Boutique hotels in Brazil

Brazil's best small hotels are called pousadas, and they range from restored colonial houses and beach bungalows to jungle lodges and cattle-ranch retreats. The country is huge, so a trip usually links a few distinct regions, each with its own pace and architecture.

Cities and colonial towns

Rio de Janeiro's boutique hotels cluster in Santa Teresa, with its tram and artists' studios, and along Ipanema and Copacabana. São Paulo has design-led hotels in the Jardins district, and Salvador's historic Pelourinho and Santo Antônio quarters are full of restored mansions. Paraty and Ouro Preto are colonial towns with cobbled streets and small inns.

Beaches and islands

Trancoso, Caraíva, Itacaré and Pipa lead the northeast coast's relaxed beach scene, while Búzios, Ilha Grande and Ilhabela are within reach of Rio and São Paulo. Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago with marine-park protection, has limited, small pousadas, and Jericoacoara and the Lençóis Maranhenses are dune landscapes.

Wild Brazil

The Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland, offers fazenda lodges for wildlife watching, Bonito has crystal-clear rivers and Manaus is the gateway to Amazon lodges. In the south, Gramado has Alpine-style hotels, and Florianópolis has beaches on an island.

When to go

The dry season, May to October, suits the Pantanal and Amazon. Southern summer, December to March, is best for beaches but hot and busy; Carnival, in February or March, fills Rio and Salvador.