I had a pleasant stay here in December of 2004.
This hotel is not the newest, but the prices are very reasonable. The accommodations are clean and comfortable, and the service is very friendly.

The rooms were spacious, bright and cheerful, and felt like Bahia, with a tiled mural on one wall, and shuttered windows facing the ocean. A sliding wood door opened to a view of the ocean hitting the rocks below. The room was accented by recessed lighting around the crown

The furnishings were pretty basic/rustic, but comfortable. There were two chairs and a table by the window/semi-balcony (doors opened with a railing). There was a spacious wooden counter area on one side of the room, along with a 19" color t.v. and a large vanity mirror. There was also a chest of draws, with a top that opened and closed like a flip-top desk. This was a nice feature and you could lay your 'junk' down and cover it up. The beds were two twins drawn together, with a filler piece in the middle, but quite comfortable by Brazilian standards. The bathroom was clean and comfortable. The central air worked fine.

There is no high speed internet or ironing board in the room, but the valet service was cheap and there is a cyber cafe with high speed internet in the lobby, for a modest fee. There was a coffee maker and a mini-bar, with reasonably priced snacks, water, and whatever else you requested. The bathroom size was adequate. You had your normal shampoos, etc. The tub/shower was clean and comfortable, the shower head worked nicely. There were some hot water issues on 2 of 5 days. I was able to get a joining room with twin beds for my family, which was convenient.

With regard to the pool and gym, I can't be very helpful. I did sit on the spacious deck by the large pool one afternoon, which had a bar with friendly service and good caipirinhas. I did not actually go in the pool, but it looked inviting. The view from the pool/deck was breathtaking, and a wonderful place to watch the sun set over the coast, and the Farol de Barra (lighthouse).

I jogged, as opposed to using the gym, which I did not actually enter. It looked fine from the outside, and I did notice that it had a fantastic view of the ocean from the treadmills. I don't think that the hotel had a spa, but I did seem to notice a massage area by the pool. Around the pool, there were a couple of game rooms, including ping-pong and 'snooker' tables.

The lobby is spacious with a replica of the Pelourinho, a bar serving booze and coffee, with a small internet cafe. Conveniently, there is a travel agent and tour guide agent in the lobby. The tour guide was very helpful and friendly.

The breakfast buffet (included in rate) is wonderful, (more assortments of breads and pastries than I have ever seen), with a nice variety of fruits, cakes, cheese, etc., and some hot entrees. We did not get a chance to try the other meals.

The hotel is on the ocean, but there is no beach, just rocks below. There is a pool and deck with a beautiful view of the coast of Salvador and the ocean. You need to take a taxi or tour bus just about anywhere. (I can only imagine this place for Carnival, right on the parade route.)

A trip to the Pelorinho and the Cidade Alta and the churches is a must, and is convenient from this hotel. There are some nice tours to various beaches, e.g. Praia de Forte, Flamengo,Itapuã, Itaparica Island/ Morro de Sao Paulo; or you can hire a car and driver. Favorite restaurants: Boi Preto (Beef/Churrascaria), Iemanja(Bahia/Seafood),Soho(Sushi/Japoneese), Alfredo di Roma (Italian). Visits to the malls here are fun, particularly the Aeroclube.

I think you definitely get your money's worth at this hotel, particularly at less than $100 per night. But if you are a stickler for perfection and certain amenities, I would stick with a U.S. brand or the Sofitel chain in Brazil, and for that matter, Latin America.


Recommended: Yes