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Brava Hotel: Traveler Reviews

Call now to book: 1-800-454-6835 from hotels.com
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating:
  • A summary score based on quality, quantity and age of traveler ratings.
2.5 of 5 stars 39 Reviews
5.0 of 5 stars
7
4.0 of 5 stars
4
3.0 of 5 stars
3
2.0 of 5 stars
3
1.0 of 5 stars
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TripAdvisor Popularity Index:
  • Measures overall traveler satisfaction based on ratings, reviews and other sources.
#58 of 75 hotels in Buzios
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  • Address: Rua 17, Lote 14, Quadra 0, Praia Brava Buzios 28950-000 Brazil
Property Type: Hotel
  • Lodging offering guest rooms, a 24-hour front desk and a variety of services and amenities.
Restaurant Swimming Pool
Check Rates: $240 Avg. Price
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TripAdvisor Traveler Reviews

Reviews of Brava Hotel

( 10-14 of 39 )
“Brava Hotel- horrible!”

Brava Hotel

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1 of 5 stars
Atlanta, GA
Feb 4, 2007
6/6 found this review helpful

My husband and I had a 3 night stay booked at the Brava hotel in November 2006. Upon check in we realized that we did not want to waste our vacation at this dump. I was shocked at how different the hotel was from what appeared on the website. Do not be fooled by the posh appearance on the website. The Brava Hotel is nothing of the sort. Let's just say that the rooms were filthy...the bathroom was absolutely disgusting, there was mold growing on the ceiling in the shower and also on the floor next to the bed. Also, the "ocean view room" was only ocean view if you hung your head out of the window. We contacted the manager of the property and told her that we were extremely unhappy with our room. Her response basically told us to take it or leave it. We had already paid for the three night stay, but decided to check out after the first night even though the Brava was unwilling to offer any sort of refund. We returned to Rio and stayed at Le Meridien. This was the best decision we could have made given the circumstances. Fortunately, Le Meridien was a beautiful hotel with helpful staff members and a nice location.

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
GANikki's Summary
Date of Stay: November 2006
Member since: February 04, 2007
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Average price*: $240 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-454-6835 from hotels.com
“Avoid Brava”

Brava Hotel

Feb 1, 2007
7/7 found this review helpful

We just returned from Buzios. Unfortunately, we did not heed the warnings here. I can't comment on all aspects of the hotel because we did not end up staying the night. After check in we waited in the lobby where the ceiling was falling, and there was some type of mold growing on the walls. This, combined with the odor and general inferior quality of the place made us change to a different hotel. I will say, the staff was pleasant and quick about helping us leave. They acted like it was common for people to be dissatisfied. If you are looking for accomodations in Buzios, you should try Glenzhaus. It's a small pousada with a fantastic staff, clean rooms, and a very pleasant atmosphere. I can't say enough good things about Glenzhaus.

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
LATraveler1000's Summary
Date of Stay: February 2007
Member since: February 01, 2007
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Average price*: $240 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-454-6835 from hotels.com
“stunning design hotel brava”

Brava Hotel

Jan 20, 2007
0/7 found this review helpful

My wife and I stayed at the brava in 2 occasions , 2004 and 2006 .
We loved the design and decoration of the Brava Hotel , the pool area and public spaces are extremely cool with a great vibe .
The guests of the Brava tend to be very cool too , models , famous people , great for " people watching " .
the hotel is just 100 yards form the Brava beach , set on a
small hill . the town of Buzios is only a 10 minute walk .
the rooms have been renovated in 2006 so on our second stay
we enjoyed the newer upgraded version of the rooms .
The owners and hosts Marcelo and Jorge are great personalities .
The hotel also has a boat for excursions
We will come back .

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
dmaranzana's Summary
Date of Stay: January 2007
Traveled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Romantic getaway
Age group: 35-49
Member since: March 08, 2005
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 2 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
absolutely!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Great pool scene, Tourists
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $240 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-454-6835 from hotels.com
“Worst Hotel Ever!!!”

Brava Hotel

Jan 15, 2007
7/7 found this review helpful

Immediately upon check in, we surveyed the situation and opted to check out. The mold growing throughout the bathroom was the only indication we needed to realize this hotel was sub-par. The manager then assured us we were only being charged 200 USD a night, far less than the 750 USD we were booked in at. For that amount we decided to stay, as it was late at night and we had been traveling for a full day. Needless to say on check out, they ripped us off, charging the maximum dollar value they could get off our pre-authorization form.

