The Luxor Ouro Preto is an absolutely beautiful property, far more like a lovingly restored, family owned, historic bed and breakfast inn than like a corporate-owned hotel. This property is a strange hybrid, at least strange from my perspective of seeing too many impersonal corporate-owned cookie-cutter hotels (the notable exception being a series of properties that Starwood, the Sheraton folks, manages under the "Luxury Collection" banner). Usually, dignified upscale hotels and corporate chains don't have much in common.

Yet, this property is, in fact, owned by a corporation. Luxor usually operates large, upscale, corporate-style hotels in and around Rio de Janeiro. A visit to most Luxor properties is not unlike a visit to a Hyatt or Omni property. (See my review of the Luxor Continental Copacabana.) Except in Ouro Preto --- this property is unique --- the only boutique hotel under the Luxor banner.

The differences begin with scale. The Luxor Ouro Preto is small (I think they have 29 rooms total, 9 of those being suites). The structure itself is historic, occupying a large, restored 400-year old estate home in the historic heart of Ouro Preto --- a wonderfully quaint colonial mining town that exemplifies everything you may ever have heard about the province of Minas Gerais. Ouro Preto is also a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, meaning that the town is of significance in understanding the big question, "What is this thing we call humanity?"

I can't recommend too strongly a visit to Ouro Preto. The town is magnificent beyond description. Some day I might try to describe its wonderfully worn patina, but that's already been done here on Epinions so well in an outstanding review by optionexplicit, that I don't think I could improve on his vision and insight. I will, however, second his rating of 5-stars on the town of Ouro Preto, and confirm that the town really is as cool as he says, and the churches really are every bit as magnificent as he claims. (And the churches and the mine are, IMHO, the coolest things to see in town, other than hanging out in an historic cafe or plaza and soaking up the atmosphere.)

To me, the town of Ouro Preto reminds me of some of the historic colonial towns in central Mexico, like Queretaro or Guanajuato. It has the same kind of narrow cobblestone streets, wide, manicured plazas, and amazing churches and historic centers, as well as the same kind of upscale boutique inns and very upscale restaurants and shops.

The one tidbit of advice I'll pass along on visiting Ouro Preto is to check the bus schedules early. optionexplicit claims that a trip to Ouro Preto from Rio de Janeiro takes 3 hours. I think it's actually longer than that --- and there were not as many buses running the route as I expected, so we made sure to reserve our seat for a return bus as soon as possible, and we made sure to confirm its departure time since there were only a couple buses a day, and as cool as the town may be, we didn't want to be stuck there. Naturally, your mileage may vary.

But enough on the character of the place, let's talk about the hotel itself...


In and Around the Hotel...
You stay in the Luxor Ouro Preto for its colonial charm and central convenience in the heart of the historic district. You stay for the service and the first-class accommodations and food. You don't stay here for business meetings, and you don't stay here for all the perks and amenities, because frankly, there aren't many.

There's no gym on site --- not even so much as an exercise bike in a closet labeled "Workout Room". There's no pool. No tennis courts. No ballroom. No A/V department. There is no gift shop on site, though that shouldn't exactly pose a problem for most folks, since there are boutique shops galore in the side streets throughout the historic district.

There are public spaces though on the main level. The lobby is inviting, spacious, and rustic in feel and tone, but the real gem of the place is the "Game Room" which has a billiards table and that feels big and open like being in the parlor of an old colonial manor home where gentlemen would retreat after dinner for brandy and cigars. Thankfully for my nose and lungs, nobody was actually smoking cigars in there, but it was that kind of a macho feeling space, with big wooden furniture, rustic paneling, etc.

The lower level is also home to the magnificent bar and restaurant, which I'll get to in a minute, but first, lets head up to the guest floors so you can take a peek into my room....


Step Into My Room...
Don't worry about getting a stuffy old room when you stay in this place. It might be historic, but its also recently renovated and modernized. You get a very modern bathroom that's a virtually a mirror image of the ones at Luxor properties in Rio --- right down to the polished marble vanity and the same upscale toiletries and thick towels. The only difference I see between my bathroom in Ouro Preto and the one I had at the Luxor in Rio is that the mirror has a traditional, older style, wood frame here in Ouro Preto, rather than more austere Scandinavian style that the chain seems to prefer in Rio.

