Fasano Trancoso

The airy communal areas at Fasano Trancoso are beautifully decorated with Brazilian-designed armchairs and plenty of vintage artefacts and local artworks. The famous 500-metre pool deck with its two pools (one 'wellness pool' and one for children) is lined with loungers gazing over the ocean and just next doors is the garden-view spa. There are two restaurant, laidback Praia Trancoso that sits in the shade of century-old almond trees on the beach and the signature restaurant, helmed by Chef Zé Branco who grills fresh catches over open flames and serves up fabulous regional dishes with a twist.

Sophisticated simplicity is the name of the game here and beyond the beach terraces, the 40 geometric bungalows are minimalist and white, the interiors complemented by carefully chosen local pieces: wooden oars mounted as art, handwoven hammocks, vintage coloured glass, and furniture crafted from native freijó wood. Many bungalows have private rooftop terraces with ocean views while the bathrooms have both indoor and outdoor showers. All have the five-star comforts you might expect, too: AC and well-stocked minibars, futuristic flat-screen TVs, double sinks, and large bathtubs.

Itapororoca Beach will become your private playground and you can SUP, kayak, and play beach tennis on sand so pristine it squeaks underfoot. The calm waters of the bay also make this one of Brazil's safest beaches for actual swimming. The hotel offers speedboat trips to Caraiva and Corumbau beaches and on land, you can walk through the protected forest area, spotting howler monkeys and exotic birds or mountain bike along the coastal trails discovering beaches and mangroves. There's also an 18-hole golf course just five kilometres away and at the hotel, the Fasano Spa is a temple of wellness.