About

4.5

Excellent

335 reviews

#45 of 494 hotels in Ubatuba

Location

4.6

Cleanliness

4.3

Service

4.5

Value

3.7

The hotel Picinguaba overlooks a peaceful bay at the heart of the Natural Park of Serra do Mar, the tropical coastal forest running between Rio and São Paulo, about half an hour's drive south of Paraty.It is the only charming hotel in a 30km radius. It faces the sea and a 3 km-long protected sandy beach. The hotel offers (09) nine comfortable rooms all opening onto the natural surroundings and the sea, including a dream honeymoon Suite with en suite jacuzzi and a breathtaking view of the ocean. The local road stops at the beach and one has to walk the last 250m to the hotel, nestled in the forest.Everything here is attuned to the spirit of the place, with nothing to disturb nature's magic: no TV or telephone in the rooms, no Internet, no air-conditioning. This place is for you to be in a different world, the only sounds are the wind in the palm trees and the sea gently lapping the shore.Pousada Picinguaba was selected in HIP HOTELS as one of the 80 most extraordinary hotels around the world and was featured in National Geographic Stay List 2011.

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Property amenities

Free parking

Pool

Outdoor pool

Free breakfast

Bar / lounge

Beach

Spa

Non-smoking hotel

Restaurant

Poolside bar

Room features

Air conditioning

Private balcony

Room types

Ocean view

Non-smoking rooms

Suites

Good to know

HOTEL CLASS

HOTEL STYLE

Quaint

Location

Rua G 130 Vila Picinguaba, Ubatuba, State of Sao Paulo 11680-000 Brazil

Name/address in local language

Pousada Picinguaba

Getting there

Car recommended

Grade: 49 out of 100

49

Guarulhos Intl Airport

104.5 mi•

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Rental Cars

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11 Restaurants

within 5 miles

Almada Bar de Praia e Restaurante

611

3.5 mi•$$ - $$$•Brazilian

Caju Bar e Restaurante

319

3.4 mi•$$ - $$$•Brazilian

Picimbar Restaurante

74

4 min•$$ - $$$•Seafood

Bar de Praia Jundu

41

4.7 mi•$$ - $$$•Brazilian

See all nearby restaurants

10 Attractions

within 5 miles

See all nearby attractions

335Reviews40Q+A27Room tips

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Vivilg wrote a review Jan 2023

Paris, France18 contributions30 helpful votes

+1

A paradise on earth

I came to the pousada with my husband to finish our honeymoon stay and there was no better place for it. Everything is perfect. The staff is lovely, the place beautiful, the food delicious. We had a dream stay. I wish we could have stayed forever. It feels like home. If you go to the south of Brazil, stop here and have the best time of your life. Thanks again to the whole team, we already miss you!

Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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whitepelle wrote a review Sep 2022

London, United Kingdom94 contributions50 helpful votes

Beautiful part of Brazil and wonderful hospitality!

We stayed for three nights on arrival in Brazil prior to a trip to the pantanal. It wasn’t the busy season so we had the pousada more or less to ourself. We were fantastically well looked after by Isa, Francisco, James and Clarissa. We passed the time in the beautiful gardens watching the birds and had a visit from a troop of marmosets. We also visited the fishing village of Picinguaba which has some very nice restaurants and bars overlooking the beach. There is a nice 30 minute walk across to beautiful praia fazenda which is a protected area of coastline and so is totally free of any development. The pousada organised also for us an afternoon visiting a quilombo which is a community in the rainforest (originally founded by freed or escaped slaves) and a walk through the forest with an excellent and friendly guide who explained many things about the area and the surrounding nature. I also should mention the delicious food at the pousada prepared fresh from the surrounding area and the farm linked to the pousada. Additionally the fish was from the local fishermen and was of excellent quality and beautifully prepared. We had such a relaxing time here and would highly recommend it!…

Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Daniele J. Grassi wrote a review Mar 2022

Vienna, Austria9 contributions1 helpful vote

2 weeks in paradise

We stayed at Pousada Picinguaba for almost two weeks and had a wonderful stay. The hotel is only a short walk (up the hill) from the beach of the minuscule and idyllic village of Picinguaba and boosts some incredible views - especially during sunset. You never really feel like you're in a hotel, it feels like you are a guest in some friend's hacienda. The kitchen serves delicious local food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. After almost two weeks it got a little repetitive obviously, but we didn't mind because some of us were vegetarian. The rooms are a little small but very cozy. The only thing that I had a bit of an issue with, was the size of the bed. I haven't measured it but I am pretty certain that it was queen sized and after asking at the reception, they told me that all beds were that size - which was a bit unfortunate because I am quite tall. But all in all it was such a great experience, we will for sure come again!…

