Hotel Praia do Encanto

Muitoooo longe do centro de morro, o transporte tem poucos horários disponíveis , a estrada é péssima até chegar no hotel !!
Café da manhã péssimo !!!!
Toalhas de banho e cobertas com cheiro de guardada!
Frigobar com defeito !!! Não gelou nada !!!
Funcionários educados !

Fabulous place on the beach, this place is a real paradise. Nice rooms, pretty garden and swimming pool, pretty bar, delicious restaurant (grilled fish and seafood mochecca strongly recommended), kind staff. I love it, thanks a lot!

I was here 13 years ago, when it was a GREAT place. The hotel shows a little that the owner is not resident anymore. Still, VERY attentive staff. Leila, the manager, is great. Extremelly professional and aware of details, always making all the effort to help guests. The rooms are find, even though a little damp (it was rainy season), but you will find dampness also in more expensive nearby hotels. They are renovating the rooms with is a big plus. The only thing that I will grade with lower scores is the food. In the past they had a fantastic cook and memorable breakfast and dinners. Now it is only ok and a bit overpriced. For eating meals you should go elsewhere, maybe to the other hotels nearby or to town.
This is a very good place for families, as it is a shallow beach. My kids enjoyed enormously playing in the pools left by the tide . It is very quiet place, far from town. To get to the main town you either walk (about 1.5 hours, great walk on the beach) take the hotel bus on pre-defined schedules or call a cap (50 reais each way).
We had a good time and would return. It is a very good value for your money.
Thaks Leila, you were GREAT.

PS. They have a small shop where your kids can spend an afternoon creating their own teeshirt or painting. The lady that runs it, Laura, is very good with kids. Mine loved it (60 reais for the activity, which can continue sometimes in the next day)

hotel located in paradise...Beautiful beach just in front of the hotel, warm, safe crystal clear ocean...hotel surrounded by nature, you swimm at the pool listening to the birds and drinking tropical drinks, a perfect destination for families, couples, or anyone who wants "to get away from it all"...breakfast was just ok, just like the room, which could be a little bit more confy, and could have things such as toiletries, modern tv, etc...A very good experience, anyway.

Our family stayed at this hotel for 5 days and it was a very nice experience although there are a lot of things that can be improved. The place is wonderful, the rooms were nice and well cleaned, TVs and air con worked well, bathrooms were ok too. The food was very, very good and the caipirinhas well made.
The bad points are mostly about maintenance. Many of the sun beds were broken, the games room that were supposed to offer pool, snooker, table soccer and table tennis were a disaster. Nothing worked properly and it was easy to see that they were very old and falling apart. A real pity. The website also said that they offered snorkelling but when we asked for the equipment in the reception the answer we heard was: it shouldn't be there, I've already asked the website people to take it out. Pretty bad...
One serious thing was that they don't have a first aid kit. My sister had a bad cut in her foot and the hotel couldn't even provide a plaster. Not only that but the receptionist gave really bad advice on what to do with the cut when I asked for the first aid kit (I'm a qualified first aider in England). It's a shame that a hotel can't provide a first aid kit so just in case, bring a small one.

I went with my wife for a week last December.

This hotel has some good and bad things.Depending on each one's likes and interests, it can be great or average. So, I will point out each feature, so you can make up your mind

Location: Quite far from the "villa". Daily transportation in small vehicles is provided at the hotel to and from the villa on fixed schedules, which must be booked at the hotel. The trip takes around 20 minutes, not much, but after a week I begun feeling like it took 1 hour. You are definitely far from the action (villa and first and second beaches), where you have more restaurants, shows, etc.

Beach: Quite desert, the only hotel is Praia do Encanto, giving a very relaxing atmosphere.
The sea is very good, rocky in some places, but other than that, calm and transparent waters. Avoid rocky places or bring your water shoes (you cannot buy them in Morro).
For some this may be a turn-off: from the beach you can see two oil platforms (far away but viewable). These are not seen from other beaches in Morro.

Restaurant: The indoor restaurant looks pretty old but the key here is the restaurant/bar by the sea. At night you can hear nothing but the sea while enjoying dinner. Prices are reasonable. Not all juices served are natural, so ask before asking so you can enjoy a fresh, just squizzed juice.

