São Paulo – The combination of nature and luxury is the basic concept that defines high-end resorts in Brazil. Offering services ranging from exclusive island dining to an onsite airstrip, this type of property attracts tourists looking to connect with nature while enjoying world-class services and amenities.
Fazenda São Francisco do Corumbau, in Prado, in southernmost Bahia, spans 412 acres, but offers only 10 accommodations. Guests can choose from four 150-square-metre bungalows with private gardens or six 40-square-metre suites.
“Some groups book the entire resort for celebrations,” says partner Silvia Barbará. Fazenda São Francisco was one of the winners of British publication Condé Nast Johansens’ 2013 Awards for Excellence for Most Excellent Beach Hotel in South America.
Barbará and her husband bought the fazenda (farm) in 2002, planning to build their beach house. Since the property already housed a lodge, they decided to invest in making it more inviting. Today, the majority of Fazenda São Francisco guests are couples and 35% are foreigners, mostly hailing from England, but also from France, Holland, Italy and even Lebanon.
Activities available at the property include coral diving, kayaking and tours of the Monte Pascoal indigenous reservation, among others. The beach surrounding the resort features white sands and crystal-clear waters. Visitors can also watch capoeira or indigenous dance performances. “You can get in touch with local culture, which is nice for foreign guests,” says Barbará.
Even if they would rather just hang out at the pool, guests remain in touch with nature, since the water is treated with salt. “The water is fresh, you won’t smell chlorine in it,” the owner explains.
The city of Governador Celso Ramos, Santa Catarina, is home to Ponta dos Ganchos resort. It offers 25 bungalows measuring from 80 to 300 square metres, for daily rates as high as R$ 5,210 (US$ 2,161).
The property is basically for couples and does not accept guests under 18 years of age. Newlyweds make up a significant portion of the public. “About 30% of our business revolves around honeymoons,” says Marketing and Sales director Virginia Peluffo.
Ponta dos Ganchos offers a wide gamut of activities to guests, including cooking lessons, exclusive island dining, trekking, tennis classes, golfing, helicopter rides, paragliding, diving, whale watching and others.
What guests enjoy the most, however, is just relaxing. “Usually, they just want to do nothing, they just want to rest. Island dining is the most sought after activity. Some people call us to find out when dinner will be available before they book,” Peluffo explains regarding the dinner, which is offered to only one couple per evening, on an island directly opposite the resort.
At the resort, 30% of guests come from abroad, especially the United States, England, Argentina, Germany, France, Portugal and Italy. And this is not by chance. Since July this year, Ponta dos Ganchos became part of The Leading Hotels of The World, an association of the world’s most luxurious properties. “Service quality must be excellent,” Peluffo explains, regarding one of the criteria for joining the select group.
“What sets us apart is the whole experience. We are able to offer services with an eye to the minutest details. We have a private beach, a private island, the cuisine. Everything at once causes the experience to be what it is,” the executive says.
The experience of staying at the Kiaroa, in Maraú, Bahia, begins on the trip to the site. “Ours is the only hotel in Brazil with a dedicated airstrip. The plane touches down 50 metres away from the reception, and tourists are welcomed with champagne and a towel to wipe their hands,” says commercial director Nara Laudano.
More than a commodity, this is a necessity, since the car ride from Salvador Airport to the resort lasts six hours. This is not to say, however, that the flight is not a beautiful ride unto itself. “The plane flies over the entire Bahia coastline before landing at the hotel. It is a panoramic flight,” the director points out.
On arrival, tourists are accommodated in one of the property’s 23 units (14 bungalows and 09 suites) and enjoy commodities such as an 800 square-metre infinity pool, tennis courts, a L’Occitane SPA, sauna, and the natural beauty of Bahia’s shore. Some of the bungalows boast private pools.
“Our concept is Eco-Luxury: a luxury retreat with rustic local features,” Laudano explains. The poshest bungalows, for instance, feature Egyptian cotton bedding, goose feather pillows and two bathrooms with hot tubs.
At Kiaroa, 80% of guests are Brazilian and the foreign ones are mostly from England, as well as Italy, France and Portugal. According to the commercial director, many guests are executives who travel a lot and want a place in which to spend quality time with their wife and kids.
“Our philosophy is to have them bring their kids, spend time together and interact. There are lots of children-friendly rides available in the area,” says Laudano. The most sought activity is boat rides, but the resort also offers quadricycle and jeep rides, ocean fishing and natural pool diving.
Contacts
Fazenda São Francisco do Corumbau
Ponta do Corumbau no number
Prado, Bahia
Telephones: +55 11 3078 4411 / +55 73 3294 1055
Email: corumbau@corumbau.com.br
Rates*: from R$ 1,550 to R$ 2,050 (per couple), or US$ 644 to US$ 852
Ponta dos Ganchos
Rua Eupídio Alves do Nascimento, 104
Governador Celso Ramos, Santa Catarina
Telephone: +55 48 3953 7000
Email: reservas@pontadosganchos.com.br
Rates*: from R$ 1,670 to R$ 5,210 (per couple), or US$ 694 to US$ 2,167
Kiaroa
Loteamento da Costa, Área SD6, Distrito de Barra Grande
Maraú, Bahia
Telephone: + 55 (71) 3272-1320
E-mail: reservas@kiaroa.com.br
Rates*: from R$ 1,400 to R$ 2,300 (per couple), or US$ 1,400 to US$ 956
*All US$ values are based on current exchange rates. Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
