Pousada Lagamar

We were really looking forward to staying here, so this has left us with a very poor impression. My partner was injured and unable to travel, and even though I contacted the hotel three months ahead and sent medical documentation, they refused to cancel our booking. I hoped for some understanding given the circumstances and the notice we gave, but they stuck to their cancellation policy. From this experience, I’d warn other guests that even if something goes wrong and you provide proof well in advance, the hotel may not be willing to work with you.

We loved the breakfast and had a great stay. Our room was clean, and the view from the jungle was amazing. praia Vermelha is really cute, as are the other beaches on this side of the island. I liked this side much more than the east.

The rooms were clean and breakfast was good, but our booking turned into a real problem. We had confirmation through hotels.com, yet the hotel was overbooked. Because of cancellations, we got a room for just 3 nights instead of the 6 we had reserved. We were lucky, since the place is remote and we arrived in the evening. It was peak season, and eventually we cut our holiday short because we couldn't find decent alternative accommodation on the island. I’d suggest booking directly and calling ahead to check the room is actually available. The hotel doesn't seem to have a good relationship with the booking site.

There aren't many places to eat nearby, which is probably the main drawback. We had dinner each night at the hostel on vermelha and really enjoyed it, especially the fish with pineapple. This was one of our favourite places in Brazil, with a beach and swimming lagoon just 2 minutes away. It's also in a truly isolated part of the island. Highly recommend staying on this side!