Pousada Casarão Praia Dourada

We'd booked a year ahead and came from São Paulo with a baby and an eight-year-old. When we arrived on New Year's Eve, the pousada was empty and looked abandoned. The owner started laying down rules, saying things like, “only my children here.” Then, when he asked us to pay the remaining balance, he said it wasn't worth it for him, and we were literally left out on the street. There was a complete lack of respect and just about everything else you'd expect. I don't recommend this place. We even filed a police report.

The bed was uncomfortable, the bathroom smelled bad, and there were very few power outlets. The ones they did have were the old style, which made it hard to plug in electronics. Breakfast was very basic, and the staff showed no empathy toward guests. There were loads of pointless rules, this wasn't allowed, that wasn't allowed, and the service was awful. They have no warmth with guests. I wouldn't recommend it or come back unless the management changes.

Nothing the pousada offered appealed to me. The pool was so deep that at 1.58 m it covered me, so I couldn't have any fun there, especially with no area for children. Reception was awful, breakfast was bad, and the room was very old. We turned on our little speaker and were told to switch it off. They even turned off the garden lights while we were there chatting. Service is everything!

The place itself has a lot going for it: the pool is cleaned and maintained every day, and there's breakfast, air conditioning, a barbecue, and tables and chairs. But the service was disorganized. They got my room preference wrong, and although I'd reserved a crib, they gave it to other guests and had no replacement. The pool closes at 8 p.m., and the card machine charges outrageous fees, even for debit. There's a little balcony behind the rooms, but I couldn't use mine because opening the door meant moving the table, chair, and bed. Having to shift all that made the whole thing feel like too much trouble.