Review: W São Paulo

As part of my most recent journeys around the world, I decided to partake in Brazil’s lenient policies on fuel surcharges so I could fully leverage my British Airways Avios points en route to Europe. 

To do this, one must almost always go through the (in)famous Guarulhos airport just outside São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil and indeed in the Americas. For my stay, I decided to choose the W São Paulo because I am a big fan of the laid-back, urbane “party” vibes of this chain, and wanted to check out its location in Vila Olimpia, a premier business neighbourhood of São Paulo. 

The W São Paulo only opened in December 2024, so it’s brand new, and while it’s experiencing some of the growing pains of a new hotel, I very much enjoyed my three-night stay there.

Booking & Check-in

As part of my quest to get to Europe while flying British Airways business class while paying the minimum amount of fuel surcharge possible, I decided I wouldn’t be paying for hotels while staying in São Paulo. 

Therefore, I had to find a decent hotel, and what would you know, the newly-opened W São Paulo was available for 35,000 or fewer Marriott Bonvoy points a night. With the normal rack rate at the W being north of $400 USD, I felt this was a steal!

With its reasonable point redemption rates, the W São Paulo is a great option for redeeming Marriott free night certificates. Both the American Express Marriott Bonvoy card and the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card are two of the best hotel credit cards in Canada, as they offer a free night certificate worth 35,000 Bonvoy points upon cardholder anniversary, and even better, you can hold both of these cards at the same time!

American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card

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American Express Marriott Bonvoy Card

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express card offers benefits that include an annual Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate and 15 elite qualifying nights towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Check out our American Express Marriott Bonvoy card review for more details.

BONUS
110,000 Marriott Bonvoy

MINSPEND
$20,000

EST. VALUE
$990+

ANNUAL FEE
$120

FOREX FEES
Yes

EXPIRY
Aug 18, 2025

Booking was no issue, and I got many lovely update emails reminding me to simply email the hotel if I had any needs. I then arrived at the hotel from the city airport at São Paulo Congonhas, and was greeted out of my Uber by an enormous skyscraper.

I was greeted by several attendants in brown jumpsuit-style uniforms, who guided me to the reception desk on the 24th floor, where I was helped by my concierges in the same outfit.

A gorgeous view of Sampa can be seen from the reception area.

The check-in was smooth, and I was thanked for my loyalty and offered my welcome benefit of free breakfast. I was also informed I’d been upgraded to a Premier Deluxe room, which was great.

This was where my first and only major service hiccup occurred: I was told my room wasn’t ready, but I could be given another one to wait in until it was prepared at 17:00. I arrived at 14:30, 30 minutes before normal check-in. Apparently, the previous occupant had only left, and it would take a bit of time to clean.

I like an upgrade, but it took me until about 17:30 to get into my room. Not ideal, I was hoping for it to be a bit faster, but really not the end of the world, and the staff were friendly and helpful.

Location

The W São Paulo is located in Vila Olimpia. This is a beautiful central business neighbourhood in the heart of the city, though I did find it to be a bit dry when the workday was over. During the day, it’s full of life with lots of people on the streets or in local office buildings, but at day’s end, it becomes somewhat quiet.

There are many restaurants, bars, and grocery stores, and a large mall within easy walking distance, but as is so often the case with São Paulo, you’ll need to take an Uber to get further afield.

Parking

Should you be a brave and daring enough person to battle through São Paulo traffic, then underground valet parking is 20 reais an hour or 75 reais overnight, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Room – Premier Deluxe

As mentioned, I had been given an upgrade to the Premier Deluxe room 2607, and boy, the room was cool, with the same level of swank and swagger one would usually expect from a W hotel with super-modern styling. 

As you enter, the bed is the focal point of the room, complete with under-the-bed lighting.

Directly beside the bed was a closet that contained robes and slippers.

