paulista is in Baixo Augusta, an area teeming with lively nightlife spots such as the suave jazz club, Blue Spot, and just minutes from the city’s pulsing main artery, Avenida Paulista. With check-in possible from midday and check out available until 6pm, everything here is laid-back. Welcoming messages are even scrawled on the bathroom mirrors for an extra friendly touch.

The sky-high INNSiDE By Meliá São Paulo Itaim sits on a quiet street not far from Ibirapuera Park and Iguatemi shopping mall. Guests are warmly welcomed by the attentive staff, who are keen to cater to your every need. Baskets of fresh breads, Kilner jars filled with colourful juices and cured meats will await you at breakfast before you head out to browse Jardins’ upscale boutiques and fancy French bistros.

The famed Fasano Hotel is known for its attention to detail and dedication to stylish design. For over 100 years, the hotel has been proudly welcoming guests and showing off São Paulo’s glamorous delights in the upmarket Jardins neighborhood. Baretto is the hotel’s sultry piano bar, perfect for a warm-up cocktail before the night’s festivities or for a secretive nightcap afterwards.

Hotel Unique is the Noah’s Ark of Paulista hotels, both in its extraordinary ship-like structure and its warm welcome for all travellers. Expect a glass of champagne on arrival and take advantage of the 24-hour room service. The wooden-decked rooftop, complete with a lengthy pool, is where you’ll find the Skye Bar and Restaurant, the perfect spot for gazing out at São Paulo’s sparkling skyline while sipping on a kicking caipirinha.

Pergamon Hotel is in the swarming central district of Consolação. Frei Caneca street nearby is an important LGBTQ spot and home to São Paulo’s Gay Tourist Information Centre as well as the celebrated A Lôca, a buzzing gay nightclub. If you’re a foodie, check out nearby Famiglia Mancini’s pasta or head to Estadão for what has been described as the best mortadella sandwich in São Paulo.

Set in the beguiling and sophisticated Jardins neighborhood is the Condé Nast Traveler-garlanded Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo. An oasis in the city, the hotel is framed by lush greenery offering some welcome respite from the urban jungle. Speaking of relaxation, Tivoli’s Thailand-influenced Anantara Spa is a luxurious hideaway where a deep tissue or Indian head massage will leave you feeling as light as a feather.

>Set in the vibrant gay neighbourhood of Largo do Arouche is 269 Chilli Pepper Single Hotel, a men-only hotel and proud member of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association. With rooms and suites of all sizes, you’re bound to find your perfect match. Featuring a sauna, steam room and three swimming pools, you’d be forgiven for not wanting to leave.