The (Almost) All Inclusive Airport Hotel
On a recent mileage run through the GRUÂ airport (Sao Paulo, Brazil) I got a chance to check out the new Tryp by Wyndham hotel in Terminal 3.
There is signage directing you to a hotel but nothing to signal whether it was the Tryp Sao Paulo or the Fast Sleep. It’s located on the floor below the shops and gates, so you just take the elevator down to the second floor right after duty free and before the gates.
It looked very shiny and new, and for a minute I wasn’t even sure if it had opened yet. If you do a walk up reservation for a day room (or overnight) the rates are by blocks of hours.
At ~$150 for 6 hours it’s not cheap, but if you don’t have lounge access and/or want a place to spread out and shower, relax, or work it’s worth it.
Booking Tips
If you will be checking in at noon or after, take the time to make an online reservation before showing up.
- Booking.com shows rooms available for a noon check in/check out (so basically 24 hours) with full board for the same $150 price I paid for 6 hours.
- The Tryp website only offers a room-only rate, more on that later, that’s around $105-$115 for a 2PM check in/noon check out.
I was checking in at 8AM and wanted a secure and dark place to sleep as well as work. The front desk guy was nice enough to give me a room for 8 hours at the price of 6.
I was given room 108, which was at the very end of a hallway, and quite quiet. Everything smelled new. Not a huge room but not claustrophobic either which is important if I’m not going to have a window.
There was a sweet little cup of water bedside.
The only real functional downside was the lack of plugs. I only found two, one by the by the desk and one by the TV. The bathroom was nice and new, and I was glad that I had opted for ensuite rather than the shared hallway facilities at the much cheaper Fast Sleep.
The Tryp GRU airport hotel also features other unexpected amenities. There is an internal courtyard where you can get outside and/or smoke.
Room Tips
- The rooms bordering the courtyard have windows, so if you don’t like the cubicle feel, ask for a room with a window, likely to be in the 130s.
- There are also rooms with fitness equipment, so if you want a chance to work out and don’t see the option when booking, be sure to ask!
When I checked in it was mentioned that they offer free meals and non alcoholic drinks throughout the day. They even encourage you to grab and go on your way out to your flight.
I looked over the breakfast which was a typical spread of meats and cheeses, yogurts, cereals, and various breads. Eggs were offered but I had been pretty well fed on the plane so I declined.
I had expected something similar when I turned out for lunch and saw the same breads laid out for breakfast. Pretty disappointing. Then I was presented with an extensive menu featuring starters, soups, entrees which included salmon and steak, and even chef suggestions. Not to mention unlimited dessert. All with attentive table service, by two servers.
I can only imagine what dinner is like and was starting to understand why my room was as expensive as it was!
Full Board vs Room-Only
If you book in advance it looks like it’s about a $40-$50 difference between full board and just getting the room. If you are only staying for a few hours and have lounge access, save your money and snack heavily in the lounge. If, however, you want real food and will be around for lunch and dinner, you’ll definitely save money by getting full board and the food is actually good.
The only downside to my whole whole experience was the power went out just as I was getting out of the shower and since I was in a room with no window, it was completely black and slightly treacherous. Fortunately I had my cell phone nearby so could light the way to my towel and suitcase. Turns out the power had gone out in the entire terminal. Ahhh, Sao Paulo. Then the fire alarm went off twice just as I was falling asleep, but it only lasted a few minutes.
Overall assessment: Not cheap, but worth it if you want a place to sleep/work/stretch out in privacy. I investigated the One World lounge later and the sleeping area was limited to 4 couches, was brightly lit, and loud with airport noise. Not to mention the snack-only food options.
