The Spot - Arraial do Cabo

We spent seven days here as a couple, and the lack of privacy made the stay very unpleasant. The owner kept knocking on our door for any reason and seemed bothered whenever we used the common area. Our room was cleaned just once during the whole week, and the water throughout the property smelled bad. The inn only serves breakfast, with no meals or kitchen facilities for guests, so there wasn’t even a way to get a glass of water unless you brought your own. The place is very pretty and the bed was good, but having no room cleaning or changes during those seven days bothered me, especially since it wasn’t cheap. I wouldn’t recommend it to couples, as it seemed only traditional families were welcomed.

We can’t recommend Pousada Coqueiros da Lagoa. It’s 32.2 km from central Arraial do Cabo, about an hour away on a badly potholed road with poor signs and almost no lighting for much of the route. The inn is inside a gated community with a lovely, well-kept lagoon and grounds, and a morning walk there is worthwhile. The community’s restaurant and bar operate only Friday through Sunday, 11 am to 10 pm. Getting to food in Praia Seca’s center requires a car. The inn is an addition to the owners’ home, where they live. Some suites face the pool, while one is isolated and opens onto the home’s garage. That suite also has an internal connecting door to the owners’ residence. It was locked, but we were uncomfortable with it. The site lists a TV room with a fireplace, but it wasn’t shown to us and we couldn’t access it. The breakfast area is the owners’ barbecue space, adapted for serving breakfast, and it was adequately set up during breakfast hours. The pool and gardens are very well maintained, but the inn offers no other leisure activities. Breakfast is modest, and there’s no food available at the inn if you spend the day there. They don’t sell bottled water either, so you need to buy and bring your own. The rates page doesn’t describe the garage-access suite, only the rooms with pool or lagoon views. Our room didn’t suit us, but Sr. Carlos said we could move only if we paid another R$ 500. We declined and had to stay in it. The other suite, facing the pool, was available for our dates, but we weren’t shown the rooms until after paying the full cost of our stay. Throughout the visit we felt watched, even though we only had breakfast, went out, and came back to sleep. We didn’t feel welcome, and there was no cleaning or towel change during our seven days there. We had to take out the bathroom trash ourselves. When we asked for mosquito spray, Sr. Carlos said there wasn’t any, then a few minutes later we saw him holding some. After I fell by the pool and asked for ice, he said there was none. That was hard to believe. I don’t recommend staying here.

We drove 700 km and stayed four days while looking into a kitesurfing trip in the area. Since the reviews were good, I brought my wife and our nine-month-old son along. The owners run the place themselves and were polite and attentive, making us feel at home. The pousada was beautifully decorated down to the details, with spacious, comfortable rooms and a perfect breakfast. The setting is paradise-like, right among nature, and made for a peaceful family break and good times.

I stayed at this pousada while taking a municipal teacher exam in Araruama. The owners treated me with so much care and attention, and the rooms were excellent. The food was great too, and it’s a calm, beautiful place in a good location. A 10 out of 10 for the service. Thanks so much for everything!