Tryp Lounge Review - Sao Paulo (GRU)

The competition for travelers’ lounge dollars has gotten intense all over the world, and with each passing day more and more unconventional spaces have popped up to cater to that interest, and collect those lounge dollars. For instance, we recently visited a “lounge” in New Delhi that was actually just the breakfast area at the airport Holiday Inn. This Tryp Lounge Review – Sao Paulo (GRU) is about a space that is slightly more reputable than that, though. In Sao Paulo airport, technically located in terminal three, ut actually located between the two terminals, there is an airport hotel that has turned its bar and lobby into a lounge space and…, actually…its not that bad! True, its a bit of a walk to get there, but for those of you who need a place to crash, its actually worth the effort.

Our Trip – Tryp Lounge Review – Sao Paulo(GRU)

Like so many others, the Sharks were only in GRU because we were transiting between more beautiful cities, in our case, it was a trip from Salvador to Santiago on LATAM.

The Facts – Tryp Lounge Review – Sao Paulo(GRU)

First, this lounge is only for international travelers, as the hotel is located after immigration. It is in terminal three on the first floor. This means walking through the airport for some distance, down an empty hallway and under an escalator. Its a little confusing, but just follow the signs to the hotel.

Access: There’s no limit to the ways you can access this lounge. The first way is cash–just go in and order a beer and you’re set. Secondly, you could use your Priority Pass, as well as other membership cards. If you choose to use Priority Pass, you’ll be given $28 credit that you can apply towards the lounge services. This could be a meal at the slightly-underwhelming buffet, or it could be drinks at the bar–or even a quick shower.

The Space – Tryp Lounge Review – Sao Paulo(GRU)

The space itself is a kind of glorified hotel lounge area. Once you’re past the reception, you’ll find a lounge area in front of you that has a bar directly ahead, and various kinds of seating ranging from hightops to couches. This is your play area.

What the lounge lacks in ambience it makes up for in general tranquility. As you’ll have seen by the time you reach here, the airport is an absolute madhouse, and just being able to retire to this quieter space will be a relief.

Its also an okay space to pound out some work. The seating won’t win any awards, but it is comfortable enough to take care of whatever wants doing.

As you enter the lounge you can’ miss the bar. It doesn’t seem to be actively manned, but there are plenty of kind staff around to help if you need to place an order.

Further to the right there is a proper lounging area with a nice leather couch and a few other types of more comfortable seating. It does seem that these areas a pretty empty as a rule, so you can take your pick.

Finally, there’s a more secluded TV room that is, once again, entirely empty. This could be a nice place to take a nap or, I guess, watch TV.

The Food – Tryp Lounge Review – Sao Paulo(GRU)

Now, once you’re in the space, the question is, how are you going to spend your money??The first option is to have bar snacks. The menu is below for your perusal.

The second possibility is to spend if on food. Here your primary option is the buffet which takes up a sizeable amount of lounge acreage the the left of reception. We stopped by for breakfast and took lots of pics.

As you’ll see, the options are not limited, but this is also not a Swedish smorgasbord. But there are a goodly number of hot items, and you won’t go to the plane hungry.

The quiches were quite nice.

Also, the staff were exremely kind. It’s best to speak some Portuguese, but they’ll be kind to you regardless.

Really, as I review these pics I have to admit that they really maximize their space well. This is a good meal.

The fruits were also excellent, as one would expect in a country like Brazil.

The Drinks

Now, you could come to this lounge just to have some drinks, and you’d be doing just fine. The bar is respectable and has whatever you’d like…except for ambience. This is a nice place to get a quiet drink, and definitely not a place to cruise for singles.

The menu has basically everything you’d expect and want from a Brazilian bar.

The Internet

The internet uses a code, but works just fine.

The Restrooms

Restrooms are available within the lounge area. Showers are available by paying to use one of the rooms. There’s also a fitness center.

The Rooms

If you’re considering staying in GRU for a while, you might want to advanced book a room instead. The rooms are somewhat spartan, and don’t generally have windows, but they do the job, and the showers are quite excellent.

bed at Tryp Lounge Sao Paulo(GRU) — The beds.

The shower:

Final Thoughts

GRU is a manic airport. Terminal three has a huge number of lounges, but many of these are completely chaotic, As you’ll see from some of our other reviews. If you’re looking for peace and quiet far from the gates and other humans, this lounge might be the one for you. It is also remarkaby a la carte, so that you can choose how much you spend and what you do with your money. While this isn’t our favorite lounge in the world (that’s probably the one in Antigua), its definitely an appealing option for those passing through the international side of GRU Sao Paulo.