IBIS Hotel, Barro Funda, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Hotel IBIS - Rua Eduardo Viana 163, Barra Funda, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Tel: +55-11-3393-7300

The hotel is bright and clean. There is a steep curb cut at the entrance, then level entrance after that.

Handicapped room is on the second floor - lift (elevator) is small but there is enough space even for a large wheelchair. Room is right beside the lift.

The room is neat with European style in-built furnishings. Wooden floor, open shelves, low bench, small curved worktop. Not large, but big enough to get around. Power sockets are at worktop level and easily accessible. Wifi Internet. Flat screen TV with controls left on a low shelf. Bed is a Queen size at the same height as a wheelchair seat, so it's an easy transfer. Open wardrobe has low bar for hanging shirts etc. Bathroom door is about 80cm (32in), with a sliding door to maximize space. The sink is high but has space for knees underneath. Roll-in shower with a permanent hard (fake marble) bench running along one wall. Grab rails for transfer and balance when on bench. Hand held shower rose with wall mounting. Badly positioned grab-rails by toilet, but everything is usable and there is plenty of space to turn around.

Or at least everything was usable when I arrived. On transferring to the toilet there was an ominous crack, then a groan, then toilet, cistern and myself cam crashing to the ground in a cascade of water and shattered porcelain. Although a little heavier than I should be, I am not that big! The toilet appears to have been cracked previously. The hotel were very nice about it, and since I was not injured and was checking out that morning there was little that could be done.

All areas of the hotel are accessible including the restaurant on the first floor (second floor for Americans). Staff were extremely helpful and friendly.

Recommended.

Guarulhos Airport (GRU), Sao Paulo, Brazil

Arriving
Most international flights arrive at Guarulhos (GRU) International Airport. Although looking a bit dated it is clean and well serviced. Ground staff handling the aisle chair were well trained. I was taken off the plane quickly, and transferred to my own chair which had been brought to the air bridge. I flew United from Washington D.C. but on previous trips I have flown KLM from Amsterdam and received the same efficient treatment.

The ground assistant walked me through Immigration (no queues - I was last off the aircraft and everyone had been processed before I got through! I wish US Customs and Immigration were as efficient!), picked my bag off the carousel and walked me out to the taxi rank. The official taxi service for GRU is GuaruCoop (http://www.guarucoop.com.br - there are some pages in English). They do not have adapted taxis - just a range of regular taxis (sedans, station-wagons, people carriers). There is a stand just outside the airport doors where you can buy a ticket with a credit card. You then just hand the ticket to the driver. (You can pay the driver directly with cash also, but it is very reassuring getting a fixed price ticket for your destination in a strange city). The girl at the desk spoke perfect English and there were no problems. For this trip I was staying in a region of Sao Paulo for the first night called Barro Funda. This was about 35mins from the airport and cost BRL82.

I do not know if it is possible to rent cars with hand controls in Sao Paulo (certainly Hertz don't do it) but even if it was I'm not sure that I would drive there. Traffic is chaotic and driving style is exhilarating to say the least. You also have to cope with unexpected hazards such as someone cycling along the median of the freeway!