Botanique Hotel & Spa is a new luxury resort located in the hills (1,200m above sea level) and mountains in Bairro dos Mellos, around 12km from Campos do Jordão, and a two-hour drive from São Paulo. It opened in November 2012 and is one of the most beautiful country retreats in South America. Botanique is surrounded by 700 acres (240ha) of lush mid-Atlantic forests and botanical gardens. The property’s architecture is contemporary yet reflective of the natural beauty of its surroundings. The resort was conceptualized by David Cole, founder of AOL; Gordon Roddick, founder of the Body Shop; and Ricardo Semler, owner of Botanique, prolific entrepreneur and published author.
The region of Campos do Jordao is known as the Hamptons of Brazil due to the wealthy Brazilian and international residents flocking there for its temperate eternal spring-like climate and lush vegetation.
The resort’s style reflects modern Brazilian design and is also sensitive to the resort’s location. The main building contains the Restaurant, Lounge, Library Living Spaces, as well as the 900 sqm Spa, and 6 spacious and beautifully appointed suites. In addition, scattered around the hillside are 11 freestanding villas each with 600sqm of private gardens.
The restaurant serves contemporary Brazilian cuisine with an exclusive Brazilian and international wine list. Botanique has its own collection of great cigars, grows and roasts its own coffee and presses its own olive oil. For those who would like to venture outside the resort, there are great dining venues including: Emporio dos Mellos in Campos, Restaurante Churrasco ao Vivo in St Antonio, and Restaurante Trincheira in Sao Bento.
The 10,000sqf Spa at Botanique has eight treatment rooms, a swimming pool, a wet sauna, both wet and dry saunas, both of which feature glass walls offering views across the local hills. There are numerous opportunities for outdoor activities, with several well-marked hiking and mountain biking trails, an outdoor swimming pool, a lake ideal for swimming, plus tennis courts, and a private equestrian center.
The hotel is 2 hrs drive from Sao Paulo (GRU) and 12km from Campos do Jordao.
This is a year round destination. March - September is the dry season however temperatures can fall to below 10°C at night in July and August. Summer months of December - February can be hot and humid with occasional rain.
