Hotel History

Discover the legendary stories and architectural wonders that made Palácio Quitandinha South America's most glamorous destination in the 1940s.

Salão Mauá & the Whispering Dome

Beneath the hotel's soaring concrete dome—the second-largest in the world—a soft sky-blue ceiling once convinced gamblers it was still daylight. Stand at one end of this 50-metre hall and whisper; the curved plaster carries your words clear across the room, a party trick that wowed Lana Turner and Orson Welles on casino nights. Today the echo still works, turning casual conversation into living history.

Piano-Shaped Indoor Pool

Tucked away on the lower level is a giant, heated pool built in the silhouette of a grand piano, its walls painted with under-sea murals straight out of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Hollywood swimmer Esther Williams christened it in 1944 with a water ballet, and the original ceramic tiles still shimmer like sheet music under the lights.

The Rio Treaty Suite

In August 1947, Suite 106 became diplomatic ground zero when President Harry S. Truman and 18 foreign ministers signed the Inter-American "Rio Treaty," pledging mutual defense for the Western Hemisphere. The press dubbed it the Quitandinha Pact, and guests can still tour the table where pens scratched the deal that shaped post-war geopolitics.

Revolving-Stage Theater

The hotel's 1,200-seat theater was outfitted with twin turntables that could swap entire orchestras in under two minutes—a Brazilian first. Legend says a 1960s TV commercial rolled a live elephant onto the stage; the poor beast broke the mechanism, and the turntable froze until recent restorations brought the magic back to life.

Fountain of Luck

Just off the lobby, a Baroque shell fountain once dictated gamblers' fates. High-rollers would flip a coin over their shoulder: land in the lower basin and luck was on your side—back to the roulette wheels; splash into the upper shell and it was time to call it a night. Visitors still try the ritual, just in case fortune favors tradition.

Hollywood's Brazilian Playground

In its golden age, the Palácio Quitandinha wasn't just a hotel—it was a destination where Hollywood royalty mingled with Brazilian high society. Carmen Miranda hosted legendary parties, while stars like Errol Flynn, Joan Crawford, and Walt Disney treated the casino like their personal playground.

The hotel's Dorothy Draper interiors, with their bold green and white stripes and oversized furnishings, created a theatrical backdrop that matched the drama of its guests. Every corner was designed to impress, from the massive chandeliers to the tropical-themed ballrooms where orchestras played through the night.

Today, as a cultural center managed by Sesc, the palace continues to enchant visitors with its preserved grandeur. The Dorothy Suite 353 offers a rare opportunity to sleep in these historic halls, surrounded by the same Art Deco elegance that once captivated the world's most glamorous travelers.

Experience Living History

Stay in the Dorothy Suite and become part of the Palácio Quitandinha's continuing story.

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