A tranquil modernist retreat on Brazil’s Costa Verde for boat days across the Bay of Kings, a sublime subterranean spa, multiple restaurants and total rest and relaxation.
Location 9/10
Situated on Brazil’s Costa Verde, Fasano Angra dos Reis is about a four hour drive from Rio de Janeiro. Angra dos Reis, which translates to Bay of Kings, is buffered by lush mountain peaks and dotted by hundreds of islands and miles of beaches, ideal for boating excursions. The resort is a part of a private seaside community, featuring condos and homes, as well as a marina, a shopping corridor, tennis courts, a spa and multiple restaurants.
Design 9/10
A tropical modern oasis by Brazilian design studio Bernardes + Jacobsen, Fasano Angra dos Reis is a low profile resort that makes sublime use of minimalist concrete and gleaming hardwood from floor to ceiling for a setting that is soothing, sophisticated and playful.
Amenities & Hospitality 9/10
There’s an air of old world hospitality here with a staff that is sincerely committed to making your stay memorable.
“I am not the society in microcosm. I am a thirty-four-year-old woman with long straight hair and an old bikini bathing suit and bad nerves sitting on an island in the middle of the Pacific waiting for a tidal wave that will not come.”
Joan Didion, “In the Islands,” 1969
The hotel’s lush grounds are anchored by an al fresco courtyard corridor known as the boulevard where various high end boutiques featuring Brazilian resortwear designers, like Lenny Niemeyer and Vix, are found alongside wine and sundries shops, perfect for stocking up for a boat day. There’s also a marina where you can book a private boat for excursions, a bayside beach, a stylish elevated pool deck and a sublime subterranean spa featuring a long heated pool, hydrotherapy pools, a steam room and sauna.
Rooms 9/10
Rooms are an extension of the resort’s tropical modern design with luscious hardwood floors that extend to oversized balconies with views of the bay or mountains. Rich leather, handwoven textiles and stone contribute to the tranquil effect. Bathrooms feature sand-toned stone with glorious rainfall showers. Slotted wood accents walls are found on the balcony for shade and separate the bathroom from the bedroom.
Food & Beverage 8/10
We visited the hotel in the fall when it was running a promotion that included breakfast and dinner (plus, the third night free). This semi-inclusive package made for a stay that felt luxurious and unfussy. There are a handful of restaurants throughout the property and a different one hosts dinner on any given night. The menus skew Italian and are designed for a three-course prix-fixe. Breakfast is served in a beautiful indoor-outdoor dining room with a buffet of tropical fruit and Brazilian pastries where you can also order eggs and other entrees.
Value 9/10
Current rates from about $596. Book
The Bottom Line
If you’re planning a trip to Rio de Janeiro and you have the time, do yourself a favor and tack on a visit to Angra dos Reis—it may just be the highlight of your vacation.
Contact
Porto Frade, Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro; +55 243 369 9500, fasano.com.br
