Pousada São Francisco

Aline, the owner, is such a nice person, polite and good-humored. The garden is lovely and well kept among the Atlantic forest, and the rooms are pleasant, with a fan. Breakfast is simple and nicely done. The inn is a great spot if you like being surrounded by forest with a beautiful view of the beach. It sits quite high up, and the road is very steep. I wouldn’t try it with a lowered or manual car, though an automatic should be fine. I hope to return. I loved it.

The setting is pretty and well maintained, and the hosts are attentive. It’s reasonably close to central Paraty, with a few beaches nearby. But it’s up in the hills, so don’t bring a sports car. Being in the woods also means plenty of bugs, including mosquitoes and LOTS of spiders, even in the room. We struggled with the heat at night. An air conditioner would help, because with the windows open insects come in, and with them closed it gets stifling. I thought the price was high for the level of comfort, though the New Year’s season may have pushed it up.

The owner wouldn’t refund us despite all the problems, and we left feeling completely cheated. This was the worst inn ever, so don’t waste your money. The place lacks care and investment in its facilities. They charge for sheets and towels but only change them every three days. There’s no Wi-Fi, breakfast isn’t included, and unless your car is a 4x4 you can’t get to your room. Our room was damp and moldy, with leaks, and it flooded. There was only one fan. The power went out twice during our three-day stay, so we were hot, and we couldn’t sleep with the windows open because of all the wild animals around the inn.

Breakfast was great, and Aline and Tânia deserve credit for being so good at reception. The only thing to keep in mind is the very steep hill. A somewhat low car can scrape on the rocks. Apart from that, we had a great stay. Highly recommend it.