Novotel Itu: perfect for starting life anew
A newly inaugurated resort for families in Itu is the best way of returning to vacations safely
By Ronny Hein
São Paulo is increasingly the land of luxury gated communities. They are almost always close to the capital cities and offer resort services. Thousands of people from the state of São Paulo (especially those from the city of São Paulo) spent their confinement from Covid in areas like these. Today, with life almost returning back to normal, taking a trip by car and experiencing the post-pandemic close to home is a first step in traveling safely with the family. And those who live in the capital of São Paulo don’t need to drive for more than an hour to discover the pleasure of spending a few days (or even a season) at the Novotel Itu Terras de São José Golf & Resort. This is an almost brand-new mega-development in the Terras de São José Condominium, the first of the gated communities created in Brazil.
It has literally everything for those who want a vacation with different expectations: sports, recreation, freedom to take pets, historical and tourist visits in the surroundings, quality food, swimming pools and water parks with cold or hot water, and an exclusive spa at L’Occitane au Brésil. For toddlers, the Itu resort features the Copa Baby area, which has microwaves, bottle warmers and cleaners, food chairs and a minibar specially designed for kids.
Sportsmen will appreciate the opportunity to practice horseback riding and play golf. In fact, the stables and the 18-hole professional golf course belong to the Terras de São José Condominium but the guests of Novotel, the famous French brand of the Accor group, receive a 20% discount.
Please be aware it is not a small resort. It has 343 apartments divided into four categories, areas for conventions and events – but, definitively, it is families who will feel most at home there. Modern architecture, restaurants with varied food – including the sophisticated cuisine of the Raro Restaurante and ample spaces for reading, games and recreation led by specialized monitors, make this a special place for those who live close by (or even not so close).
The weather is almost always steady and hot in this historic part of São Paulo. It was in Itu that the Brazilian republican movement flourished. Itu is also the city of superlatives, which is a concept that marked its “gigantic” attractions in the second half of the last century and still continues.
It also has some of the most beautiful parish churches in São Paulo (Nossa Senhora da Candelária, founded in 1780, which is ideal for those who enjoy temples with ornate decoration) and several well-renowned museums, such as the Republican Museum and the Sacred Arts Museum, in addition to more modern galleries.
Around the city and in the nearby cities such as Salto, Porto Feliz and Cabreúva, there are centenary-old resorts (one is the coveted Fazenda do Chocolate, on the Estrada dos Romeiros, which is a beautiful place that would be much better if only the Tietê river was less polluted), stud farms and roads that are ideal for bike, motorcycle or horseback riding.
However, not everything is as you would hope for with the pet friendly concept only applying to animals weighing less than 15 kilos, for obvious reasons of safety.
For manager Carlos Jacobina, although everyone is welcome, it is families with children who will get the most enjoyment: “The best thing we offer is the unlimited view, with a sensation of spaciousness and absolute contact with nature,” he guarantees.
Services
Discover Novotel Itu Golf & Resort
Al. São Paulo Golf, 13306-440, Itu, Sao Paulo, Brazil
See our technic visit
Full board system (breakfast, lunch, tea time and dinner with non-alcoholic drinks included during meals). Daily rates at attractive prices, depending on the type of apartment selected. Children under 12 are free.
