In Picinguaba, we have tried to create a different place, with a different approach to the luxury hotel business. A place permeated by a sense of quality, where the standard of service means not only the use of the best products available, but also that you get it with a genuine smile. A place where you feel as if you were at home or staying with friends with whom you have some common values, like the love of beautiful things, nature, a taste for good food, music, beautiful surroundings. There is a combination of ease, friendliness, open-mindedness and discretion. We have brought here the finest that Brazil has to offer, in cuisine, music, the arts, etc. A stay in Picinguaba is an experience never forgotten, interconnected with the village, offered to our guests since 2002, so that staying here is always a very special time.

Year after year and also by tradition since the 1970’s, Picinguaba has become a meeting place for like-minded people in the know. There is an interesting chemistry which brings together artists, musicians, businessmen or women who are nature lovers. All sorts of people meet here around a glass of caipirinha and find that they have mutual friends in New York, Paris or London, which is maybe less of a coincidence than it seems.
The spirit of the place

Our ambition has been to create a very special environment, that has at the same time the comfort, service and quality that one would expect, but also the spirit and the simplicity of a very human place, where guests are people, not just consumers.

In hotel management more than anywhere, the business is its people, the staff who dedicates their time and mind to it, the guests who honour us with their presence and for whom the time spent here is very important: they often have stressful lives and have had a hard time getting away. Here they want to forget the everyday life, get back in touch with their self, their partner, their family; rediscover nature, open themselves to the world.

We aim to provide them with the environment for this experience, which is made easier for us by the natural beauty of the place and by the Brazilian spirit. This is our aim and our raison d’etre: the pleasure of creating, meeting people, work well-done, based on a set of values such as respecting the environment, fair trade, promoting the local community and the country’s culture, encouraging the arts, generally trying to achieve a sense of harmony.

The village of Picinguaba is located in the heart of the Mata Atlantica rainforest, a unique ecosystem, part of which is listed by UNESCO as World Heritage. Its conservation is capital for the future of our planet.

In our business activities and forms of living, we make sure to promote environment-friendly ways, such as recycling, using recyclable materials, use of cultivated wood, etc. We use water sparingly; we check that the produce we buy is organically grown. The future generations must be able to enjoy the exceptional biodiversity of this region. The rooms here have no air-conditioning, television or telephone, not only because we want to keep things simple and restful, but also because we want to apply a rule of minimum impact on the environment. Our future projects are centered on education to respecting nature.

Social accountability is a reality in Picinguaba. Most of the hotel staff are locals from the village whom we train in the hotel trade. Their salary and the benefits that we provide have a marked influence on the economy of the village, particularly as job opportunities are not many in this region. The loyal members of our team not only get a salary, but also education and training, and an opportunity for personal development. We finance language classes and professional training courses in the best hotels and restaurants of São Paulo.

A fair redistribution of resources is a principle in which we believe. Although it works out more expensive, we buy most of what we need locally (fish, seafood, products etc.) and as a priority we use manpower from the village when labor or skills are needed for the upkeep of the Pousada. This brings in some extra income for the people of the village, whose economy is based on the sea. We also actively support the artistic and traditional life of Vila Picinguaba: popular festivals, arts and crafts.

A traveler today can also play his part in sustainable development. When he comes here, he meets another culture, and this encounter helps it to survive harmoniously. Pousada Picinguaba intends to take a leading role in nature conservation and social commitment, with the support of other stake holders of tourism in Brazil.

Minimum Stay: Minimum 3 night stay, 6 nights over Christmas/New Year/Carnival/Easter

Check in/out: Check Out: 12h00

Deposit policy: To confirm a booking, a 50% non-refundable deposit is charged to your credit card. 30 days prior arrival: a further 50% will be charged to your credit card. Any extras are payable at time of check-out by credit card or cash.

Cancellation policy: All deposits are non-refundable but clients may re-schedule a new arrival date within a year (30 days notice prior to arrival is required to have this benefit).

Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard and Amex.