Pousada Arte Colonial

The staff were polite and kind, but cleanliness is the most important part of a hotel stay, and here it was below zero. I travel often, and this was by far the dirtiest hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The photos attached were taken as soon as we entered, before using anything, and show the room as it was. Paraty was very full, so we had no realistic alternative and stayed three nights. The room smelled strongly of mold and damp, and it was shockingly dirty from the start. The bed, sheets, and blankets looked unclean, making it very uncomfortable to sleep there. The floor was so filthy that our suitcase turned black as soon as we put it down. The bathroom door was visibly dirty, the bathroom felt unhygienic, and I was disgusted to use the shower. Spiderwebs were everywhere. I seriously wonder how the hotel passes any kind of sanitary inspection. The entrance looks nice, with colonial decor that suits Paraty, but the room was a different story. Getting there was also a real hassle. Cars can’t enter Paraty’s historic center, which is charming, but the hotel doesn’t clearly explain how difficult it is to reach with big suitcases. We struggled carrying heavy luggage over the stone streets. Before our arrival, the hotel told us reception closed at 10:00 PM and asked us to let them know if we’d be later. We got there at 9:16 PM, well before that, but the door was shut. A note said reception closed at 9:00 PM and told us to call a number. It was raining hard, and we had to wait outside for someone to come let us in. A very unpleasant first impression.

I had a really good stay. The people at Pousada were so kind, especially Aline, who gave us helpful tips about places to go and routes to take. Breakfast was really good, and the location was close to everything we needed and wanted to enjoy. It’s a typical heritage house from the 19th century.

Right in Paraty’s historic center, this is a great hotel. Breakfast was good, and you can ask for eggs made fresh. The staff are very friendly, though they speak very little English.

A perfect spot for restaurants and souvenir shops.