UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa

Set amongst luscious green gardens and clad in aquamarine aventurine gemstones (they're said to have healing powers), the pool will quickly become a favourite spot. Apart from a refreshing dip, this is also where meals are served, when not privately in your casa. Breakfast is a feast for the eyes and the lunch and dinner menu is filled with mouthwatering seafood. Otherwise, head down to the UXUA bar, set on one of Brazil's most beautiful beaches, for a fruity cocktail accompanied by a DJ mixing from a nearby fishing boat.

UXUA has 16 casas, ranging from one to three bedrooms and from original structures right on the Quadrado to the Casa da Arvore, a fantastical treehouse-style suite. Each has a a king-size bed draped in high-end linens, indoor and outdoor living areas and spacious bathrooms, and some have private plunge pools too. Furnishings are locally-sourced and intricate and the walls are adorned with beautiful, brightly-coloured Bahian artwork. Almost all the casas have a kitchen or kitchenette, too, for which a private chef can be requested.

Trancoso is unassuming to its core and activities are laidback and always relaxed. Spend the morning perusing the boutiques, galleries and the iconic church of the Quadrado and then find your way onto some of the most fabulous beaches in Brazil – snorkelling, kite- and wind-surfing, and fishing are all available. For the truly adventurous (and decidedly less laidback!), UXUA can arrange mountain biking, trekking and horseback riding excursions. The hotel also offers a selection of delicious spa treatments.