Pousada Riacho da Serra

The setting was peaceful, the outdoor area felt cool and pleasant, and the staff were nice. Breakfast was simple but tasty. We didn't use the pool, though it looked clean, and the children's play area could use some maintenance. Without a car, it's about a five-minute Uber ride from downtown. You can walk in 15-20 minutes, but it's tiring after a meal or with luggage. We had a decent stay, though I expected more for the nightly rate. We didn't have much trouble with mosquitoes, but there were plenty of flying bugs, including a cockroach. We spent Carnival in Penedo and booked this inn because it was available. I reserved through Booking. On the way to town, the site emailed to say the inn had reported my card as invalid and hadn't charged it. At check-in, the receptionist said it was a Booking issue, and I paid there. Later, Booking told me the reservation had been canceled. Since I booked through a Nubank partnership, I didn't get my cashback. That seemed odd, but I let it go. The room was very basic for the price. The old, noisy air conditioner couldn't keep up, the TV kept losing its signal, and the bed, sheets, and blankets were plain. The weather was bad, so the TV trouble wasn't surprising. The TV stand under the minibar was black with mold and looked ready to give way. Our chalet was beside a stream, and after all the recent rain in Penedo, the bathroom door had a lot of mold too. I understand the humidity, but it couldn't have grown overnight, and it made me question how closely the rooms were cleaned. When I pointed it out, the receptionist promptly arranged to have the door cleaned. The bathroom itself was clean but very dated. The toilet seat was poor, the whirlpool tub's jets didn't work, the sink was clogged, and there were cracks in the wall and grout.

We stayed for three days. The staff were always ready to help, and the breakfast was very good, with different breads, cakes, juices, and a delicious coconut sweet and pudding. Some items, like the bread and cakes, seemed to be reused on later days and weren't as fresh. The room was simple but comfortable and roomy. Our suite had a large bathroom, a wonderful whirlpool tub, and basic cable channels. On arrival, though, we found the duvet dirty when we removed the blanket, and the toilet lid was stained. A little alcohol took some of it off, but the cleaning needs attention. There's lots of greenery and the weather felt pleasant. The stream on the property is lovely to look at, but not ideal for swimming because of all the stones. The inn has a pool, billiards, and a sauna. They're a bit old, as other reviews have mentioned, but still usable. It's fairly close to downtown and easy to reach by car, though the road is very dark at night.

The inn's location is lovely, but we paid for a quiet place with a pool and didn't find it ready for guests during the week. The pool area was dirty and both pools were dirty, even though it had been raining. There was construction beside our room, and the sauna was being used to store pool equipment and the table umbrellas. At the entrance, we sometimes had to wait for someone to open the gate. When I honked to get in, someone even called out, “What is it?” That felt disrespectful given what we'd paid. By Saturday, when we were leaving, the inn was full and the pool was being cleaned. It seemed to us that the place only really operates on weekends. On weekdays, I wouldn't count on it unless it's a long holiday.

This place could do well, but the owner seems to lack a lot of responsibility and effort. My husband and I booked a chalet 15 days ahead and arrived half an hour early, yet we waited two and a half hours for the key. The women's bathroom and pool were dirty from the start. After the long wait, we found out the whirlpool wasn't working either. Breakfast was at a set time, the bread was hard, and it felt like someone was watching us eat. Really awkward. We also weren't told in the morning that masks were required only in the breakfast area, so I had to go back to our room to get mine. The one good thing was one employee who was very kind and helpful. Sadly, I don't remember her name.