Vila Santa Teresa
Vila Santa Teresa Hotel & Spa combines the luxuries of a beautiful private villa with a 7-suite boutique hotel in the heart of the bohemian Santa Teresa district in Rio de Janeiro.
My background is in fashion and there is a constant process of creating something new. Uxua was a longing to create something that lasts over a longer period of time.
Uxua Casa Hotel
Their immensely delicious breakfast buffet will most likely keep you satiated until the afternoon.
You can feel that the houses’ renovation and furniture was largely handmade by local craftspeople.
The Casas are very airy, fashionable and hip, yet at the same time it’s a very laid back ambience.
When visiting Almescar Spa make sure to book a treatment that uses the traditional Vichy shower.
Uxua isn’t easy to get to, but then again - usually it takes effort and patience to find paradise.
How would you describe Uxua Casa Hotel in a nutshell?
Ten unique houses make up Uxua Casa Hotel in Trancoso, Brazil. It is a luxury boutique hotel with houses that are up to 500 years old, with thatched roofs, cement and wood floors and surrounded by tropical gardens. Most of the casas are centered around Trancoso’s Quadrado, the UNESCO-protected town square. Through restoring the houses with the help of local craftspeople, designer Wilbert Das has fulfilled his dream to create a bohemian chic getaway and at the same time preserve historic Trancoso and support the local community. The style is quirky, the interiors organic and sensual, and you’ll find yourself just a short stroll from Quadrado restaurant, Almescar spa and Uxua’s rustic beach lounge.
As a fashion designer, what inspired you to start running a small boutique hotel?
It was a reaction really. My plan originally was to build a holiday home but then over time the idea of turning it into a boutique hotel came up. Analyzing it afterwards, I would say that it was a longing to create something that lasts over a long period of time. My professional background is in the fashion business and in fashion you are always making fast products that last a very short period of time. There is a constant process of creating something new. Because of the nature of fashion, things don’t need to last. And creating an atmosphere, a lifestyle or even a little village like Uxua is something much more appealing. Everything you make lasts for a much longer time.
Why did you decide to go to Trancoso?
I fell in love with it. As I said, I was looking for a place to build a holiday home and a friend told me about Trancoso. He just said, ‘It feels like your house’. So I was intrigued and went there to have a look. When I arrived it just clicked. Everything was perfect from my point of view. Trancoso has everything that I like about life, abundant and lush nature, the beautiful beach, the people, the food, the weather and the colonial architecture – I am not a big fan of the architecture of the past 50 years. Trancoso was almost cut off from the world until only recently, the village is very well preserved.
Trancoso has a certain hippie vibe. Before the first road to the village was built about 15 years ago, there were only locals and hippies living here. And they still have a lot of influence on village life today. At first, when we started Uxua Casa, the locals were a bit unsure about this international fashion designer building a hotel in the village. But that perception changed.
Because from the start you were very involved with the local community?
Yes, we talked to the local environmental activists to make sure that they felt like their interests were being served. And we also initiated several other projects for and with the local community. During the building process we worked with many local craftsmen, which was great. We would give them an idea and they would come up with something better. So that worked really well.
We also noticed that many people are illiterate, so we decided to provide classes for the locals. We also organize English classes and we pay local capoeira teachers so the kids in the village can take lessons. All of this of course helped to ease the initial concern about our project. But most importantly, we have been able to set an example. This is something that is not done very much in Brazil and because of us other places had to follow our example.
Where does the name ‘UXUA’ come from?
The Pataxó is a local Indian tribe living on a reserve not far from Trancoso. I had the chance to meet with their chief before we opened and I still visit them every time I am here in Trancoso. Their language is a spoken language only, but the chief prepared a dictionary and I immediately fell in love with the word ‘Uxua’.
And that is your philosophy or the essence of Uxua Casa Hotel?
Absolutely. In your own house at home you don’t have to dress a certain way or talk a certain way. And that is what we wanted to create here, a place that feels like home with the level of service, comfort and small luxuries you would expect from a hotel.
And our guests seem to like that simplicity and the relaxed atmosphere. Today with the Internet, the mobile phone and all the social networks people tend to forget about the simple things in life. So it is really rewarding to see that our guests actually talk to each other, in many cases they are making new friends.
Please tell me about the swimming pool and the therapeutic power of the green aventurine quartz.
When we started thinking about the pool, I wanted something that looks like a very clear lake. We’ve been looking around for a while and eventually discovered the perfect stone, aventurine quartz. We created the pool with around forty thousand specimens of this unique green stone, which is native to Bahia. We didn’t even know about the therapeutic power of the stone. Of course, the hippies knew all about it and were quick to point out the healing power. Apparently it is supposed to calm the mind, reduce stress and, I don‘t know, make your skin softer. (laughs) I don’t know, I just feel good taking a swim.
Do you get to spend a lot of time at Uxua? And what is the first thing you do when you get there?