The standard room is on the tight side, but very tasteful and comfortable. I love the hardwood floors with thick woven rugs --- they remind me of being in a lovingly cared for historic home rather than in an impersonal hotel. I love the nearly floor-to-ceiling huge windows that open out to look over the bustling narrow cobblestone streets below and that afford vistas of some of the city's most historic structures and distinctive churches.

Heavy, rustic pine armoire and colonial style headboard, with a wooden armchair by a light maple finish colonial style table complete the furnishings. The hotel claims that the furnishings are 18th century style (not real antiques, but good looking reproductions). Thankfully, the firm mattress on the decidedly modern double bed lets me sleep like the modern, tired guy that I am.

There's no coffee maker in the room, and the TV is smaller than U.S. guests might expect (its maybe a 16 inch screen, or so --- definitely not one of the big 25" screens that I see in most corporate hotels these days).


Dining, Not Just Eating...
I absolutely love the rough and ready elegance of the Hotel Luxor Ouro Preto's dining room. It feels like you're in a very well-heeled cave, if such a thing could exist. The stone walls feel more wine cellar than anything else, and the polished wood floors and rough-hewn wood beams give the whole room a feeling of substantial permanence. The dining room has an elegant feel to it though, with starched white table cloths and service par excellence.

It is the perfect dining room for a romantic upscale evening, but it works for breakfast too.

Room rates include a buffet breakfast, and it's no stripped down donut and coffee here, no sirree. This is a full Brazilian breakfast (which surprised me a bit, given that the hotel is very small --- not much larger than some bed and breakfast inns in the United States). Lots of juices, lots of breads, a few hot breakfast entrees, including a nicely zesty stewed pork --- I wish I could remember what it was called because I'd love to try making it at home sometime. Brazilians seem to have this thing for quail eggs and breakfast, and it didn't surprise me at all to see a big dish of them, coated in a kind of citric and mustard glaze that perfectly accentuated their somewhat firm texture. Strong coffee? You bet. Lots of pastries and rolls? You bet. Great morning eye-opener? No question.

Don't limit yourself to just the breakfast here though. They also lay out an excellent spread at dinner with a menu that's traditional Brazilian cuisine. I really love the flavors of Brazilian foods, with its emphasis on seafood and piquant spices. Almost everywhere we went, we were served these small little ball-like cheese breads --- soft, with a somewhat gummy texture, but with a tantalizing delicate white cheese flavor that danced lightly across the tongue.

Brazilians also cook with a kind of rough flour called farofa that's made from manioc. It's used as an ingredient in many dishes, but its also toasted and served as a side dish. In Ouro Preto, I had a simply sublime fish stew served with a very spicy yellowish red salsa and a side of farofa. The farofa was outstanding with a texture like toasted rough corn meal. At this hotel, the chef prepares it with bacon and diced nuts.

And by the way, even though this is a very small, boutique hotel, they still offer 24-hour room service.


Bottom Line...
This is a very gracious, comfortable, historic inn, but one that is run with the modern professionalism of a larger hotel corporation. Its an interesting mix that works well from the guest perspective. Rack rates at this property run R200-300 (US$70-100) per night, but, like every hotel in Brazil, ask for the "promotion" (promocao) and you should be able to shave at least $10-15 off that price (except at Carnaval or peak times). At those prices, this is among the most expensive hotels in Ouro Preto (where you can find clean rooms for US$20). To me, a typical American, a $60 hotel room is a basic La Quinta or Holiday Inn and is not extravagant, going to Brazil and paying "average American prices" might seem stupid to a real bargain hunter, but to me, it lands me in some of the best first-class properties around --- places like this wonderfully historic and charming colonial inn. Frankly, I'm willing to pamper myself once in a while. Lord knows, I don't get this kind of charm and service for $60 back home!

Until next time, see you on the road. As always, I'll be looking for great deals and bang for my travel buck.





Recommended: Yes