Shaped like a huge boat, the brave architecture of Hotel Unique is making waves in the trendy city of Sao Paolo.
Architect Ruh Ohtake has used the wedge shape of his building to create floors that get progressively wider the higher you go.
Every evening, the rooftop Skye bar collects sophisticated men and martini-glass girls around its long swimming pool, designer sofas, and 360-degree views of Sao Paolo.
You will not be wandering windowless corridors here; your room is part of an elliptical design where your journey is a choreographed sentence of architecture where your room is the final exclamation mark.
There is nothing boring about your room, and everything is a piece of unique design, from the remote-controlled opaque room dividers to your inflatable feather-filled headrest.
There are two indoor pools, a gym, and Zen-inspired relaxation rooms. The hotel is regarded as one of Brazil’s best, serving gastronomic delights from France, Italy, and Japan.
Given its location in the Beverly Hills of Sao Paolo, you wouldn’t expect the hotel to have a heart, but it’s there in the hotel’s carbon-neutral design.
The spaceship-shaped Hotel Unique hosts 95 rooms, each with a rounded window.
The hotel opened in 2002 and was designed by Roy Ohtake, one of the most influential Brazilian architects. After his passing in 2021, he left a legacy of bold contemporary architecture.
His award-winning works include the Parque Ecologico do Tiete, the Brazilian Embassy in Tokyo (it looks fantastic; look it up on Google!), and, of course, the Hotel Uniquq in Sao Paulo.
The 328-foot (100-meter) high building is supported by two 82-foot (25-meter) tall columns from either side.
The building is a showcase of innovative Japanese-Brazilian architecture where zen public spaces meet brutalism.
Entering the 230-foot-long (70-meter) lobby is through the gigantic, 26-foot (8-meter) tall glass doors. As a result, the spacious hall is full of light.
The hotel's public reading nook has an array of the building's iconic rounded windows and it is a relaxing space to spend time in.
I bet you haven't seen anything like this before! This is not a visual illusion but a purposefully designed bent floor. Children and climbers will love it, and it makes watching Netflix a new experience.
Even after two decades, the rooms look refreshingly modern, with unique ideas implemented to make your stay interesting. For example, the revolving TV, that you can watch from your bed or the sofa.
The previously mentioned curved floor is another. It's almost like the edge of a spaceship.
Hotel Unique's rooftop bar gives an exceptional panorama of Sao Paulo's ever-growing skyline.
Plus, there is a rooftop panoramic pool, too.
So you can stare at hundreds of high-rise buildings while soaking in the heated pool.
Don't worry. No blood spilling happened here. The pool's red color is due to the polarizing choice of mosaics.
However, it's definitely one of the most unique compositions for photo shoots of Sao Paulo - a blood red pool with the city's skyline.
Avenida Brigadeiro Luis Antonio, 4700, Jardim Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil
