Pousada Barra do Aricá

The restaurant was a real highlight, with great service and delicious food. The everyday dishes should suit most people, but the fish was easily the standout. The inn is also a lovely place for birdwatching, including fishing birds and birds of prey, and a boat ride of just 15 minutes took us to the ruins of the old Usina Itaici, a material heritage site in the state of Mato Grosso. Set by the Cuiabá River and Highway MT-040 in Santo Antônio do Leverger, the location sits between the Cerrado and the Pantanal and feels peaceful. The grounds are leafy, with plenty of parking. Our room was simple but comfortable, the bed was excellent, and the bathroom was spotless. It was a comfortable place to rest after sport fishing or just taking it easy in nature. A really pleasant stay with comfort, good food, and beautiful surroundings.

The restaurant was the one bright spot: the food and service were both top-notch. Everything else made the price hard to justify. The area was filthy, with bottles, bags, and other rubbish all around; it felt like fishing in the Rio Tietê. How the fishing went depended on the guide. Mine wasn't good at it, caught fewer fish than I did as someone new to the hobby, and kept wanting to head back early. They also put spoiled beer in the cooler. The shower in our room gave us electric shocks, and after returning from fishing we went hours without water one day. I won't come back or recommend it. The cost didn't match what we got, and there are much better inns a few kilometers farther on.

We were welcomed warmly by Sr Carlos, the inn's manager, and every staff member was attentive and helpful. The room had good space and was well equipped, and the fishing crew was fantastic. João gave us great guidance with the fishing. It was a wonderful experience in a beautiful place, and I recommend it. I hope to return soon.

My family and I stayed at the inn this weekend and had a wonderful time. The VIP treatment and everything else were great, and Sr Carlos was so attentive. The pirangueiro Tengo was very thoughtful and made sure my children enjoyed their fishing. Cook Celso was always trying to please us with his excellent meals, and there were even nice surprises. We had nothing to complain about, only praise. We'll definitely come back again.