Another great facet is that because the hotel is a new build, all the outlets have USB-C and USB-A ports, so you don’t necessarily need to be bothered with finding a power adapter for the local European-style outlets.

The room is open-concept in style and features a desk (a must for a writer on the go), a minibar, a television, a bed, and a chair. Like all W’s, the coffee was provided exclusively by Nespresso, which I am known to love because I am supremely lazy.

Many minibar items were displayed on the counter, in addition to the Nespresso coffee machine. Minibar beverages were located in the minifridge below, and a drawer contained all the necessities to brew a cup of coffee.

A random chair and a small side table face the bed.

If I had one minor complaint about the room, it would be that the swing-out style of doors in the bathroom could be a bit awkward to handle, given the smaller space. It’s a minor gripe, but a bit annoying and almost impossible to show via pictures rather than video or feeling. However, it was still very nice.

While the bathroom vanity didn’t offer a ton of counter space, all the amenities you would need were readily available.

The toilet was located in a separate part of the bathroom.

Finally, the walk-in shower was spacious and had a view of the skyline in the distance.

My room also had an excellent view of the city.

Restaurants & Bars

Restaurant Baio – Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Complimentary Breakfast

The main restaurant, Baio, specializes in Southern Brazilian cuisine and is also responsible for serving breakfast buffets that eligible Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite and above members can partake in. It’s located on the 23rd floor, but can be accessed via a stairwell from the reception on the 24th floor.

As a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member, I was granted the welcome gift of my choice between 1,000 Bonvoy points or a free breakfast buffet in the morning, which runs from 0700-1030 on weekdays and 0700-1100 on weekends.

The selection was excellent, and I was particularly tickled by the presence of dishes like Chinese congee in the lineup. I was also a huge fan of the Nutella croissants.

Overall, the buffet was pretty luscious. I also chose to have the prix-fixe menu (called a “prato executivo” in Brazil) on another day. It wasn’t cheap, costing almost 250 reais (or $40 USD) for three courses, but it was delicious.

Yoso – Lobby Bar

The lobby bar, Yoso, makes cocktails and small bites, including a la carte breakfast, such as this amazing acai bowl I had one day after I missed the breakfast buffet.

The bar itself is gorgeous, with ample seating.

L40

L40 is on the 40th floor of the W and boasts an amazing view of São Paulo. I wasn’t able to secure a reservation for this, as it is backed by a celebrity chef and seemed to be fully booked at all times. 

Most evenings at the hotel, I noticed elegantly dressed Brazilians in their evening best on a one-way ride to L40, so I am curious to try it out next time I’m in town.

Room Service

From my understanding, the same kitchen for Baio is used to cook the 24/7 room service menu, which I partook of one particularly foggy early morning.

The filet mignon sandwich was pretty great for 3 AM.

Facilities

Pool

There is an amazing open-air rooftop pool in the bar of the restaurant L40, which is on the top floor of the W São Paulo. It has panoramic views of the city and a variety of beach chairs. Pictures describe it better than words.

Fitness Center

The gym is on the 39th floor of the hotel and is among the best I’ve seen in my hotel-hopping career. It has a variety of cardio machines, free weights, and weight machines as well as a generous amount of space.

Spa

Most W-branded hotels I’ve stayed at have an Away Spa, and the W São Paulo is set to be no exception.

However, the Away spa was not open when I visited at the end of May 2025, and I was advised it would be opening the next month, with massages starting at around $80 USD. While rich for my taste, the prime real estate of the spa on the 39th floor was already occupied.

Conclusion

Overall, I was very satisfied with my time at the W São Paulo. While it’s a newer property, I found the amenities to be top notch, the rooftop pool was a hugely unique added feature, and I was a big fan of the dining.

If I had some points to critique, it would be that the service is going through some growing pains as the hotel warms up, and also the neighborhood (through no fault of its own) isn’t as lively as others in São Paulo, such as the Jardins district close to the Renaissance.

For less than 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points a night, an excellent value overall!