I call Uxua ‘home’ more than anything else today and I am fortunate enough to be able to spend about 6 months at the hotel every year. There are many things that I do when I first get there. I love horseback riding for example and there is a river nearby where you can ride along a thousand buffalos, which is really amazing.
I also love to just sit on the Quadrado, the square, watching the people go about their lives with the church and the view of the ocean while the moon rises. It can’t get much better than that.
And finally I also always go to the Indian tribe. As I mentioned before, they are living on this reserve at the entrance of a national park about 35km from Trancoso. They have preserved their traditional lifestyle probably from the time the first Portuguese arrived here. It is always fascinating to talk to them, listen to their stories and see how they are integrating modern aspects of life into their traditional way of living.
What has been the biggest reward for you running a boutique hotel?
For me it is gaining the respect of the local people. As I said the local community is very strong and they were a bit afraid of us but today I feel very integrated and very much respected by them. Another big reward is, of course, the fantastic feedback we get from our guests. And for me personally, the biggest reward is our staff. I really love the staff. I love to see how they develop and the fact that they are really happy and that we make a difference for their families. That is a really big satisfaction.
So there are no regrets at all?
No, no regrets. Not even one!
I guess what’s marvelous about Uxua Hotel is that it is actually not a hotel. There is no central building, instead we have 10 individual houses. Some of them are right around the ‘Quadrado’, the big, grassy square in Trancoso. Almost all of the houses come with a kitchen or kitchenette. They are air-conditioned, have Wi-Fi, a TV, DVD player and such. Part of the hotel are also a restaurant and beach bar, there is a library, an outdoor pool, Almescar Spa and a gym.
A journalist once described Uxua as ‘rustic modernism’. In fact, it is a tribute to the Bahian and Indian influences. Throughout building Uxua Casa Hotel, we were working closely with local craftsmen using local and recycled material whenever possible. Each of the houses is filled with Bahian art and salvaged antiques. We have designed and built the doors, windows, beds and much of the fittings such as the sinks and the wooden showers together with local artisans and the Indians from the Pataxó tribe.
Tailor-made for honeymooners, this privacy-minded one-bedroom apartment appears cocooned in the sheltering arms of a mango tree. Need a place to sunbathe without fear of the paparazzi? An open balcony with covered eating area and sofa, with view of UXUA’s gleaming aventurine stone pool, fits the bill.
Desire a place to shower a deux, replete with views of the surrounding greenery? A bathroom with double shower heads and featuring open views across the treetops does the trick. A mini-kitchen, walk-in closets and pristine canopy bed round out this pretty picture.
The “Picasso” of UXUA’s casas, Estudio features acres of space, strong furniture and rustic local accents that meld to form the perfect Bahian “artist’s studio”. What that means: lush greenery afforded by an indoor/outdoor bathroom featuring a large vertical garden, sinks carved from tree trunks found in the UXUA garden, double-wooden shower heads, and one wall opening onto a mammoth veranda and private garden. There’s more: walk-in closets, mini-kitchen, private patio, and unparalleled access to the “healing” waters of UXUA’s one-of-a-kind green aventurine quartz pool – a cool oasis at daytime and a beacon of muted light in the evening.
The yin to the other houses’ yang, Seu Pedrinho embodies the bougainvillea blossoms that festoon its exterior and inspired its brilliant magenta color. The interior is no less colorful: airy, bright spaces bordered by wooden floors, a bar, private garden, and views of the grassy Quadrado from every room.
The casa features two bathrooms – one with a double shower – and a spacious bedroom with canopy bed. Best of all, living room and kitchen open directly onto the Quadrado, via the shelter lent by the area’s oldest bougainvillea bower. Guests can invite friends to sit at the rustic table in front of the casa and admire their blossom-strewn house.
It’s eco-consciousness meets summer palace meets Robinson Crusoe. This elevated treehouse fantasy sprawls across three levels, with its “green” credentials coming from the recycled wood that makes up its walls, its traditionally applied thatched roof, and the organic materials scattered throughout its interior. Yet despite its rustic appearance, this is no ascetic hippie enclave: little luxuries (and big surprises) are hidden throughout, including large covered veranda/al fresco living room with hammock and bar, the bathroom’s double shower, and spa tub on the outdoor deck. Guests shouldn’t miss the hanging swing underneath the casa, a perfect site for a private sundowner with a significant other.
Appearances can deceive. What at first looks like a fishermen’s bungalow transforms upon entering into a gleaming, bright hideaway, worthy of any million-dollar music mogul. One entire wall of the house opens up and reveals views of a lush private courtyard and deck, crowned with the casa’s own swimming pool and hydro-massage Jacuzzi. Private patio, outdoor shower, and rustic pergola, poolside, check all the boxes epitomizing the perfect Bahian lifestyle: bringing what’s outdoors to the indoors, and then back again.
