Pousada Picinguaba

One of the best beach hotels I've stayed at. Wonderful location, great staff, beautiful surroundings, tasty, local food. We kayaked to the deserted beaches of the National Park and explored the river. We ate under the stars overlooking the bay. We drank cold beer in the local bar watching the local fishermen come and go, as turtles swam past. We stayed in Casa Verde - bliss to lie in the hammock with buffy tufted marmosets swinging past.

Just a little miracle. Nested on top of Pincinguaba - a small fishermen village enjoying the unique privilege of State natural park protection - this one-of-its kind boutique hotel created and run by Manu and Bianca is just the perfect place to unwind and immerge in nature! The view from the swimming pool and its amazing terrace is breathtaking all day long. And if that weren't enough you come across tucans, colibris, little sagui monkis and many flashy others! Just a stone's throw away is the Fazenda Beach, making you feel like a cast away: beautiful, immense... empty (but you can get your Caipirinha and grilled fish back to the hotel)! As a Frenchman I love food. And I was not disappointed! The breakfast is a delight, like everything else. All freshly prepared by great cooks, and 100% organic. Rediscover what taste means! I forgot to mention the sunsets, that you can also go enjoy from the house's boat moored in the bay, the great staff, and, and...and... But shhhht. Don't spread the word too much. Well, okay, a last tip: after enjoying the sea at Picinguaba rush to Fazenda Catuçaba to discover the charms of this property and the country side around it, retreat in fabulous secluded houses, ride horses and more! Go check out too! After a week at Picinguaba I'm finishing a one week stay there at the Lake house (yes it has its private lake!) Can't resolve to leave and get back to rainy Northern Europe!

This place is a beautiful getaway. You could imagine working on your novel here for a couple of weeks (go on, you know you want to!). The vibe is eco-simplicity, of the luxury kind. No TV, no mobiles (you can probably phone from reception if you must, but the idea is clearly that you don't - that is why you are here). The aesthetic is Vincent-in-Arles meets Greek island. Blue and white predominates. There are a couple of small things that would improve it without much extra outlay. I'll come to those. But first, the good. The view from your window is breathtaking. Straight down to the bay with lush vegetation and birdsong in between. Your first sight of it framed in a picture window is quite something! The food is excellent. Gorgeous fruit juices for breakfast. I think most guests try out the village at lunchtime, but you can get lunch here if you pre-order it. The staff are lovely. Not all speak English, but all are anxious to help. The beds are comfortable and the garden has plenty of nooks and crannies to sit in if you don't fancy sunbeds. I have a mobility issue and walk with a stick, but found the access from the village manageable. It is quite a long way but the steps are not themselves steep and there are handrails. Perhaps a bench halfway up would be a welcome addition? I would recommend taking a torch as some short steps inside the grounds could be awkward in the dark. The small touches I would add are these. Drinking water in the rooms. Reception provide it on request, but really it would add a lot if it was there already. Paper tissues in the bathroom. Care is taken to provide lovely toiletries but it always seems odd to me that so few places bother to supply paper tissues. Tourists get colds too and loo paper doesn't cut it. But in all, a gorgeous place to spend a bit of time.