Pousada Aldea Zen

This was our second stay, and we loved it again. Paulinha and Daniel are wonderful hosts, every part of the inn feels cozy, and the view is one of the prettiest in Ouro Preto. I highly recommend it!

We came across Francisca by chance and left completely impressed. She’s a gem, and the service was incredible. The idea behind the place is brilliant, and it’s peaceful, welcoming, and beautiful, a lovely spot to unwind and take in the surroundings.

Paula is a very friendly host, and the service is excellent. Everything was clean and organized, with the simple comforts that suit the place. The setting has a lovely energy, with Indian and Buddhist touches, and it’s a wonderful place for peace and nature. It sits high on a hill, so it’s cooler and more humid, a welcome oasis on hot days. There’s private walking access to Parque das Andorinhas, a real bonus if you enjoy that. It’s quite a way from Ouro Preto’s historic center, so you’ll need a car or taxi, and should watch out for the steep, dangerous roads. We had a wonderful time and came back for a second visit.

“It’s a trap, Bino!” as I later saw in another review. I sincerely hope you’re reading this before booking, while there’s still time to find a good place to stay in charming Ouro Preto. This was the worst place I’ve ever stayed. If no hotel, inn, hostel, or campsite is available, consider staying in Mariana, which takes about the same time to reach Ouro Preto’s historic center. The location is inconvenient. It’s 15-20 minutes from central Ouro Preto, in a poor, uninteresting residential neighborhood, and it really shouldn’t be listed as being in or near the historic center. The easiest way is 5 km on a narrow paved road, with a final rocky stretch that’s hard to climb without a 4x4 on rainy days or with a loaded car. The shorter 1.5-2 km route is winding and nearly vertical, and seems suited only to 4x4s or brave drivers in light, empty cars. The photos make the place look charming, but our stay was a real struggle. Things were improvised and nothing worked properly. There was no reception or access control, and the promised parking area fits only two or three cars. The rooms, which aren’t cabins, were uncomfortable and absolutely cold during the 9-degree nights we had. I noticed an old floor fan for hot weather, but the shower had no hot water. When we raised it, the person in charge said that was normal in our room because it uses solar heating, which apparently only warms the water from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The beds and mattresses were uncomfortable, and the older people in our group had to swap with the younger ones so they could sleep. There’s no sound insulation at all; the windows, doors, walls, and ceiling are improvised. In the morning, roosters woke us at different times between 5 and 7. As for cleanliness, four people in our group got ticks. We hadn’t been near horses or the dog that wanders freely around the inn. The person in charge wasn’t unpleasant, but I wouldn’t call the replies she and her husband post to negative reviews on Booking friendly. They take some effort to find because they don’t show up on the first pages. Breakfast was somewhere between passable and inadequate. The nature contact is limited to the mountain view and a tree-filled garden, and it definitely doesn’t make up for the rest.