Rooms: Very plain, just a bed, one small table at each side and a (12") TV. It has cable, but only 10 channels, all of them in Portuguese...The AC works fine, wich was essential because the heat is unbearable. The bathroom is small, with shower and no tub.
The resort is in the middle of the jungle, and because of that, some bugs can sneak into your room. We found two small lizards, one baby crab and couple of small spiders.
I know that some don't care about these things, but I do.

Staff: Very friendly. My wife speaks Portugese, so things were easier for us. Altough most seemed to have a vey limited English language, they try hard!

Breakfast: Not as complete as in most Brazilian hotels I've been. Some not natural juices (i.e. made with canned pulp), and not many choices (again, for Brazil standards).

My partner and I stayed at Praia do Encanto for six nights as part of our 3 week honeymoon trip round Brazil. It was our last port of call after a hectic few weeks - and boy - did we relax!! I'm not going to go into great detail because the previous review from the person from Madeira is excellent and really covers everything - thanks! It was on this recommendation that we booked.
The hotel is wonderful - waking up in our two storey chalet in a beautiful comfortable bed with the sound of the breeze in the palm trees, the waves on the beach, the little monkeys chattering and the birds singing. Then to breakfast - a treat every morning with lovely fresh fruit and juices, breads cakes and YES, the guava jam! Then sit by the pool - there was hardly anyone staying there when we were there being winter, but still HOT! A few beers, a strole to the coral pools, and then lunch! Beautiful menu, so well cooked, not all Brazilian fare, try the lobster, even the spag bol is really good! The staff were all great, they don't speak any english apart from Carlos - he is limited to 'hello my friend!' - but this wasn't a problem as my partner is brazilian! I've never been looked after so well, and I've stayed in loads of hotels worldwide being an ex-flight attendant.
We went to the town a for couple of evenings -it's really cool, probably like Ibiza was 30 years ago. Totally relaxed, don't get dressed up! Some good restaurants and bars, lots of shops and stalls. However, the journey on the hotel bus or truck is a pain especially after a big meal and lots of wine! Bumpy and very uncomfortable for 1/2 an hour. So if you want to go out every night, stay near the town.
I'll look back on our stay with very fond memories for a long time - and who knows, next time we are in the NorthEast, we may head back.
If you want more info email me at andybuckmaster@hotmail.com.
Thanks Neide for making our stay so wonderful! Andrew & Jose

You may have been led to believe that the Brazilian national sport is soccer. That is incorrect. It is actually drinking at the beach in a plastic lawn chair. If you want to appreciate this sport firsthand, you can do no better than to stay at the Encanto de Itapoan.

An utterly fantastic seafood restaurant is just around the corner. US$20 for two lobsters, a good wine list, and good service. Arrive early on weekends.

The beach (with fresh water showers and shaded shelters), is about 100 feet from the front door. Leave your gear at the hotel and walk. You can rent shade for about R$2/bottle at any of the bars on the beach. If you want to go swimming, leave your wallet with the bartender and jump in shallow water protected by a natural reef.

Bring your own snorkel and mask. If the tide is low, you can practically walk to the outer reef. We saw plenty of eels and an aplysia the size of a football. The coral isn't healthy, so try not to step on it.

If you want a snack, walk further along the beach to the main town (see picture). The beach shacks all serve good, cheap food, where you can hang out and stuff yourself for the better part of a day. I would have liked to spend more time doing this than traversing Pelhorinho.

If you're on the main beach, hold on to your purse and keep it away from railings. We saw a boy climb up a balcony and snatch one. He ran away, purused by the restaurant manager, two bystanders, and a police car. The Salvadoran's don't approve of crime, but it happens.

I'm glad that we stayed at Ecanto de Itapoan instead of at one of the big places near town. The rooms are small but well furnished, each with a deck and hammock. There's no view from the deck, but that's what the beach is for. The TV gets CNN. The owners (Janet and Octacilio) clearly want you to have a good time. They post a weekly list of all the good music events in Salvador. Breakfast has a slightly British touch and a different fresh juice every day.

Public transport is easy, too. Take any air-conditioned executive bus (R$1.30) to Sao Cristavao shopping center, and transfer there. If you go to see the turtles at Fuerte (and you should), try to take a city bus instead of a shared van. Same price (R$7), more comfortable. A taxi won't get you there any quicker.

