Pousada do Iago

It works as a place to sleep before heading back to the beach, especially if you have a car, but I’d only stay a day or two. Without a car, the beach and downtown food spots are a long way off. The photos don’t match what’s posted on Google. The fan is noisy, the TV didn’t work properly, and there’s no room service. Breakfast was very basic and repetitive, with hard bread and watery juice.

For the price, the room worked well for me. The only thing I didn’t like was how dark the bathroom was, especially inside the shower.

The location is in a growing neighborhood that felt safe and upscale, near Peró and the city center. Getting around wasn’t a problem, though you do need a car, motorcycle, or ride app. The internet connected without trouble, and the person in charge gave me the lodging instructions clearly and briefly. For the price, my room was good and simple but had what I needed. The basic breakfast was well prepared, with bread, cheese and ham, eggs or hot dog sauce, coffee and milk, two juices, papaya and melon. A few practical points came up during my two-day stay. Breakfast was good, but the menu was the same both mornings. They could vary the fruit sometimes or add yogurt or a sandwich grill. There’s no minibar in the room, just a shared fridge. The inn only serves breakfast, so you need to get lunch elsewhere. On my day there, guests couldn’t use a microwave, which got in the way of my plan to eat lunch at the inn. The person in charge explained why, but it was still inconvenient. The room came with towels and toilet paper, but no soap. Even a small bar would be a nice welcome. The bathroom also had nowhere to set soap. Cleaning was acceptable, though the area under the bed could use more attention. I didn’t see any cockroaches or other insects. There’s no air conditioning or ceiling fan, just a basic fan, but its noise didn’t bother me. The TV seemed to have streaming, though on my visit only three channels were available. During my stay there wasn’t any issue with service, but guests are mostly on their own and get a remote to open the doors. It seems the owner and family run the inn. That’s understandable at this price, though it does come with some risks.

After seven hours on the road, we got caught in an accident and arrived half an hour after check-in, at 6:30 pm. The inn was completely closed, and nobody answered when we called. The person in charge eventually replied on WhatsApp, saying he’d check whether they could receive us remotely. It felt extremely disrespectful and unprofessional. We found another inn, and they welcomed us right away.