The Selina Madalena is the best Coworking space in Vila Madalena, Sao Paulo with its natural light and multiple offerings of fast wifi.
Digital nomads and business travelers alike will enjoy working from this coworking space for both its solid amenities and unique twist on a chill work break.
Hi Traveler, Acacia for Adventure on the Side here. I spent three weeks working from the Selina Vila Madalena location and am here to give you an insider look.
Let’s go!
Note: I keep it real. No stock or corporate images here. Everything is from my actual stay at Selina Vila Madalena.
Building + Neighborhood
In the heart of Sao Paulo’s Villa Madalena neighborhood, the Selina Vila Madalena is a six story high-rise on the corner of Rua Aspicuelta and Rua Girassol.
With an onsite cafe, and walking access to city level cafes and resultants, there is plenty for coworkers to explore during their lunch breaks and after work.
Cowork Access + Security
Access to the Coworking space at the Selina Vila Madalena is via the dual elevators in the reception area.
First time users, and those checking in with their Colive package will want to stop at the front desk for their password and wifi log in information.
Up just one floor, coworkers will find the entrance to the Coworking space. The entire first floor is strictly coworking space with no rooms, amenities or other reasons for non-coworkers to be on floor. (The floor numbers begin once above the ground floor in Brazil).
Entrance to the space is password protected by a keypad and access is available 24/7.
The Coworking Spaces
The coworking space balances a chill and trendy vibes with strictly corporate ambiance. The space is divided into three primary areas with additional nooks and spaces to explore.
Coworking Space 1: Coworking Chill
Off the left from the main entrance is the coworking space’s cowork chill area. Furnished with two large hot decking tables, a couch, loungers and swings.
Open the large window door and step out onto the balcony for fresh air and a great view of the neighborhood.
Outlets are available in the floor under the hot desk tables. There are no outlets near the couches, loungers or on the balcony.
Break time! Cowork Chill is the space for those grabbing a bite at the office, and those looking to away from their desks for bit. it’s also. Great place to get some natural light!
The lounge seating offers a long couch a 3 lounge chairs facing an open area rug. On the rug are two large pillows and two functioning swings hanging from the ceiling.
Coworking Space 2: Coworking Hot Desks
Walk straight from the cowork entry, and coworkers will find a series of window lined executive seats and a large hot desk table to choose from.
Plenty of outlets are available on the floor under both sets of seating.
Space two is surrounded on two sides by large office spaces, including one by the company Blood, and a large window. The office spaces are all window facing allowing natural light to pass through to the hot design area.
Coworking Space 3: Phone Booths and Meeting Rooms
Along the third coordinator, to the right of the main Selina Madalena cowork entrance, is a wall of three phone booths and smaller office spaces.
This hallway is well shielded from both sound and natural lighting. The lighting is this space is from warm overheard lights in each phone booth and the natural light from the backside of the meeting rooms.
Cowork Capacity
Hot Desk Capacity
There are a total of 33 hot desk seats inside the Selina Madalena Coworking space:
- Two tables of 6 in the cowork chill area for a total of 12 hot desks in cowork chill space.
- In the central section, there is a large table with seating for 9 and 5 hot desks along the window.
- There is a 5th hot desk table along the entrance hallway that holds an addition 4 coworkers.
- Three barstools at the kitchenette table are also available for hot desking.
Lounge + Casual Seating (Seating Without Table)
In addition to the hot desks, there are an additional 12 lounge spaces on couches, cushions, or pillows that do not have a table or place for a laptop.
- Space for 3-4 on the couch and 2 lounge chairs
- There are 2 swings in cowork chill as well as two large, beanbag-like, cushions on the area rug.
- On the balcony there are an additional 2 chairs
Private Phone Booths
Three phone booths are available on a first come basis. Each booth is equipped with a table, barstool, outlet and overhead light. There is no reservation policy or sign up sheet to use the phone booths at this Selina coworking location.
The hallways with the phone booths is apart from the hot desk areas making it more private and quieter. The doors; however are see-through so there is no visual privacy.
Meeting Rooms
The Selina Madalena Coworking space offers 6 meeting rooms. Each meeting space is has windows on two sides- one on the outer wall for plenty of natural light, as well as a window wall facing the hall space.
Each room has an air conditioner, 3-10 desks, ergonomic corporate seating, and a lock to protect equipment.
Meeting Rooms 1, 2, and 3 are in the second hot desk space. Meeting space 1, the largest space, is currently occupied on a more permanent basis by the company Blood.
Meeting rooms 4, 5, and 6 are accessible down the phone booth lined hallway.
The meeting rooms are more like shared offices, as opposed to collaboration or teamwork rooms. There are no common tables to sit facing each other, nor any whiteboard for brainstorming or any screen or television for presenting other than one.