Named after the Indian-inspired additions contributed by its recent “hippie” owners, Gulab Mahal is a fusion of Portuguese and South Asian, with a generous dash of its native Bahian thrown in for good measure. This two-bedroom, traditional fishermen’s house boasts carved hardwood windows and doors and even a raised mezzanine “meditation” area, plus tiered gardens, indoor/outdoor kitchen and stunning views of Trancoso’s historic Quadrado. In short: it’s a history lesson of immigration to Trancoso, from the Portuguese Jesuits in the 1500s to the international “hippies” of the 20th century.
A unique casa, with UXUA’s typical rustic-modernism exchanged in this instance for a playful abundance of color and light. Nozinho sports sofa-fuls of light-toned throw pillows, an impressive yet welcoming dining area and scores of homey details. Tucked into a residential alley at the rear of UXUA’s garden, Nozinho includes a private gate and parking, a large kitchen and massive outdoor eating area and private garden.
The most palatial of UXUA’s casas, Eugenia gets all the angles right. Garden location amid masses of verdant greenery? Check. Outdoor dining terrace for al fresco dinner parties? Check. Master suite with warehouse-sized bathroom, replete with antique tub? Check. Add overarching views of UXUA’s private gardens, a second bedroom suite with private balcony, indoor/outdoor kitchen, bright, airy spaces and the surrounding cocoon of trees – indeed, some poke through the roof – and you’ve got the grande dame of the UXUA property, christened after one of the most prominent of the casa’s trees. Of course, this grande dame loves green: with some surprising eco-conscious touches including a sofa covered with canvas material recycled from Amazonian truck covers.
For a strong shot of Trancoso, neat, guests can do little better than this traditional fishermen’s house that faces the Quadrado and is capable of sheltering up to six – ideal for visiting families or friends who simply cannot bear to be parted. A fully equipped kitchen and adjacent sitting room and bar hew nicely to that theme, while a rustic table in front of the casa and in the Quadrado turns al fresco dinner parties into a reality. Two bedrooms sit in the main house, one on the second floor, with the third an independent garden suite with cushion-strewn outdoor patio. All rooms bear UXUA’s trademark airiness and locally sourced home décor. Finally, ensuite bathrooms ensure maximum privacy amid the housemates.
This restored casa offers indulgent comfort, but also a taste of traditional Quadrado life. It sits on a privileged position next-door to a native family who still regularly socialize and play music in front of their casa in the traditional style. The atmosphere inside is of authenticity also, but reinterpreted in a form best labeled ‘rustic modernism’. Light streams through glass tiles hidden within a traditional roof; rooms are open to offer spectacular Quadrado views; the lone bedroom features a private garden with a tub and wooden showers open to the sky; a hidden patio holds a covered pergola, and of course a cozy picnic table sits on the Quadrado.
Terraço’s stunning rooftop with swimming pool is its signature element, and make it one of the most in-demand casas in Trancoso. But countless other details have led it to win architectural awards, with an interior completed in 2013 and reflecting UXUA's latest evolutions in creative artiginal design, with contributions from several of UXUA’s acclaimed Artist In Casa.
Features: 1 bedroom - Private plunge pool on the rooftop deck - Panoramic view over the Quadrado and Old Trancoso - Sculpted bathtub - Private garden patio.
Besides the pool we have also a beach lounge, which is a 5 minute walk from the hotel. There are cushioned sofas to relax, a volleyball field, an open air gym and a platform for capoeira classes. We serve drinks and food at the beach but there is also a restaurant that is exclusive to our guests. And finally, we also offer all sorts of wellness treatments and classes such as yoga or reiki in our Spa.
There are abundant choices really, depending on what you would like to do. There are all the beach activities such as volleyball, snorkeling and diving. Between August and December it is also the perfect time for kite- and windsurfing. Then there are countless small roads and trails to explore Trancoso and the surrounding area by foot, bike or horse. I love horseback riding for example and there is a river nearby where you can ride along a thousand buffalos, which is really amazing.
You can dare to challenge the locals in a football game on the many fields. You understand how popular football is when even the Quadrado, a world heritage site, has a football field. There are tennis fields, two on the famous ‘Monkey Road’, where the courts are surrounded by forests filled with monkeys who occasionally interrupt the game. And of course there is a truly spectacular golf course above the ocean on cliffs with spectacular views.
I also love to just sit on the Quadrado, the square, watching the people go about their lives with the church and the view of the ocean while the moon rises. It can’t get much better than that.
Trancoso has everything that I like about life, abundant and lush nature, the beautiful beach, the people, the food, the weather and the colonial architecture. Trancoso has a certain hippie vibe. Before the first road to the village was built about 15 years ago, there were only locals and hippies living here. And they still have a lot of influence on village life today.
This region is nice all year round and temperatures don’t change much. We have the most rain during April and July, from June to September it gets cooler in the evenings. Of course, during carnival season, so usually February or March, it is very, very busy. I guess I would recommend visiting anytime between August and January.
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