Pousada Pé na Areia

The house has a lot going for it: it sits right on the sand with direct beach access and a lovely view, and Morro Branco beach itself is peaceful and pretty. There are eight air-conditioned bedrooms, each with a private bathroom and a mix of double and single beds, plus a pool and parking on the property. The quiet water is good for children. Ricardo was attentive, polite, and kept in touch before and during our stay. The beach, though, was littered throughout our visit, and I didn’t see regular cleaning or enforcement by the city. The main issue is the house’s condition. It needs a substantial renovation. Sand piled up at the entrance and could leave cars stuck. Several toilets didn’t work properly, the showers barely produced a trickle, and many bedroom and bathroom doors were damaged, warped, or wouldn’t close. Plaster is falling off in places, with some patches left as bare cement, and the house needs repainting. Some indoor and outdoor lights wouldn’t switch off, the bathrooms weren’t cleaned well, and the kitchen was uncomfortably hot and needs better ventilation, perhaps a large window. It has kitchen utensils, but many are old or questionable quality, and the flimsy cutlery bends easily. The water was the biggest problem: it looked yellow and tasted strongly of rust. It comes from a well in an area with “capa rosa,” which is associated with high iron and manganese. It goes straight into a water tank that leaks constantly, with no treatment. Nearby houses don’t seem to have the same issue, or they use readily available specialist filters, so this felt like a lack of care over something essential. The pool seemed to get only a surface clean, with chemicals and settled dirt removed. I saw no sign of deep cleaning, sludge removal, or regular water changes. The barbecue grill was very dirty, as if it hadn’t been properly cleaned. The place has space and potential for a large family, but the maintenance, water, and cleaning problems seriously affected our stay, especially at the high New Year’s rate.