Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
POUSADAS
Outside of the main city
and town centers, the majority
of accommodations on offer
are smaller, privately owned
properties.
Pousadas
vary
dramatically in terms of cost,
quality, and facilities offered.
Some will be very basic, but
certainly clean, while others
can be considered world-class
boutique hotels set in lovely
locations.
Pousadas
are usually
charming, offer good value,
and give a real flavor of Brazil.
It is a good idea to visit
the website of an individual
pousada
to see the pictures
of the property and what it
has to offer. Most good tour
operators know the best
pousadas
in each category
and area.
Roteiros de Charme
,
a network of outstanding
pousadas
, is also very useful,
as is the website www.
hiddenpousadasbrazil.com.
The lush gardens of Pousada do Sol, Morro de São Paulo
CHAIN HOTELS
Only the properties in the
tourist areas are likely to
consider adding a Brazilian
or tropical flavor to the sur-
roundings or decorations.
Until the 1990s, there were
few foreign hotel chains
operating in Brazil. The lar-
gest chains were Brazilian,
and included
Othon
,
Tropical
,
and
Luxor
, all of which are
still in operation today.
However, several hundreds
of modern hotels throughout
Brazil operate under different
brands, such as the
Accor
and
Bristol
groups.
Brazilian hoteliers have
not been left behind with the
introduction of
Blue Tree
, the
Atlântica Hotels
group, and
Transamérica
that operates
as Radisson, Clarion, Quality,
Comfort Suites, Four Points,
and Sleepy Inn.
The majority of chain
hotels, which vary greatly
in terms of price, infrastruc-
ture and quality, tend to be
targeted at Brazilian and
South American business
travelers unless they are in
obvious tourist destinations.
APART-HOTELS
Though not strictly for budget
travelers, apart-hotels, in most
of the main Brazilian cities,
offer good value for money.
These come with one, two, or
more bedrooms, a living area,
and a kitchen. Some will have
restaurants and cafés, as well
as swimming pools and gyms.
One of the main chains
with properties throughout
Brazil is Accor's Parthenon
group, while in São Paulo,
Transamérica Flats
is a very
prominent brand.
Apart-hotels are the most
convenient self-catering
option in Brazil. Most houses
and apartments are rented
individually, and it may be
easier to organize the rental
through a local agency.
Sign of Pousada dos Artistas,
Praia do Forte
RESORTS
World-class resorts are
a relatively new concept
in Brazil, but are rapidly
growing in popularity and
in terms of what is on offer.
Aerial view of the Marriott Resort in Costa do Sauípe, Bahia