Have been to Praia do Encanto Eco Resort which, as the name refers, is really enchanting. It was our second time there and having been so good the first time (November 2004 with a group of 6) we chose this hotel over all the ones that exist on the island to spend part of our honeymoon in May2005. It is on the end of the island about 8 km from the village on the Praia do Encanto or, as some say the fifth beach(The beaches at Morro de São Paulo have original and imaginative names, First beach, Second beach, Third beach, Forth beach and last, but not least, Fifth beach or Praia do Encanto)
The staff is very friendly, especially Neide and Cosme.
The bungalow rooms are individual with little gardens in front and have a lot of privacy. Private bath rooms. Very clean with a change of towels and bed sheets everyday, which, due to the small water tanks they have on the island, is a luxury. Not 5 star luxury, but I believe that on the island there isn’t any place as luxury as this resort (I heard Patachocas was good, but my husband and I adore nature and there project destroyed what was around, were as Praia do Encanto Eco Resort saved everything possible). The beach at Praia do Encanto is really beautiful. Paradise. Every thing you need is at Praia do Encanto Eco Resort.
Beautiful landscape, deserted beaches, good coconut trees, nice crystal warm water with natural pools out in the sea, fishes swimming up to you, etc…..
The restaurant, during our honeymoon was under reconstruction so we ate out on the beach bar. Having the staff give it the most romantic and tropical look, with flags made out of sheets(Ones used in the boats we saw at Porto Galinhas) and tiny colourful candle like lights all around was an A plus.
The cuisine at the hotel serves very tasty food and we ate there nearly ever evening because it was so good.
The owner told us he was going to hire a very famous Spanish chefe who had retired and wanted to spend some time at Morro de São Paulo. Apparently he cooks even better, but we never had the opportunity to taste his cooking since his kitchen and restaurant weren’t ready before we left.
Our stay included breakfast which was also served by the hotel at the beach bar and had a a large variety of tropical fruit, fruit drinks, coffee, tea, home made pastry and bread and the most delicious guava jam I have ever had! Try out the cheese buns as well. In fact, just thinking about breakfast grows water in my mouth!
The beach bar also has tasty snacks and great fruit drinks made with real tropical fruit. The staff put on good Brazilian music.
The prices charged for dinner, snacks and drinks(not the breakfast ones off course) was a surprise to us since we expected a much bigger fee. It was cheap. Considering that one euro equals 3 reais(Brazilian money) we paid for a tree course meal and drinks 10 euros per person.
You can charge everything to the room and pay in the end with credit card, which is good in this part of the island as you can save the money you took with you for othe things. (There is only one ATM machine on the island(second beach) where you can withdraw money so be sure to take plenty with you, especially if you are going on the weekend or local public holidays, since it gets crowdy, because of the luaus night beach parties.)
The nets around the bar at Praia do Encanto Eco Resort are the best places for a nap! The gardens are very pretty with welcome notes, elves, fairies and old wooden toys here and there.
Be on the look out for the crabs that live in them and run away into their holes as soon as you appear. There is also Barbara, the Saint Bernard, which is very friendly and loves a pat on the back.
If you are lucky the owners, who are very friendly and really make you feel at home, will be around and invite you for a beach party or some home made“cachaça” drinks in the adega (It’s a kind of Brazilian brandy).
The swimming pools (Two, being one for children) are of good size, enough for a good swim. The truth is that the seawater is so warm and nice who wants the pool. The owner told us that he was going to build a new and even bigger swimming pool with a pool bar inside, which is surpossed to be ready this November, (eager to know how it turned out).
For those who have children, the water at sea is normally shallow. The hotel has a painting atelier where they can also spend some time painting t-Shirts.The couple who work there are simply adorable and you’ll like them immediately.
Exploring the gardens and forest behind the hotel is also a good activity for them. There is a gym, a table tennis and pool table to spend some of your time there.
I read someone complained about the mosquitoes there. Hey, you are in Brazil, and if you don ´t like mosquitoes don ´t bother going there because they are seasons were they are every where you go! Take a good repliant, because although the product the hotel spreads every evening around the grounds is good it still is not enough, for a person like myself who attracts mosquitoes a mile away. The truth is that against mosquitoes there is little I could do, and even in the five star hotels were we stayed at later on I could not get rid of them. So if you are allergic to the bits like I am, better use the Brazilian “AUTAN” mosquitoes repellent as I found it was the best! The hotel, as all the other five star hotels were we stayed during our honeymoon, gave us electrical repellent to put in the room during the night, just ask for it at the reception desk!
