Hotel Unique

Behemoth landmark building resembles a cruise ship or a cross section of a watermelon. Architect Oscar Niemeyer's apprentice Ruy Ohtake took a step away from his boss' penchant for concrete and headed natural, with weathered copper siding and wood to visually stabilize. Sophisticated Europeans and flush hipster Brazilians roll hard-shelled luggage into a vast open-air space. Check-in waiting with champagne on one end and a lobby bar with a 36-foot-high shelf that glows at night on the other. Lower-level floors are fewer and less trafficked. Fitness center is all about fun: to exit the sauna, utilize a slide into the heated pool. Rooftop Skye Bar brags one of the best views in SP.