PEDRO REI Hospedagem

The views are incredible, and it felt like an experience in itself, not just a place to sleep. For a three-star hotel, it was a really strong stay. It's an island, so bugs, occasional power cuts, and less than perfect cleanliness are part of the setting. The hotel has just seven rooms, and there were only three guests on some nights. Our room had a comfortable bed, and two of the three showers we tried were hot and powerful. The hairdryer worked well, Wi-Fi was consistently good, and my UK GHDs and chargers all worked. The TV was smart, with YouTube and other apps. There wasn't enough room to unpack properly, and there was no full-length mirror. The room fridge was the best we've had, very cold, but you have to fill it yourself. There's no vending machine, water, tea, or coffee, so buy supplies in town before you arrive. Getting around takes effort. You can walk to town in about ten minutes along a muddy track, but it's more of a hike, and depending on the tide you'll wade through water once or twice. The hotel isn't suitable for people with limited mobility. They provided free boats for check-in and checkout, but both were 30 minutes late despite knowing when we were arriving. My husband had to carry our luggage up and down six flights of stairs and on and off the boats at the pier. They also offered free evening boat rides, though they weren't always on time. The biggest improvement would be the shared area, which could be a place for guests to have drinks, dinner, and breakfast. It felt unclean, staff or locals seemed to hang around, and guests didn't feel like the priority. The cutlery was filthy, drink choices were scarce, and breakfast was limited to one cheese, one sliced meat, some eggs and rolls, and one granola. It started at 8 a.m., which felt late for an island with hiking; we'd have preferred to set out earlier. WhatsApp communication before arrival was good, but later it was patchy. We could have used more information before the day itself about payment timing and the port. Without an eSIM or mobile data, you may struggle.

The views from our room were breathtaking, and dinner was a great option on evenings when we wanted to stay in and have food brought up. Breakfast was simple but excellent, and the hotel was quiet and beautifully placed, away from busy central Abraão but close enough to enjoy the island. From booking through checkout, the team took great care of us. They arranged transport from Rio, met us at the Abraão pier, carried our heavy bags to the rooms, and shared useful local tips. They also set up a half-day snorkeling trip that was much better than the big group tours elsewhere. I've stayed in more than a hundred hotels, and this is easily one of my top three. Thank you so much to Stephany, Macauã, and the whole team for being so kind, professional, and warm. You made our time in Ilha Grande unforgettable. We can't wait to return!

The staff were lovely, breakfast was nice but had little variety, and the free evening water taxi was a real plus. The room views were lovely too. Getting to the other beaches involves a tricky walk, so I wouldn't recommend it for older people or anyone with mobility issues. The staff also offered island boat trips, which I highly recommend. We tried three of the seven rooms, and the quality varied a lot. The double room was cramped, with no bedside table or place to set things down. Its only outlet was behind the bed, and there were just a few hangers on the clothing rail, so I had to live out of my suitcase. The twin room next door was larger and had a double and a single bed, but gaps around the glass doors let bugs in. Its shower kept turning cold because the showers run on gas bottles that kept emptying. The third room was very large and should have been the master double, but it had one single and one double bed. A few cats made enough noise at night to wake us. There were only four sun loungers for all the rooms. It was nice enough for a few days, but I wouldn't want to stay a full week.

The views were beautiful and the service was good, but the poor build and maintenance made the price hard to justify. Large gaps between the glass panels let bugs, spiders, lizards, and other creepy crawlies into the rooms, and also let in more noise. The weak air conditioner barely kept the room cool during the day. Breakfast was mediocre and the same each day, apart from a slightly different breakfast pie that was always lukewarm. The long rocky path and steep, uneven stairs up from the main area could be difficult for older guests or anyone with mobility problems. We got some nice pictures, but otherwise regretted staying at Pousada Pedro Rei and wouldn't recommend it.