Grande Hotel Termas de Araxá

I had lunch there. Great food, excellent staff. Waiter Rita was very kind and careful. Went to the thermal baths also and their mud bathtubes. Nice experience. Dona Beija fountain worth a stop by also. The gardens and atmosphere are scenic.

Not sure what I can write that hasn't been written before - this is a piece of history. Expensive? Very much so! But you get some of the best 4 meals you can get anywhere in Brazil - besides the traditional 3, delicious 5 pm tea/coffee time (detail - the teas could be a bit more special - like Twinings - and not the good, but not so special Brazilian brand Leão). And if you stay 2 days, the leisure and spa team offer enough activities that'll help you spend the time between those meals. There are nice opportunities to walk in the region - it's not really the most exuberant nature in Brazil, but it's pleasant. Staying 2 nights, my wife and I didn't have time to try some of the spa treatments - that'll be on our to-do-list for the next visit, and there will be one. We stayed on the 6th floor, facing the front area. There's a pretty view, but apparently there are often outside events and a book fair was just being set up, making it not so "pretty". The 6th floor is a must if you value a balcony - as we do. The rooms are not even that large, but sufficient. Very comfortable, though not particularly luxurious. All very clean and very quiet, as we like it. Of course it helped we went off-season and we were among at most 50 guests - there is room for about 700 when it's full. The relative emptiness was perfect for us when, on the 1st morning there we had the nice, warm pool just to ourselves. And we were among the youngest guests - both my wife and I are close to 60. It makes sense: it's really for those already have a pretty steady and guaranteed income. You absolutely most have a tour of the hotel and of the Presidential suite. Just a few things to improve: in the rooms, the shower could use a reform - the water was unsteadily warm - the A/C is not the silent kind - the days weren't too hot and we slept with our French doors open. In the public bathrooms, the drying paper is really flimsy and doesn't dry well. Finally, in the F&B - we found that some of the waitresses don't really know the drink options and need some better training. One had no idea what a Kir Royal is. Absolutely nothing that will deter us from returning.