Date of stay: November 2021

Rooms

Location

Service

Room Tip: The rooms with the best view (main house) are also the smallest

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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Nicole S wrote a review Feb 2022

Munich, Germany2 contributions

+1

Paradise

Wonderful experience at this unique place. The food is incredible, everything we loved > best fish I ever ate. Such a simplicity with good taste in preserving the Brazilian heritage > you will feel it when you experience the hospitality plus the Pousada’s concept. Impressed with the feeling and peace throughout the days. The Boat trip is highly recommended, the surroundings are stunning!!! Clarissa can give the best advices on what to plan and do according to weather and preferences. Definitely, we will go back to live another journey at Picinguaba ♥️♥️♥️

Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Storyteller438435 wrote a review Apr 2021

2 contributions

Really, really special place

Lia and the whole team are incredible. This was my second time here and both stays have been unforgettable. Stunning natural beauty all around. Beautiful building. Amazing food, cachaça and wines. Highly recommend

Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Terry M wrote a review Oct 2020

1 contribution

Great stay! Just one thing

We had a wonderful stay at Pousada Picinguaba. The view was just spectacular. The pool was incredible. The food was delicious and so fresh, and dinner was included. The fishing village of Picinguaba is charming and relaxed, with some really cool little quiosques and restaurants serving up fresh fish and very cold beer. You can take a short boat ride — like we did — to ilha das couves, which has a spectacular beach. We loved our stay, but in our experience traveling inside and outside of Brazil, Pousada Picinguaba was overpriced. We spent around 340 USD per night. It probably would be more appropriately priced somewhere between $200 and $225. We want to return to Picinguaba — and may come back to the Pousada for a delicious lunch — but with the price where it is now, we probably won’t be staying here. Terry…

Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Simon H wrote a review Aug 2020

Bristol, United Kingdom23 contributions7 helpful votes

An extra-ordinary little hotel and slow food restaurant in an increible location

Pousada Picinguaba is something unique and very special, where exhuberant and beautiful tropical Nature is the deserved star of the show. Our family have returned here many times over the years and it has a special place in our hearts. Nestled above a tiny caicara fishing village within a state park, the pousada has views across the bay to die for, & local genuine smiles and hospitality to warm and relax you. As if that wasn't enough There's an amazing slow food restaurant - organic, fresh, local produce beautifully and skillfully prepared - truly a rare find. Simplicity is never easily achieved, it takes vision and purpose. Come here to really relax as well as to explore this stunning untouched slice of Brazil's Costa Verde

Date of stay: December 2019

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BelenCabrera wrote a review Aug 2020

Ubatuba, SP12 contributions4 helpful votes

Pousada Picinguaba Restaurante

Stunning views of picinguaba’s bay. This restaurant is a dream come true for the discerning travelers how seek for a delicious meal. Sophisticated, elegant and authentic. Excellent choice for fresh sea food. Highly recommend!

Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple

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GlobalTravelAussie wrote a review Mar 2020

New York City, New York7 contributions18 helpful votes

Based on the luxury price point of this resort, most elements were unacceptable stanard

Based on the luxury price point of this resort, most elements were unacceptable stanard - Food appalling: dinner was steamed spinach, brocoli and onion, rice, sad cous cous and fish. I can't eat fish, resort was informed but made no effort to substitute (even a veggie burger or some nice salads) - Feedback on the food was that it was meant to be rustic / back to nature, however this is a lazy excuse to provide a ridiculous small table with a few bowls of food. There are so many amazing vegan salads and dishes they could have made. Even bread and butter would have been appreciated. - Desert was baked banana (excellent) but teamed with insipid ice-cream (should have been called ice-water) - Accommodation basic, dated and worn out. Bathroom, bed terrible. Small old worn-out towel. Bedroom aircon didn't work (no aircon in whole resort so no respite from muggy heat) - No umbrellas outside for sun bathing beds - Not their fault, but mosquitoes everywhere night AND DAY! - No wifi, no soft drink (only small expensive bottles of water) - I was accosted 3 times buy a local guy, once when I arrived and had my driver to look after me, twice when on my own when I had to find my way to an internet cafe - very dangerous and disappointing that a resort guy didn't escort me down given i'd never done the walk before (and this was night) - Hotel staff suggested I kayak around the rocky point and pull up after it and walk on the beach. Followed instructions, nearly got killed on fierce rocks. Had to leave kayak and find my way through thick bush to the beach. Then had to walk back 8km to the resort. Dangerous situation. Instructions on where to land the kayak should be modified to avoid such danger. - The good points - per their main advertising photo, the view is fabulous! If you like a basic 'get back to nature' life but don't mind paying far too much for it, this is for you!…

Date of stay: March 2020

Cleanliness

Service

Sleep Quality

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Response from Lia Dieguez, General Manager at Pousada Picinguaba

