Hotel Laghetto Stilo Higienópolis

The restaurant was bland and boring, and would have zero sales if it weren’t attached to the hotel. The jacuzzi was the main reason we booked, but it requires a reservation and the only available time they offered was 11am on Sunday, when it opens. Why couldn’t we use it at 9? It felt like the customer came last. We called at 10 to remind them about our appointment so they could start heating the water. They didn’t get to it for a while, and our one hour in the jacuzzi, which we paid US$75 for, was ice cold the whole time. They acted as though it was our fault and our problem.

Queer travelers should be aware that this didn’t feel like a safe space. I stayed three nights with my partner and had several uncomfortable encounters with the front desk. They often called my same-sex partner my “colleague.” After I corrected them, one agent said, “there is no way I could know this is your girlfriend.” The interactions were unpleasant and the responses often rude. They also tried to charge me for several room service items I hadn’t consumed. I can’t stress enough how bad this hotel experience was.

The rooftop pool, bar, and garden make a nice place to read, nap in the sun, or just relax. The hotel is modern and well presented, with friendly, accommodating staff. The room was clean and comfortable, though I could hear the neighboring rooms’ showers for a few minutes each day. The breakfast buffet was decent quality and had an excellent range. The woman at check-in got me into my room many hours early once it was ready. I’d book again.

Breakfast was the only good part of my stay. The WiFi didn’t work at all, so I couldn’t FaceTime my family in the United States. I don’t have a Brazilian data package, and although the hotel tried to fix the internet, they couldn’t. Even the staff couldn’t connect to the WiFi in my room. They moved me to another room, but the connection there was just as poor. The bathroom sink was clogged, the hair dryer was broken, and I called twice for extra towels but never got them. I asked them to take away the dirty dishes, but they stayed outside my room all night and day. When I raised all this with the receptionist, he gave me excuse after excuse, never apologized, and didn’t try to get a manager to help.