Pousada Ilha Margarita

Great.

Lucio and Moni were so welcoming, and I’d definitely go back. They’re Argentinian and speak Spanish, which made communication easy. The location is almost across from a bus terminal, a pharmacy, a UPA (a local convenience store) and a wholesale supermarket. There’s also a Petrobras gas station next door, so we didn’t need to go farther to fill up. 🥰🥰

The biggest plus is how close the place is to the beach. You can walk there in 15-20 minutes, though getting there by transport is probably best. It also sits opposite Fort Atacadista, one of the cheaper supermarkets in the area, and Havan is right beside it. UPA, a free 24-hour hospital, and a 24-hour pharmacy are nearby, along with several restaurants. Having a car or other transport would be useful, since you have to leave the area and take a return route to get in and out. It takes about 5 minutes. Lucio and Mónica were friendly and helpful from the moment we arrived. Lucio greeted us and handed over the key. The facilities were good: the fridge cooled well, the stove worked properly, and the kitchen had three pots, plates, cutlery, glasses, cups, a kettle and even a popcorn maker, which we used. There’s no extractor, so you can’t really make fried food, and there’s no microwave. The kitchen is best for simple cooking that won’t bother the neighbors. There’s no air conditioning, so that’s good to know. The bed was comfortable, with a thick mattress and a window for the ventilation we needed on warm nights. We had two small fans and a ceiling fan in the room. Blankets were provided, though we didn’t need them in the heat. They also supplied towels, shampoo and soap. The shower was good and had a temperature gauge, which was really useful. There was a place to hang laundry, a balcony with a barbecue, and a smart TV without cable channels. The Wi-Fi stayed fast throughout our stay. We felt very comfortable and would definitely come back. Lucio and Moni, thanks for the warm welcome and good care from the start. Hope to see you soon! Best, Mati and Pili.

The owners were extremely cordial and helpful during our stay, and the bathroom was spacious, with good water flow and temperature. The room was airy, the bedroom ceiling fan worked really well, outlets were conveniently placed, and the upstairs terrace was roomy with an okay barbecue. The bunk bed in the kitchen was reasonably comfortable. But the accommodation disappointed overall. The cutlery was so flimsy it was hard to cut food, there was only a glass cutting board and no sharp knives or wooden board for meat. The kitchen had just two pots and was missing basic accessories. There was no microwave, which I consider important for comfort. The stove oven didn’t work, and the kitchen ceiling fan barely moved air. The double mattress was only four fingers thick, and the blankets didn’t cover the whole bed. The table had only stools with no backs, which was uncomfortable. Laundry cost an extra 15 reais to use the small washer and spin dryer, a very modest setup. It’s quite far from the beach, about 6.8km each way going out, because you have to backtrack to a return route. Getting to the hypermarket across the road also requires using the roundabout farther along, adding a longer detour. Any trip along the main road involves extra driving, so future guests should be aware. Parking has room for only three cars. Once, I was woken up to move my car so another guest could leave. I had to maneuver while half asleep, which was uncomfortable, and it showed poor management of the limited spaces. After I posted my Booking review, the owners contacted me on WhatsApp in a rude, harsh way. That was a sharp contrast with their polite, helpful manner during the stay. It was extremely discourteous and unnecessary. Reviews and feedback matter to our community of travelers because they help improve services and bring expectations closer to the actual experience. It’s a shame this happened. I’ve changed my opinion of the owners’ cordiality.