Casa Mar & Céu

A little more upscale than a typical pousada, and very neat and comfortable. The dinners were great. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

The view is lovely, and Renato was really attentive. The rest of our stay was a letdown. The kitchen was filthy, with lots of cockroaches, and the dishes, glasses, pots and pans were all dirty. The pans and baking trays were so worn out they should have been thrown away ages ago. Black bits dropped from the oven onto anything we baked, and there wasn’t a decent dish towel or cutting board. In one bedroom, dead ants kept falling from the ceiling onto the bed, so we couldn’t sleep there. I’m not talking about the armadeiras, frogs, or scorpions, which are normal here. Another room smelled like a public bathroom. All the mattresses were old and very dirty, and the bedding was poor quality, stained, and dirty too. The outdoor area badly needs work. The big cushions were worn out, torn, and dirty, the tables looked awful, and the lights were burned out. It’s a beautiful place, but the house seems neglected and almost abandoned.

The rooms are so airy that we never felt hot, and the shower water was a little warm at night. If you’re used to hot showers, the difference probably won’t bother you much. There’s no air conditioning or hot water, as you may see if you look the pousada up, but those things didn’t matter to us. What stands out is how welcoming Isabel and Baiano are. They’re always friendly and attentive, and our room was clean and smelled lovely. I also liked the Turkish towels Isabel told us about, and the other ornaments and household items she brought back from places she’s visited. She’s left little pieces of her own story around the house, which I thought was really nice. The whole place feels cozy, and Delícia and Sapo, the sweet Labrador couple, are always ready to share some furry affection. The view from up here is stunning, and it’s the sort of place you don’t want to leave. The owners make you feel at home, and the restaurant serves excellent dinners for an extra charge, as good as any well-known restaurant. Between the service, the thoughtful details, and the location, it’s well worth a visit.

The view is fantastic and the place itself is beautiful, but the owner’s lack of consideration put me off. I was there for some peace and quiet, and although the inn was empty, he stayed on me to buy something. He pushed drinks and even a pasta dish meant for two, priced at around 100 reais. I was on my own, but the price stayed the same. I won’t get into that any further. I won’t be back or recommend it.