Doce Lar Acomodações Noronha

The price is pretty good compared with other places on the island, but I wouldn’t recommend booking here unless it’s your last option. I’d booked a hostel room and knew Fernando de Noronha was a special place whose residents take preservation seriously. Still, the communication before my stay was rude and demanding. At first I wondered if it was a language barrier since I speak English, but then they sent a six-minute voice message listing all the rules and fees. The way they communicated made me feel like a dog.

The setting is beautiful and a welcome place to rest after a busy day on Norhonia Island. It’s a well-run family business, managed by Mateus, age 6, and his Mom. We had the pleasure of meeting Mateus’s Grandmother on our first day. The place is comfortable, friendly, and has a nice atmosphere, with everything easy to understand during the stay. There’s a clean, well-equipped kitchen, a dining room, and outdoor space, and the staff are friendly.

The beds have privacy curtains, individual power outlets, and small cabinets, and the kitchen looked well equipped, though I didn’t use it. It’s about a 10-minute walk to Vila dos Remédios, with shops and restaurants, and a local convenience store about five minutes away. But I can’t recommend this hostel. The hosts were rude and kept imposing house rules in an irritating, unnecessary way. It didn’t feel like a fun hostel at all, and there aren’t enough bathrooms and showers for a full house. The street turns to mud in rainy weather, and other hostels at similar prices don’t have that problem. It’s unpaved, narrow, and a dead end, so taxis may struggle to turn around. The patio feels like a graveyard of random furniture, with little seating, and the indoor common area can’t fit everyone. You don’t feel welcomed when you arrive. House rules are one thing, but they ask you to sign papers as if they were legally binding. I saw the host wake people at 8:30 AM by barging into the bedroom and shouting about towels and keeping the aisle completely clear. It’s hard to imagine a welcoming way to start the day. I also saw another guest made to sign the rules again for not doing the dishes between cooking and eating, even though nobody was waiting for the kitchen. The host yelled at a guest for taking a hostel towel to the beach, but it turned out it wasn’t a hostel towel. When a flight was delayed, I landed to missed calls and messages asking where I was and why I hadn’t come straight from the airport. The delay wasn’t even major. Check-in hours are very strict, and the arrangements are overcomplicated. There’s no key for each guest, no key or lock on the place, and no reception. The island is generally safe, but literally anyone could get in, and from the afternoon onward the place gets pretty empty. The air-conditioning rules were especially annoying. I understand the need to save energy, but they switch it off at a set time in the morning, maybe 8:30 or 9, even if you’re still asleep. It gets extremely hot inside without it. They wouldn’t let us turn it on for even 15-30 minutes while checking in and settling down. The hosts also seemed unprepared to deal with foreigners. They don’t speak English, and scold you in Portuguese for not following rules. When I asked about a power plug adapter, they dismissed me and acted as though the request was absurd instead of helping.

Very good.