Pousada Vila Nova

Great hostel.

The room had decent space and air conditioning, but for what we paid, our stay was really disappointing despite the mostly good reviews we relied on. The shower fitting gave electric shocks, and getting close to the shower did too. We complained, and they removed and washed the showerhead, which reduced the shocks, but the fitting was still electrified. The bathroom drain was broken and clogged, so we had to turn off the shower during baths to keep the water from building up in the stall. Over six beach days, our towels were changed just once. The room had a double bed and bunk beds, but they only made the double bed. Cleaning was okay the first day and barely done after that, with sand in the shower and a wet bath mat. Breakfast was weak, with little variety and nearly the same food every day. The fruit looked dried out or sometimes spoiled, so we preferred having breakfast at a nearby bakery. Our friends’ room had the same electrical issue, and their air conditioning didn’t work, so they came to our room to get some relief from the heat.

We had booked six nights but only managed to stay one. There was no comfort at all. The bathroom was awful, with a grimy, disgusting shower stall, and the shower control was wrapped in electrical tape. There was nowhere to put soap or shampoo except on the floor. The towels were poor, the bedroom curtain was see-through with no privacy, so I had to hang a beach wrap over it. The mattresses had exposed foam with no cover, which felt unhygienic.

The only good thing was being near the beach. The room and bathroom were dirty and in terrible condition, nothing like the clean, cozy place shown in the photos. There wasn’t even a spot for soap in the bathroom or any cups in the room, and the beds were foam rather than mattresses. Mr. Fabrício, the owner, wouldn’t listen to our complaints or refund what we paid. I’m frustrated with this place and can’t recommend it.