Grand Hyatt Sao Paulo

Have you ever stayed at the Grand Hyatt Dubai, Grand Hyatt Tokyo, or Grand Hyatt Cayman Islands? Well, this is not it. Most photos , and smaller details in booking photos are not a true reflection, or state of maintenance. After seven nights at this property, and changing rooms five times, I left with the impression that this hotel is operating well below what I would expect from a property carrying the Grand Hyatt name. The biggest issue is the lack of attention to detail, inspiration, consistency, and urgency in service. There is a noticeable absence of finesse throughout the property, from the guest rooms and housekeeping to breakfast, guest services, and even basic operational details. The property itself feels outdated and overdue for a significant renovation. On the 22nd floor, there was a persistent smell resembling paint thinner. Some rooms smelled of urine, while others had a noticeable marijuana odor. What was particularly surprising was the apparent lack of awareness from the hotel team when these issues were raised. Rather than demonstrating clear knowledge of the problems, the response often felt more like an attempt to explain them away. I had also communicated my dietary requirements in advance. The hotel kindly made an effort to acknowledge this by sending chocolates to my room, although the chocolates were not suitable for my dietary requirements. I understand that it is the thought that counts, but in a luxury hotel, attention to the details is precisely what differentiates a memorable stay from an average one. After a 12-hour flight, I entered my room to find another guest's name displayed on the television welcome screen. I was too exhausted to make an issue of it at the time, but it is nevertheless an uncomfortable detail and something that should never happen in a hotel room. The carpets throughout the property have clearly seen better days. Dust is visible in areas that appear to receive little attention, and the furniture arrangements often feel inefficient, with little consideration given to the use of space or basic feng shui. Noise was another recurring issue. Some rooms were affected by what sounded like maintenance activity around 6pm, while other rooms were exposed to considerable corridor noise. At approximately 1:30am, neighbouring guests were returning to their rooms, and doors closing could be clearly heard. Again, there seemed to be little awareness from the hotel team regarding how disruptive this could be to sleeping guests. Even the simplest requests seemed unnecessarily difficult. Ask for a takeaway cup with a lid and you may receive a 150ml cup with a lid that does not fit. It is a very small detail, but these are exactly the details that collectively create the impression of a hotel. The spa area also has some curious operational shortcomings. Certain doors do not have proper closing mechanisms. More amusingly, if you take the lift from the spa towards the pool without your key card, the nearest staff member may ask you to walk through the hotel wearing your shorts and carrying your towel all the way to reception as a security measure. I completely understand the importance of security, but the solution should ideally be designed around the guest rather than requiring them to parade through the property in pool attire. The property is called Grand Hyatt, but unfortunately I struggled to identify either the “Grand” experience or the Hyatt level of consistency I would normally associate with the brand. During my seven-night stay, I changed rooms five times. The rooms themselves were also inconsistent. Two rooms in the same hotel can feel as though they belong to completely different properties. Clothing hangers, handheld steam irons, bedside lamps and entrance tables varied from room to room. There was also considerable confusion regarding room descriptions. Room 1805, for example, had a queen-size bed when I first moved into it, yet at another point it had somehow become classified as a king-size room. These may sound like small details, but accuracy in room inventory and room descriptions should be fundamental. There was also a discrepancy between what was displayed in the hotel app and what was actually provided. My booking appeared to include lounge access, yet I was subsequently informed that it did not. Again, another detail that should be clarified before arrival rather than discovered during the stay. The bathrooms are another story. The taps are surprisingly complicated to operate, while the bidet is certainly appreciated, although operating it feels somewhat like controlling a valve on an oil tanker. There is nothing particularly intuitive about it. Breakfast was perhaps the clearest example of the property's overall service inconsistency. The breakfast area often felt confused in terms of seating, cleanliness and order management. Guests would stand around waiting for tables while numerous tables remained unoccupied, sometimes with something as simple as a used coffee cup left behind. I would strongly suggest reviewing the service process surrounding milk and coffee. These are tasks that could easily be handled through a well-designed self-service setup, particularly when the current execution does not feel consistent with what one would expect from a five-star Grand Hyatt. The overall breakfast experience felt closer to a three-star operational standard than a five-star grand hotel experience. Guest services also seemed to operate on its own timetable. If you order something, expect a delay of approximately 25 minutes. On some occasions, the item may eventually arrive, while on others you may simply decide that you no longer need it and carry on with your day. My final breakfast order perhaps summarised the entire stay. On my last day, I requested a breakfast lunchbox using ingredients that were already available at the breakfast buffet. I requested cashew nuts, almond milk and two sandwiches containing tofu, avocado, cheese and tomatoes. I was told that the property did not have tofu. This would have been perfectly understandable if I had not been eating tofu at breakfast for the previous three days. I was then given Brazil nuts instead of cashews, which was acceptable. However, rather than providing the requested sandwiches, I was handed the individual ingredients and effectively given the materials to make my own sandwiches while I was on my way to the airport. The explanation? “Miscommunication.” Perhaps. But when a guest has specifically requested something using ingredients already available in the breakfast buffet, the solution should not be to hand them the ingredients and send them on their way to the airport. There is also very little consistency between rooms. The availability and placement of basic amenities change from one room to another. There is insufficient space and often no convenient electrical outlet for comfortably ironing clothes, which makes using the provided steam iron unnecessarily difficult. The air-conditioning system is another frustration. It appears to be locked at 18°C or switched off, with the latter still leaving cold air blowing. There is no meaningful ability for the guest to adjust the temperature comfortably. After all of this, the resolution offered was essentially an apology, delays, and one piece of chocolate as recognition for being a loyalty programme member. Yes, one piece of chocolate. Not a bar, not a small selection, not even a few chocolates left on the pillow as part of a proper turndown experience at many good hotels. Just one piece. At the end of seven nights, I found myself asking a fairly simple question: where is the Grand Hyatt experience? This property needs more than cosmetic improvements. It needs major renovation, stronger operational management, more consistent staff training, better attention to detail, and a significant review of its food and beverage operation. There are clearly people trying to provide hospitality, but the execution frequently feels like the bare minimum required to operate a hotel rather than the level of service expected from a Grand Hyatt. For a traveller who spends considerable time in hotels and uses the Grand Hyatt name as an indicator of a certain level of quality, consistency and service, this property was a significant disappointment. Seven nights. Five room changes. Numerous inconsistencies. And far too many moments where the response was simply an apology rather than a solution. The name says Grand Hyatt. The experience, unfortunately, does not.

