Casa Brasileira - Hotel Galeria

We first went to Casa Brasileira in February 2025 for lunch, and immediately felt at ease. The park and everything around it were spectacular, Vica was lovely, and Lila's moqueca was wonderful. We tried to book directly for December, but the reservation center never answered. My husband kept trying, and eventually booked through Booking.com. When we arrived that evening, Vica greeted us enthusiastically. We ordered moqueca for dinner, along with a green salad with shrimp, Dijon mustard dressing, and chestnuts. The salad was delicious, but the moqueca wasn't as good as it had been in February. That happens. We were exhausted from the trip and went to bed, but at 5 a.m. we woke to a racket over our ceiling. For all nine nights, we heard what sounded like rats, bats, and weasels running across the ceiling of our Master Suite, which cost about 600 Reais/500 Dollars a night. The next day, showering became another problem. For three days, there was no cold water in the room, not even in the toilet, only hot water. We asked for a room change, but none was offered. A woman whose name we still don't know came to apologize for the creatures in the ceiling and for how long it took to fix the water. The plumbing made strange noises, too. Five days had passed without the sheets being changed, so I asked about that. I also pointed out a cookie I'd dropped the previous day, still crushed on the floor by a mirror and a door with plenty of natural light, and asked when the room would be cleaned. My husband and I agreed to end the stay peacefully, so we started eating at other hotels and restaurants. We ordered the green salad with shrimp and Dijon mustard dressing again, but it wasn't the same as the one served on our first night. We also booked at the recently opened Hotel Origen, which was lovely. We saw moqueca on the menu and wondered why, then tried it. It was simply outstanding. Chef Lila runs the kitchen at Origen, and we ate incredibly well there for the rest of our stay. By checkout, we were still baffled by Casa Brasilera's attitude, especially management's. The staff shouldn't be blamed for management or marketing policies. In fact, Vica took on all the management herself, and I hope the owners recognize that. Finally, the bill included a charge of 3000 reais, with no clear explanation. We'd paid for the stay through Booking.com, and our purchases included a 10% tax, plus whatever tip we left. We were told we could pay the charge if we wanted, or not. ???? It was a bitter end to a place that seems one way but turns out to be the complete opposite. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. When packing to go home, I found rat droppings in my suitcase. I'm just grateful they didn't come home with us.