Pousada Aldeia Do Forte

The reception staff were good, but I wouldn’t return. At the price charged, these details matter when choosing where to go next, especially since they don’t split payments under R$ 1,000. The room has a minibar and air conditioning, though I got hot in the middle of the night. The bed, pillows, and towels were otherwise comfortable. Breakfast is about what you’d expect at a hotel or inn, but the hours surprised me: 8:00 to 10:00. That may suit late risers, but early birds who want to get out and enjoy the day may have to wait. Lunch is available, but it’s expensive, so eating elsewhere seems better. There’s a R$ 40 fee if you want to have your own drink by the pool. If you don’t pay it, you have to go back to the room each time for a drink. The house beer, a long neck, costs R$ 15 each. The pool closes at 18:30. The pool table near reception also can’t be used at night. I went to play at 22:00 and the owner stopped the game. The table is broken and unsuitable for playing, and the cues are in the same condition. Reception is only staffed until 20:00, so good luck after that.

The view is incredible, with empty beaches that are worth the walk, but that’s about the only good part. You can’t really swim there because the water is extremely rough and there are lots of rocks and jellyfish, called caravelas. The host’s recommendations were all wrong; the only nearby beach I’d recommend is Praia de Santo Antônio, which is perfect. The listing photos are old and nothing like the place now. Everything needs renovating. The shower barely trickles, and my friend got stuck in her room several times because the door handle kept breaking. The outside women’s bathroom is closed, while the men’s toilet fills right up to the brim. There are no drinks on site, and they charge R$ 40 if you want to drink there. If you leave your room after 21:00, think carefully, or the host may complain. You have to order delivery for food because there’s absolutely nothing nearby.

The photos don’t match the run-down reality, and there’s a lot that needs fixing. The door locks have problems, the curtain was dirty, and water was leaking from the shower stall. Internet was weak, and there’s a fee for taking a cooler to the pool even though there’s no bar there. The beach was awful and breakfast was poor. The owner, Sebastião, welcomed us when we arrived, but later was very rude. He turned off the power to our room. Since shops and restaurants are far away, we asked for a kitchen utensil so we could have a snack, and he said we weren’t at home. He also collected the breakfast items while we were still eating. On the day before we left, he told us not to make noise because guests were arriving, as if we weren’t guests too. There’s a lot to improve, starting with the owner.

Sr Sebastião was welcoming and very willing to help, but the accommodation itself needs a lot of work. Breakfast was disappointing compared with other inns of a similar level where I’ve stayed. The rooms weren’t cleaned during my stay, and I had no internet signal at all. The Wi-Fi was useless, and my phone barely worked there, so I was cut off. The TV relies on the internet, so that wasn’t an option for passing the time either. Evenings were boring under those conditions. The inn emptied out and we were literally alone. The owner went out, which left me worried and uncomfortable because there was nobody to contact if we needed anything.