The rooms are a bit overkill for a private office too as the smallest room has two large desks.
Coworking Kitchen
In the Cowork Chill space, digital nomads and coworkers will find a mini kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, sink and of course coffee and tea.
A tea kettle is available to quickly heat up water and three selections of tea are available 24/7. Coffee is available Monday- Friday form 8a to 5p.
The kitchenette is stocked with a large number of mugs, plates and utensils so nomads and coworkers do not have to bring their own. Off to the side is a sink and dishwashing station.
Coworking Amenities + Wifi
Wifi Speeds
The Selina Madalena offers two wifi options exclusive to coworkers- most Selina Coworking spaces only offer one.
- Selina Cowork: 30.9 Mbps Download. 37.2 Mbps Upload
- Selina Fibra 2.4: 13.3 Mbps Download, 8.58 upload (Fibre is weird, but its a solid backup format)
Bathrooms
The Coworking space at Vila Madalena has three sets of restrooms exclusive to coworkers. Two restrooms are gender specific with a separate mens and women’s room at each. The third restroom, off the phone booth and meeting room hallway is a single, is a single gender neutral accessible restroom.
Air Conditioning
The coworking space at Vila Madalena has large air conditioners overhead in each space. Each meeting room has either a wall air conditioner controlled by remote, or a large overhead unit like the ones in the main room.
Temperature overall is nice and comfortable, though in the evenings when the windows are open, it can be on the cool side.
Outlet Type
Brazilian dual pronged outlets. Many are marked as 110 volts. All outlets are along the floor. There are little to no wall outlets in the entire coworking space. Each Table has multiple floor outlets at your feet.
Lighting
Majority of the large windows face north or south, maximizing the amount of natural light the Madalena Cowork space receives while preventing screen glare from direct sun or overheating of hardworking digital nomads.
In addition to the great natural light this space gets, the windows open. Makes for fresh air and gentle breeze to give the impression digital nomads are outside.
Cowork Service
The cowork space is managed by an attendant Monday- Friday from 8a to 5p as well as a regulate cleaning staff. If digital nomads or coworkers have any questions or run low on supplies, there is a designated WhatsApp chat for the coworking space.
Coworker users can use the chat for a quick response regarding anything from a burned out lightbulb, to running low on coffee and tea.
Coworking Pricing
Cowork access is included for all Selina Colive and Clolive Flex residents. All other guests or visitors wanting to access the cowork space and amenities will need to purchase a daily, weekly, or monthly pass.
Coworking Rates:
- Daily: R$ 59,00 (around $12 USD*)
- Weekly: R$ 220,00 ($44 USD*)
- Monthly: R$ 770,00 ($155 USD*)
*Estimated based on exchange rate time of publication.
The coworking rate includes access to the cojworkgin space, cowork exclusive wifi, coffee, tea and water, access to the phone booths, as well as open hot desk space.
Additional amenities included are the kitchen with microwave and fridge, free printing at reception, 5% off wellness activism at the Selina Vila Madalena, 10% off food and non-alcoholic drinks in the cafe downstairs, and 10% off room reservations if you need a place to crash.
Meeting Room Rates:
Meeting room reservations includes access to the Basic Coworking inclusions as well as a private, lockable, meeting room.
Meetings rooms are available for reservation only and each is locked to protect access. At first glance, meeting room reservations may seem steep; however, each is deigned for group of 3 or more.
Coworkers can make a reservation by the hour or in 4 hour blocks, as well as by the day, week or month:
- Hourly: R$ 89,00 ($18 USD*)
- 4 Hours: R$ 290,00 ($59 USD*)
- Daily: R$ 490,00 ($99 USD*)
- Weekly R$: 1990,00 ($400 USD*)
- Monthly R$: 6990,00 ($1,406 USD*)
Selina Coworking Madalena Review
Overall I enjoy the Selina Vila Madalena Coworking space primarily for its large windows and manageable attendance. The natural light and open spaces bring an uplifting feel to my work days here. The space is generally pretty quiet too. Even in hot desk areas because it’s not crowded- though there is always that one person who talks too loud on calls… ::sigh::
Meeting people at this location is difficult. There seem to be fewer digital nomads at this Selina Colive location than other Selina Cowork locations, and with the Blood meeting room being permanently occupied by locals, English is not the primary language in the space either.
I recommend digital nomads mix up their usage of the space with local coffee shops to add more energy and human interaction into your day. There are plenty of excellent cafes within a short walking distance to add variety to your work week.
After work, there are plenty of great bars with happy hour deals within a block in each direction, or check out Batman alley for great street art and the Sunday flea market- both around the corner.
