São Paulo - The Rough Guide to Brazil - page 503

navigating the city, fares quickly mount. With irregular - or
no - bus services at night, taxis are also really the only
means of transport after midnight. There are two main
types: the yellow comuns and the rádiotáxis . The comuns ,
generally small cars that carry up to three passengers, are
the cheapest and are found at taxi ranks or hailed from the
street. Rádiotáxis are larger and more expensive, and are
ordered by phone; try Coopertax ( T 11 2095 6000,
W coopertax.com.br) or Ligue Táxi ( T 11 2101 3030,
W liguetaxi.com.br). Both types of taxi have meters with
two fare rates, and a flag, or bandeira , is displayed on the
meter to indicate which fare is in operation: fare “1” is
charged from 6am to 9pm Monday to Saturday; fare “2” is

charged after 9pm and on Sunday and public holidays,
costing twenty percent more.

BY CAR
The main di culties of driving your own car in São Paulo
are the volume of tra c and finding a parking space -
you're therefore better off sticking with public transport.
Roads are, however, well signposted and it's surprisingly
easy to get out of the city.
Car rental Avis, Rua da Consolação 382, Centro ( T 11
3259 6868); Hertz, Rua da Consolação 431, Centro
( T 11 3258 9384); Localiza, Rua da Consolação 419,
Centro ( T 11 3132 3200).

ACCOMMODATION
Hotel prices of hotels vary enormously throughout the year, with hefty discounts offered during the quieter summer
months of January and February. Weekend discounts of up to fifty percent are often given, especially at the better
hotels that otherwise cater largely to business executives; the rates quoted below are for weekday reservations and
breakfast is included unless stated otherwise. If making an online reservation directly with the hotel, compare the rates
on the Portuguese- and the English-language versions of the website - the former are often substantially lower. With
some exceptions, budget and mid-priced places are located around downtown , in parts of the city where visitors,
especially women, may feel uncomfortable walking alone at night, but by being alert during the day, and taking taxis at
night (R$30 or so from Vila Madalena to downtown), you should have no problems.

8

República Park Av Vieira de Carvalho 32 T 11 3226
5000, W hotelrepublicapark.com.br; M República; map
p.489. A nice little haven in this slightly rough city-centre
neighbourhood, where you've got a/c rooms, TV, wif-fi and
service with a smile, and it's also handy for the airport bus.
It's worth asking for a room on an upper floor with a
balcony overlooking the Praça da República. R$220
São Paulo Hostel Rua Barão de Campinas 94
T 11 3333 0844, W hostelsp.com.br; M República; map
p.489. This is an o cial HI hostel, and card holders get a
discount (see prices in brackets). The large size and relative
comfort of the single rooms make them a better deal than
at most hotels. The hostel's main drawback is the
neighbourhood, which isn't the s afest if you're s taggering
back from a night out. Dorms R$50 (R$43) ; doubles
R$103 (R$93)
São Paulo Inn Largo Santa Ifigênia 40 T 11 3614
9970, E [e-mail]; M República; map
p.489. Across the square from Santa Ifigênia church and
there's a slightly religious air to this place (they keep a Bible
on the reception desk, for example). It's located in a very
grand, early twentieth-century block, and although the
rooms aren't huge, they're cosy and clean, most with a
small balcony overlooking the square. R$228

CENTRO
Bourbon Av Viera de Carvalho 99 T 11 3337 2000,
W bourbon.com.br; M República; map p.489. Aimed at
budget-oriented business travellers, this is an e ciently
run place with smallish but comfortable a/c rooms, and
extras such as a sauna, fitness room and business centre,
and there are usually big di scounts on the rack rate,
especially at weekends. R$687
Ferrari Palace Rua Conselheiro Nébias 445 T 11 3337
7689, W ferraripalacehotel.com.br; M República; map
p.489. While not exactly a palace, this hotel, located on a
side street near Praça da República that's full of motorbike
repair shops, is clean and co mfortable and, not surprisingly,
popular with bikers. R$120
Marabá Av Ipiranga 757 T 11 2137 9500,
W hotelmaraba.com.br; M República; map p.489. A
reasonable mid-range city-centre hotel, which has been
renovated a few times over the years, and still bears a few
of the scars, although not too obtrusively. The beds are
good and the staff generally attentive, but it's worth asking
for a room high up an d at th e back if you don't like
downtown street sounds. R$420
Normandie Design Hotel Av Ipiranga 1187 T 11 3311
9855, W normandiedesign.com.br; M República; map
p.489. The designer “look” in the public areas - white and
chrome, with sparse red splashes - was great when new,
but needed more care than it's had. Luckily, the rooms
avoided any such design fads, so they're still fine, the staff
are friendly and big discounts are usually available if you
book online. R$402

LIBERDADE
Akasaka Praça da Liberdade 149 T 11 3207 1500,
W akasakahotel.com.br; M Liberdade; map p.489. A
good budget choice in the heart of Liberdade. The corridors
are a bit battered, but the rooms are spacious and in fine