Housi Paulista

The front desk team were really friendly and helpful, and when we found our room hadn't been properly cleaned, they sorted it out efficiently and without charge. Cleaning isn't included, but you can pay extra for it, and it is pricey. There are useful facilities on site, including a gym, lockers, Wi-Fi, and a range of vending machines. It's a convenient, basic place to stay and should suit low-maintenance travelers.

It's one of the cheapest options in the area, so that's why I'm giving it three stars. If saving money is the priority, you can stay here, but don't count on much hospitality. The front desk service is quite terrible. One guy in particular is rude and acts put out by basic requests, like when I asked for cleaning after extending my stay. They seem to think that because this isn't a traditional hotel, they don't owe guests decent service. Only one staff member I dealt with was nice, and he worked nights.

The apartments are cheap and well located, and the basic units have most of what you need. Still, mine smelled of cigarette smoke, probably from the ventilation, and there was no kettle or safe. The app makes things harder for tourists with foreign phone numbers, and the concept, while modern and generally good, isn't especially friendly for visitors who don't speak English, which isn't well known here. Only one elevator was working, so expect a wait. The shop downstairs was handy but very overpriced, and even luggage storage costs extra. There's a lot of potential here, but plenty needs to improve for it to be genuinely smart living.

Being on the 13th floor means there’s some noise, though it’s manageable. We found the studio roomy, with clean, fairly new cooking equipment, a good-sized fridge, stove and microwave. The bed was clean and looked nice, but I do wish there had been a duvet. The bathroom is spacious, with soap, shampoo and conditioner, and the shower was good. The air conditioning was freezing when we arrived, but we figured out how to adjust it ourselves. The location is a real plus, just a few minutes on foot from Av Paulista and the metro. It’s affordable compared with other places nearby, the reception is open 24 hours, and the Wi-Fi has worked well so far. We booked the most expensive room, and it looked fine to us. Check-in was the frustrating part. The registration form and app were a pain, and the security code never came through, so we couldn’t check ourselves in and had to wait at reception for the tedious process. If you’re visiting from abroad, communicating with the receptionists could be tricky without some Portuguese or Spanish. Even so, I’d stay here again and recommend it.