Pousada Colonial Chile

The location is the one real plus if you want to stay in the historic city centre. The colonial building has some charm, but it wasn't well maintained, and our room was dirty. We couldn't open the window blinds either. The staff weren't friendly, especially the person at reception during the day. We're not Brazilian, but we make an effort to speak Portuguese even though it isn't one of our spoken languages. Breakfast also fell below the standard we'd experienced at other hotels during our 20-day trip around Brazil.

The hotel is in such poor shape, which is a shame. It may once have been a nice place, but now it doesn't come anywhere near a one-star hotel. You even have to check yourself in, and the old photos don't match what it looks like now. Our room felt completely unsuitable for people, and the Wi-Fi worked maybe 1% of the time. It didn't work at all in my room. Breakfast? No comment. The only genuinely nice people were the cleaners. The other staff just acted friendly while trying to sell me an Itacare ticket for 450 BRL, though it costs 70 BRL at most. It's my fault that I can't speak Portuguese, and I know that, but a hotel in the middle of the city centre should have at least some reception staff who can speak a little English.

Staying at Pousada Colonial Chile felt like stepping back into colonial times. The service was lovely, breakfast was delicious, and the views were phenomenal. It's a perfect base for seeing the old part of beautiful Salvador Bahia. I recommend visiting Salvador and Pelourinho.

You can walk to most things from here, and it's good value for money. The location felt clean and safe, the staff were friendly and helpful, and breakfast came with the best view of the bay.