Pousada Ágape

I booked four nights for January 2019 and was deeply disappointed with pousada ágape. The place didn’t seem fit to receive guests, and the stay was frustrating from the start. The room had dirty sheets, mold on the walls, a dirty air conditioner, and stained, dingy towels. The bathroom was dirty, with nowhere to put shampoo or soap. During all four days, the bedding wasn’t changed and neither the room nor bathroom was cleaned. Sand stayed on the bathroom floor, and its trash wasn’t emptied. Cockroaches were at the entrance, and the whole place felt dirty. Breakfast was another letdown: on the first day there was no bread until an hour after breakfast started, there was little fruit, bottled juice, and not much else. I had to ask the staff member for plates and cutlery, and food that ran out wasn’t replenished, so I missed breakfast. The next day was the same, with stale bread, and nothing changed over the four days. It’s embarrassing for a place like this to have an 8 rating. Misleading advertising.

Ciane was very helpful when we reported the room problems, and she promptly brought them to Joaquim, the owners’ son. He was the one who moved us to another room. It took nearly two days, though, and only happened because we kept asking someone to deal with it. We’d paid in cash, and couldn’t understand why we were treated so dismissively. In the room we had a TV with no signal, an air conditioner without a button, termite trails, a moldy curtain, and a horrible marijuana smell, especially in the afternoon. At night, noise from the people living upstairs made it hard to sleep. I’m allergic to mold, so the curtain was a particular problem. Two years earlier, I’d first stayed at this inn on my honeymoon and everything was wonderful: delicious breakfast and a nice room. My wife and I returned three months later with family to show them Búzios, and loved it again. This year was a big disappointment. I hope Ágape can be what it was two years ago.

The service was excellent. Everyone was polite and ready to help, and the bathroom was clean. The room was tiny, just enough for sleeping, and the inn itself is small, with the reception and dining area sharing one space. Some rooms are right beside reception, which can be uncomfortable. Mine faced the pool and was next to reception, the eating area, and two other rooms, so it got noisy early. There’s no parking, though you can leave your car on the next street. I had a rough surprise there: a cat gave birth inside my car’s engine, and I only found out on the road when several drivers told me to pull over because kittens were coming out from under the car as I drove. The only reason I’m not giving five stars is the limited breakfast variety.

The place is very safe and quiet, and you can cook on a grill. Its location is a plus: two blocks from a supermarket, the main street, and a very nice beach. The rooms are small, with mattresses that are a bit hard, and there are lots of mosquitoes. Breakfast is complete but basic. Honestly, that’s what they offer.