Responded Sep 7, 2020

Hi, we think you completely missed out what our Pousada (definitely not a resort) offers to our customers. We don’t know where your expectation came from, but they were totally unrealistic. We’ll comment below all the aspects of your review. “Based on the luxury price point of this resort, most elements were unacceptable standard” As mentioned above, we’re not a resort, we are a small ecological hotel and we offer the art of living in Nature in Brazil (for almost 20 years). It is a place with a taste for beauty, run by local people, actually more like a house than a hotel. Here you’re able to combine an amazing number of extraordinary experiences in Nature together with unique aesthetics and ethos. “Food appalling: dinner was steamed spinach, brocoli and onion, rice, sad cous cous and fish. I can't eat fish, resort was informed but made no effort to substitute (even a veggie burger or some nice salads) Feedback on the food was that it was meant to be rustic / back to nature, however this is a lazy excuse to provide a ridiculous small table with a few bowls of food. There are so many amazing vegan salads and dishes they could have made. Even bread and butter would have been appreciated. Desert was baked banana (excellent) but teamed with insipid ice-cream (should have been called ice-water)” We offer a vegetable and fish-based gastronomy experience and if you have restrictions, you could have told us in advance. No information about it was anticipated to us. We use only top-fresh organics ingredients from our own farm and fresh fish and seafood from local fishermen. The amount of food provided wasn’t ridiculous at all, there were great variety and it was sufficient to everybody. We don’t like leftovers, you know? We don’t offer a buffet, we see it as a family dinner. We don’t serve burgers and our ice-cream is house made with the best ingredients and it is, for sure, not insipid. Accommodation basic, dated and worn out. Bathroom, bed terrible. Small old worn-out towel. Bedroom aircon didn't work (no aircon in whole resort so no respite from muggy heat) We have the best bed and matresses of the market, with pocket sprung, memory foam and made with ecological bamboo fibers. They are very good and very new. Our towels and sheets are made with egyptian cotton, from the very best brand in Brazil, Trussardi. All the rooms have air conditioning and they work just fine. No umbrellas outside for sunbathing beds The sun bathing beds are for, you know, getting some sun bath! There are many places for you to stay in the shadow in the garden, no umbrellas are needed. Not their fault, but mosquitoes everywhere night AND DAY! Welcome to nature! No wifi, no soft drink (only small expensive bottles of water) We chose not to offer industrialized soft drinks. We offer a place for deep reconnection with yourself and with nature. We provide free amazing tap water (direct from the spring), but we also sell the best glass bottled mineral water of the market, which is, in fact, more expensive than regular plastic bottles of unknown origin water. I was accosted 3 times buy a local guy, once when I arrived and had my driver to look after me, twice when on my own when I had to find my way to an internet cafe - very dangerous and disappointing that a resort guy didn't escort me down given i'd never done the walk before (and this was night) Internet Cafe? In Picinguaba? We are located in a 318 inhabitants village. No Cafe can be found here. Picinguaba is an extremely peaceful and safe community. What exactly means “dangerous” to you? Sometimes the locals like to talk with the tourists, we like to call it “interaction”. We live in a society where people talk with one another, nothing dangerous about it. Hotel staff suggested I kayak around the rocky point and pull up after it and walk on the beach. Followed instructions, nearly got killed on fierce rocks. Had to leave kayak and find my way through thick bush to the beach. Then had to walk back 8km to the resort. Dangerous situation. Instructions on where to land the kayak should be modified to avoid such danger. We are located in a bay area, big waves, strong wind blows or anything like that is unlikely to be experienced in Picinguaba. Perhaps in really rainy days -- which was not the case. You left the kayak at the beach and walked exactly 1,8km to get back to the Pousada (you can check the map here > https://bit.ly/2WqBsEe) The good points - per their main advertising photo, the view is fabulous! If you like a basic 'get back to nature' life but don't mind paying far too much for it, this is for you! We are very sorry to hear that the only thing you did like was the view. We have so many other amazing experiences to offer. It’s a pity that you couldn’t enjoy them because of the lack of wifi. We remembered how shocked you were when we said we didn’t have internet. We think that from that moment on, you started to perceive things with a negative perspective. But we understand, it’s very hard to disconnect and give yourself the luxury of being alone, of being free. We would like to say that, in spite of the rather unrealistic critics that you’ve made, we used the last three months (during the pandemic quarantine) to renovate our rooms and offer an even greater experience to our guests.

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

avsoabs wrote a review Mar 2019

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia8 contributions4 helpful votes

Paradise

This hotel was a little paradise. They offered many activities so one day we went kayaking with dolphins and they had packed us little sandwiches. The dinners were home made and were delicious. The view was astonishing and we absolutely loved this place !

Date of stay: March 2019Trip type: Traveled with family

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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