Sao Paulo is a place where the skyline seems to go on forever and ever. And then some. In comparison—at least after viewing the South American city from the rooftop restaurant of the ultramodern and aptly named Unique hotel, with a constant flurry of sleek black helicopters buzzing overhead—Manhattan seems, well, small.
And as you can see in the above photos, the Unique seems pretty big by boutique hotel standards: The windows are actually perfectly round portholes; coupled with the boat-inspired design, the overall effect makes you feel like you’re a passenger aboard some impossibly hip cruise line.
And there is, in fact, water down below (as well as above): A sub-level pool that can only be accessed via a huge water slide. It’s an aggressively playful touch—and a total blast. I’ve found that the ideal way to prepare for a nine-plus hour flight from Sao Paulo to JFK is to indulge in a little nightswimming, doing the backstroke while listening to Roxy Music (the pool features underwater speakers, natch). Another perfectly “Unique” touch: The pool features a pair of hydro-therapy massage chairs.
Needless to say that after a night at this hotel—where stars such as Madonna have checked in and during my visit, I happened to be right next door to photogenic Top Chef vet Sam Talbot—my return trip to New York City went just swimmingly!
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