Brazil Travel Forum

They are for next May. The first one is in Sao Paulo. It needs to be near the Transamerica Expo Center and they want internet and a gym.

The second is for Rio de Janiero. This one is for vacation purposes and needs to be preferably on the romantic side, but not overly expensive. Internet access is preferred.

sao paulo Madzud plaza
Rio, othon Palace
websites
http://www.maksoud.com/

http://www.hoteis-othon.com.br/us/hotel/rio-othon-palace/o_hotel.aspx

you wont go wrong and enjoy Brazil better,cheers

I wish I was going - I am doing travel plans for my brother and his wife for business/pleasure trip.

In Rio i would chose a hotel at Ipanema beach any day over a hotel in Copacabana, but Ipanema is also pricier than copacabana.
Much better vibe and hardly any tourist traps in ipanema.

Last I stayed in Rio de Janiero was 2005, and the last overnight stay in São Paulo was in 2003. Not much of what I know will be of much help. Both of these are large urban areas that I generally prefer to stay away from.

However, I enjoyed the Rio Internacional and the Hotel Gloria (it is an older hotel and Albert Einstein wrote some of his scientific works there). The Rio Internacional is in Copacabana and has the better and more romantic views.

You will want to tell them to be careful of the busy road that runs along the beach in Rio de Janiero. It has reversing traffic lanes so that it is a two way street during some parts of the day and a one way street during others.

Hello,

I have to disagree with the first reply. Maksoud hotel is central but it's 15 km away from Transamerica Expo Center...

There aren't too many hotels around Transamerica Expo Center, but there is one right next-door to Transmerica Expo Center called Hotel Transamerica São Paulo. It's a bit pricey though (cheapest room is around U$S 322):

Hotel Transamerica São Paulo - http://www.transamerica.com.br

If you want better hotel prices, they are around 4 km away from Transamerica Expo Center:

Mercure São Paulo Naçoes Unidas:

http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-3135-mercure-sao-paulo-nacoes-unidas/index.shtml

Estanplaza Naçoes Unidas:

http://www.estanplaza.com.br/hoteis-boutique/estanplaza-nacoes-unidas/resumo/

Blue Tree Verbo Divino:

http://www.bluetree.com.br/hoteis-e-resorts/verbo-divino.jsp?language=en

Sorry, I can't help much for your friends' Rio trip, even though I've stayed at Leme Othon Palace, but that was a long time ago...

well if it business/pleasure trip than why not something more central, anyway. See more and they have everything you need inside. Hope it helps your planning.

Sao Paulo is business - Rio is pleasure :)

This is great - I will have to do some research now! Thanks all.

In São Paulo there is also Tryp Meliá/ Nações Unidas - http://pt.solmelia.com/hoteis/brasil/sao-paulo/tryp-nacoes-unidas/home.htm

In Rio I don't think the hotels will be expensive, because of the period you wull be there. But in may opinion Ipanema is the better place to stay. This sites gives you all they hotels in Ipanema and Leblon (best neighborhood to stay, in my opinion): http://leblon.com.br/hotel.shtml

Hoped I helped!

"Sao Paulo is business - Rio is pleasure :)"

Well then you are in my neighborhood with the Maksoud for business, tell you the story, there once this guy Brazilian of Lebanese descend and an Architect who travel a lot. He found that the hotels he went which were good ones, didnt offer what a nice businessperson needed, so he decided to build one to his specs and he did name it after him Maksoud, and now his family still runs it. I have been coming to it since 1994 and again next month on business. Unique

Then ,for pleasiure Copacabana still is the one, Othon Palance try for floor 21 suites and see it. Oh maybe I forgot to put the photo here, will look for it.
Cheers

oh yes have the picture in my Brazil page for Rio Othon Palace view of Copacabana!

gwened - very bad news for you - Hotel Maksoud has been sold to an other company and it is beeing renovated. It was a wonderfull hotel in the 80s. If he could stay there he would take almost 2 hours to arrive at Transamerica Convenction center. If he doesn't like the Nações Unidas área, just a little bit far he could stay at the Berrini area ( a 15 minute taxi travel) with shopping center and some nice restaurants. The hotels would be:
http://www.estanplaza.com.br/
http://pt.solmelia.com/hoteis/brasil/sao-paulo/tryp-berrini/home.htm
http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-sao_paulo-brazil-BR086?promo=gglocal
http://www.bluetree.com.br/
http://saopaulo.grand.hyatt.com.br/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp?null

and many others

yes thanks for the update Rose. I am hoping the new buyer is one of the previous guests...::) So many famous went there, who knows if the new buyer is one of them. I am sure the hotel will live on, its unique in Sao Paulo.

As for distance well, why not see a bit of the Paulistas ::)

I have no complaint with distances in SP, but the time taken to go those distances is horrible because of the traffic problems and the severe tangle of the road network.

Who bought the Maksoud and what it is called now?

Try the Windsor Asturias hotel on Rua Senador Dantas 14. Great central location for everything!

usually if a new company/buyer buys it they keep the nama while the renovation and then its change. I do hotels in France and thats the way it is. Unless been a sole name hotel with such a history the owners now were old clients maybe its kept, but I doubt it.
I stay there in the ceaser park in Porto Alegre and now its call Blue hotels something...life goes on.name change with restaurants relook.

And I do walk the cities a lot even Sao Paulo, Pinheiros is my favorite area as went there a lot, had a sales office I built up. I will be going back to SP by Feb of this year, to visit office and old friends.