The Brava hotel has got to be one of the worst hotels in existence. I stayed at travel lodges when I was a teenager that rival this dump. There are no decent drinks, they have music on a continuous loop, the food is terrible, and the owners are arrogant.

Avoid this dump at all costs!!!!!!!

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — Nothing!!!
    • Disliked — Everything!!!
    • Tips/Secrets: — Stay AWAY from the BRAVA HOTEL!!!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
KuhlTraveler's Summary
Date of Stay: December 2006
Traveled with: Spouse / significant other
Visit was for: Other
Age group: 25-34
Member since: January 13, 2007
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 1 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
    • 1 of 5 stars Business service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
no way!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Great pool scene, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Great food / Wine
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $240 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-454-6835 from hotels.com
“Worst Hotel Experience”

Brava Hotel

Jan 13, 2007
6/6 found this review helpful

This hotel markets itself as a luxury hotel, however, the only thing it has going for it is its website & the photos they've posted. Brava is the worst hotel experience I have ever encountered through all my years of traveling.
Upon arrival we discovered that the hotel had messed up our reservations and instead of having two rooms for two nights, they could only guarantee us two rooms for the first night, and one room for the second night. They promised us to let us know if a room opened up, and that the worst case scenario would be for the four people in our group to share one room on the 2nd night. We reluctantly agreed to this as we had no choice; it was New Years week & all the hotels were booked. The following morning, we were told that not only had no rooms become available, but the one room we did have was also no longer available to us and that we would have to check out that morning.
After trying to communicate w/ the hotel staff. of which only one person spoke English, we asked to speak to the owner. We were also told that the staff knew upon check in that we would have to give up our room on day two, but had decided not to say anything to us; they thought they would handle the situation the next day. My Spanish speaking friend was able to communicate w/ the Argentinian owner, who was completely apathetic. He refused to accomodate us in any way, and never even offered an apology. When we asked him what a purpose of a reservation was, he just stared at us. The only thing the staff did for us was to book a third rate pousada in the middle of town, where we spent the night.
Brava Hotel is owned by two Argentinian brothers who have tried to create a luxury hotel a la the Delano in South Beach, however it is all a farce and facade. It is very pretty, at first glance. but they know nothing about providing service, which is what a hotel experience is all about. Aside from their unprofessional conduct regarding our reservations and our rooms, the service is extremely poor. When we ordered food and drinks poolside, each drink and each plate would arrive separately, w/ a 15-20 minute gap in between, such that none of us had our food or drinks together. It was ridiculous, considering there were only about 6 or 7 other guests poolside at the time.
Their "fitness center" is a joke. It consists of a treadmill and a bike. Their rooms are poorly designed, w/ a big potted Palm tree blocking the pathway around the bed; again only an aesthetic touch.
I would not recommend anyone stay at this hotel. For $200 (US$) a night, one expects decent service, accomodating staff & function, instead of a facade of luxury. Anyone can hire an architect and interior designer to create a visually pleasing space. However it takes skill, experience and professionalism to provide good customer service. In my opinion, this hotel will not last. Oh, and as far as the "heliport" they boast about on their site, it is another misrepresentation. If you arrive by helicopter, they drop you off in the middle of a field and excpect you to find your own way to the hotel (this we were told by other travelers we met there). Above all, I found the apathy of the owner and the rudeness we encountered the worst offense of all; mistakes can be made by anyone, but it is how one handles the situation with a customer that proves one's professionalism and sense of ethics.

  • This TripAdvisor Member:
    • Liked — The location and the architecture
    • Disliked — Their unprofessional service regarding our reservations and their refusal to accomodate us in any way.
    • Tips/Secrets: — Make sure to read reviews of hotels you are booking online. Web sites can be very misleading.
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
KaterinaNYC's Summary
Date of Stay: December 2006
Traveled with: Friends
Visit was for: Quality time with friends
Age group: 35-49
Member since: January 13, 2007
  • My ratings for this hotel are:
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 1 of 5 stars Check in / front desk
    • 1 of 5 stars Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend?
no way!
I recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, Great pool scene, Tourists
I do not recommend this hotel for:
Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I selected this hotel as a top choice for:
Beach / Sun, Other
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Check Rates
Average price*: $240 (year-round)
Call now to book: 1-800-454-6835 from hotels.com

Reviews of Brava Hotel

( 10-14 of 39 )
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Brava Hotel Address

Rua 17, Lote 14, Quadra 0 | Praia Brava, Buzios 28950-000, Brazil