Get up early in the morning (6 am) and you can see the fisherman out at sea fishing. In the evening the locals come about nearby to catch crabs in the sands and the “mangue” trees. (If you are from Europe you won´t have trouble getting up that early because of the time zones- Brazil is 4/5 hours behind European time.)The trees (African fig trees and palms) near the beach also have tiny, cheerful monkeys who hide them selves during the rest of the day, so you can only see them early in the mornings. The leaves, which fall during the day and night on the beach, are cleaned every day by the staff. At low tied go out as far into the sea as you can were you get the best sights of the hotel and beach (check the tied and go to Morro São Paulo when it’s low during the day, because at high tied the beaches at Morro de São Paulo tend to disappear. Also take good shoes because there are a lot of cutting corals hidden in the sea). The hotel has horses and you can ride them on the beach or in the forest. You can buy excursion at the hotel´s reception desk. Get the boat trip to the natural pools and nearby islands-Cairu and Boibepa- and enjoy the beauty of the coastline, deserted beaches and river. In our opinion Praia Coeira and Praia Tassimirim on the Boipepa Island are the most beautiful (only seen during low tied). Bring back home breath taking photos.
We walked from praia do Encanto all the way to First Beach. It takes about 3 to 4 hours (slow walking and stopping for a dip and to take photos) It is the best and only way to really feel the beauty of this place. No need for a guide. The Praia do Encanto and Fourth beach are complety deserted and only seldomly will you see other tourists or locals.
If you ´re lazy or tired you can take the hotel’s truck that takes about 30 minutes till the Second beach. The hotel provide a very good timetable, sometimes arranged to your needs if you are the only ones using it. (As you know there are not any cars on the First, Second and Third beaches). The sights seen from the truck are also nice and if you are lucky you’ll see flocks of green, yellow budgets flying in the wild.
At Portalo, take the public boat to Gamboa and visit the Argila baths. At low tied walk back to the villa along the beaches. Once again no need of a guide and it is the only way you can see the beautiful deserted beaches on this side of the island. We also went to the old fort that is nice. Walk all the way up the Morro and, if you have the courage, drop down the Torolesa into the ocean. Spend the evening at the Second beach and watch the locals dancing “Capoeira” . See the sun set at the fort…!!!!!At night go to the luaus and try out the wonderful drinks.
Had lunch twich at the “Bar das Piscinas, at the beginning of the Fourth beach, which is very good, especially the “moceca” of Lobster and shrimp. The “Caipirinhas (drinks) are also very good!!!
The village is nice and at night has lots to do. Hippies selling things, bars, restaurants, people in the streets(made out of sand, so ladies no need of high heels, just sandals).
Things are more expensive than in Salvador so if you forget you sunglasses, bikini or towel buy them in Mercado Modelo at Salvador before leaving. The restaurants tend to pack up in the high season so go early or eat at the hotel like we did. Try lobster, nice price. Lots of bars, no discos, but you can party all night at the beach.
To get to Morro catch a speedboat at Mercado do Modelo (Ilha Bella). It takes about 2 hours and costs 50 reais per person. If the sea is flat you’ll see flying fishes and dolphins as well as catch a nice tan. No seasickness. If the sea is rough catch the catamaran because the speedboat is nauseating (not that the catamaran is better but at least it is safer). If you get seasick or can not wait to get to the island I recommend you take the AeroStar plane that takes about 15 mins from Salvador and the runway (belongs exclusively to Patachocas and Praia do Encanto Eco Resort Hotels) is just behind the hotel.
If you arrive at the island by boat pay the locals to carry your luggage in their taxi’s (Garden carts) because the climbs is difficult after a boat trip, in the sun and hot temperature. Pay about 5 reais per volume. Yes it is not cheap but believe me you will find out it is worth it!!!! Carrying your own weight up the hill is already too much.
If you ´re in a hippy mood stay in the second beach, if you love peace, silence, beautiful deserted beaches search for hotels on the Forth or Praia do Encanto.
I recommend the Praia do Encanto Eco Resort because it really is a very good hotel for the island standards and I doubt there is anything better than this one. From what I heard Patachocas is also a good choice.