Mercure Sao Paulo International Airport Guarulhos

This hotel is an ok place to stay. I found the service has not improved over the last few years despite a higher brand name, Mercure, taking over from the Parthenon brand name. There have been a number of changes (negative if you ask me) over the years. As of the end of October room service is no longer served, the cable tv service for the rooms has no dedicated English stations (although a few Brazilian stations imported from the US are in English with Port. subtitles). Desk staff is friendly although not very capable and English is a definate problem with all but a few staff members. This, however, is not their fault as this hotel as the Parthenon catered primarily to Brazilians. However, now that the MERCURE has assumed the Parthenon the staff should cater to international tourists/business people.

Unique Quality: The Mercure São Paulo Airport - Guarulhos - used to be the Parthenon Guarulhos. Part of the same hotel company, Accor, the Parthenon is known throughout Brazil as being more so an aparthotel than a true hotel. Indeed, the rooms in the hotel have an adaquate bathroom (with stand up shower), seperate bedroom and a living room with an attached kitchette...including microwave, small fridge, stove & sink. Dishes, pots & pans will be provided if you ask -- they will even do the dishes when housekeeping cleans the room in the morning. A drawback to this set up is that the bedroom is the only room with air conditioning - which in some rooms is quite loud. The window in the living room can be opened for fresh air ... although the noise from below can be very loud. The "cable television" lacks seriously English programming -- even CNN International has been removed from the lineup and has been replaced with CNN Spanish. (as of November 2007)

Directions: Guarulhos Downtown