The hotel is being developed in a deal between Brazilian developer Iron House Real Estate and Tamweelview European Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).
The Four Seasons Hotel Sao Paulo at Nacoes Unidas is expected to open in 2017 in a mixed-used development in the southern part of Sao Paulo known as Parque da Cidade.
The focal part of the project will be a 29-storey tower with 16 floors occupied by the hotel and 13 floors for the residential units.
“Having a presence in Brazil is essential as we explore growth opportunities across Latin America,” said J. Allen Smith, president and chief executive of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “Brazil is not only a popular destination for luxury travellers, but Brazilian outbound travellers represent a significant number of Four Seasons guests around the world. Soon they will have an opportunity to experience Four Seasons at home.”
Smith added the group had been seeking the right opportunity to bring Four Seasons to Brazil for a while. “We now have the prime location and strong partners who believe in the standards of quality and the culture of Four Seasons and share our vision for success,” he said.
Construction on the project has been ongoing since December and is expected to be completed in 2017.
Iron House chief executive Ruy Rego said: “Four Seasons was one of the pioneers of the concept of a luxury hotel with branded residences and this model is now present in key cities worldwide. The city of Sao Paulo is the right place for such a landmark project, the first of its kind in Brazil.”
The project will be designed by HKS Architects in partnership with Aflalo e Gasperini Architects, while interior design is by BAMO at the hotel.
Four Seasons has just completed work on one of its hotels in Bogota, Colombia, the Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina, with just 62 rooms; the Four Seasons Hotel Bogota will follow next year.
It has also opened its first hotel in South Korea, with the arrival of a 317-room hotel in Seoul.
Projects in Napa Valley, California and Aspen are also said to be on the cards for the group, which has a confirmed opening in New York planned also, giving it a second hotel there when it adds the Tribeca location next year.
2016 will also see Four Seasons grow in a number of global locations, including Kyoto, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London, Hawaii and Miami.