Over many years I have been staying here and had great experiences, as a top level Hyatt member and as no status member. The rooms are decent sized, the bathrooms great, the gym and spa well equipped and maintained. Previous to this last stay I had stayed 2 years ago and the hotel was run down and had very poor service. I am glad to report this time around the hotel has undergone some renovations and service levels have improved. With a great location and rooms I think this is the best value/experience in Sao Paulo. And if you are a globalist member or have a suite upgrade, this is definitively the hotel to use those. The suits are fantastic. And unlike all Marriott chain hotels and Hyatt's in the US this hotel maintains room/bathroom amenities that are great.

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt São Paulo for a few days while attending a congress held directly at the hotel. Overall, it is a nice and comfortable hotel. The rooms were clean and comfortable, although you can tell that they are a little dated and could use some renovation. The breakfast was great, with a really good selection and plenty of choices. The catering during the congress was also excellent – both the coffee breaks and lunches were very good and there was always more than enough food. The service at the bar was probably the weakest point, as it was often quite slow. We were also a little surprised that quite a few members of staff didn’t speak much English, especially considering that this is a large international congress hotel. The location was good and overall we enjoyed our stay. Definitely a good choice for a congress or business trip.

I cannot praise the staff at this hotel highly enough. Professional and friendly from the start they really shone when I was taken ill. They could have not been more compassionate and helpful. The hotel itself is comfortable, clean and stylish as you would expect but the staff take it to a whole different level.

A team characterized by extreme courtesy and respect. They deliver on everything they promise.