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UXUA Casa Hotel
South America : Brazil
Accommodation name: UXUA Casa Hotel
Wilbert Das, long-time Creative Director of Diesel, has transformed traditional Bahian houses and garden into UXUA (meaning ‘marvelous’ in the language of the Pataxó Indians).
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Overview
Service at UXUA is 5-star, but also as friendly and unpretentious as the hotel’s Bahian atmosphere. Whether dining on local organic produce beside the pool or at the beachfront lounge, UXUA Praia Bar, UXUA indulges guests in casual luxury.
The hotel consists of nine Casas, each totally unique in design and décor. These include historic one, two, and three-bedroom homes facing the Quadrado, an extravagant treehouse constructed entirely from recycled wood, two poolside studios, one with drafting tables for visiting artists or designers, and one or two-bedroom fisherman-style bungalows secreted among mature trees, coconut palms, and flowering plants.
Guests can opt for full 5-star services or self-catering, according to preference. All guests are welcome to use UXUA’s spa facility and are given reserved sofas at the UXUA lounge on the beach.
The nine individual homes are each designed and decorated by UXUA creator Wilbert Das in collaboration with local artisans and artists. Some houses include private gardens, plunge pool, Jacuzzi, hammocks, terraces and private gardens.
The tiny fishing village of Trancoso on Brazil’s Bahian coast is one of the most desirable destinations in South America. Its spectacular natural beauty attracted early Native American Indian tribes and later Portuguese explorers and missionaries. More recently, a generation of free-thinking hippies, naturalists, and artists flocked there searching for ‘paradise on earth’. Trancoso’s historic Quadrado is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To reach Trancoso, fly to Porto Seguro (multiple connections leave from cities such as Salvador and Sao Paulo daily). From November through February, many charter flights fly directly to Porto Seguro from Europe.
Trancoso is approximately 24 kilometres from Porto Seguro airport, which translates as an hour’s drive due to the scenic, two-lane roads and a short river ferry crossing.
UXUA Casa Hotel is accessible to automobiles via a quiet alley running behind the Quadrado, and extensive parking is available. However, car rental is not necessassry, and the hotel suggests Trancoso be navigated by foot, bicycle, or horseback.
Here is a selection of just some of the beaches available at Trancoso. For information on the many excellent beach bars, bars and restaurants in the area, please contact us and we will be happy to advise you:
Rio da Barra
Surrounding the river which gives its name, Rio da Barra (Barra River) is the first beach on the way to Trancoso, for those who come from Porto Seguro. Four kilometers from the town, it is absolutely calm and it provides a perfect atmosphere to relax and swim in its calm and clear water, either in the river or in the ocean. Canoeing in the river enables the visitor to find the virgin bush known as Atlantic Forest.
Nativos
Just after Rio da Barra, Praia dos Nativos (Nativos beach) is a 3 kilometers inlet, that during low tide, makes for an inviting walk under the sun. All its extension are protected by mangroves, the scenario is completed with hundreds of coconut trees, and 500 meters before it ends at Trancoso River, a line of 9 beach bars brings some movement by guided-tours coming from other towns around. Just before the end of the bay coral reefs create natural pools to swim, dive or fish. The South wind enables good kite and wind surfing.
Barra do Rio Trancoso
The smallest and closest beach from the village, Barra do Rio Trancoso has 500 meters of white sand and a breathtaking view of the Trancoso River debouching into the ocean. The view is even more amazing when admired from the lookout point in the Quadrado. Surrounded by thick mangroves this beach is a sea-turtle sanctuary. A two-hour canoe trip - departing from a forest of rich fauna inside the town - ends at UXUA praia bar, the only one at this beach.
Coquieros
Thin sand, emerald water and tidal pools formed by the reefs are the main attraction at Coqueiros Beach. Thanks to the large line of white sand during low tide, protected by a dense mangroves swamps, this beach always attracts people to play soccer, beach-volleyball and strand-tennis. There are several huts situated along 400 meters of beach front, bringing visitors all year round to swim and dive in the colorful corals.
Rio Verde
Towards to the South, around 2 kilometers from the village, Rio Verde is a long beach surrounded by corals in its extension. With few cottages on the beach, it ends at the river which gives its name, forming a shallow lagoon of transparent water that attracts kids to play in it. Walking up the river, through a small trail, the vegetation gets wider and offers the adventurous with a variety of plants and birds that evidence the substantial fauna and flora of Atlantic Forest.
Itapororoca
Just after Rio Verde, 4 kilometers from the Quadrado, a long desert beach without any huts joins the turquoise sea that breaks in its big reefs. Nudists usually choose this beach to spend the day.
Dining
An airy, open space overlooking the pool area, the restaurant & bar serve locally sourced and – where possible – organic ingredients. Guests can sample Bahian dishes and homemade baked goods, plus an extensive breakfast buffet. Juises are a specialty and come freshly prepared, many picked from UXUA’s own fruit trees.
Room service is available.
Facilities
Pool
Within the UXUA garden sits a one-of-kind swimming pool built from thousands of green aventurine stones. This shimmering green Brazilian quartz is renowned as a ‘healing’ stone and its geological properties make it prized among alternative medicine practitioners – some of whom consider it the most powerful therapeutic stone in the world.
Garden
The wondrous UXUA garden for years has attracted the curiosity of Trancoso natives. It’s a modern-day Eden of tropical plants, flowers and seclusion, hidden behind the more well-known charms of the Quadrado. Towering trees include palms, coconut and jackfruit — destined for the bar drinks of all UXUA guests — as well as gameleira, bananas, mangos, blackberries, surinam cherries, coconut, jaca, and even cocoa. Innumerable tropical birds and butterfly species lend their colors as well, completing the perfect composition that is the UXUA garden.
Spa
The tranquil spa area features both indoor and outdoor treatment rooms where guests can choose from a variety of wellness and beauty treatments. The spa boasts a Jacuzzi and a studio for yoga and pilates. Various styles of massage, as well as acupuncture, are available not only at the spa, but also can be taken in the comfort of each casa.
The Beach Lounge
The beachfront lounge UXUA Praia Bar is a 5-minute walk from the Quadrado. The beach structures are fashioned out of abandoned fishing boats already on this site for many years, where a small, straw-roofed fisherman’s bar had operated in the past. Huge, rustic wooden sofas are covered with cushions and shaded with flat-roofed pergolas.
The creative Bahian menu and expertly prepared drinks make the UXUA Praia Bar a popular destination also of Trancoso natives, and for those seeking a more active day at the beach there is a beach-volley area, open-air gym, and platform for Capoeira training (traditional Brasilian fighting/dance).
UXUA Casa Hotel guests enjoy access to some private facilities at the beach, which are integrated with care into the ancient Atlantic mangrove. Here are private showers and bathrooms, a room for taking massage, a patio for private dining, and a dock with access to the Trancoso river.
Sixty percent of UXUA’s seaside property is preserved as a sea turtle sanctuary, operated in collaboration with Trancoso’s local fishermen’s association. UXUA Casa Hotel and UXUA Praia Bar are committed to sustainable tourism and rigorously back measures for the protection of Brazil’s nature and wildlife.
Each Casa has the following amenities:
Indoor/outdoor living room, full kitchen or kitchenette, king size beds, iPod docking station, high-speed Wifi, electronic safe, air conditioning, fans, custom-made and locally sourced furniture and antiques, Bahian artwork and décor, indoor/outdoor bathrooms which include custom fixtures created on site by local craftsmen working in wood, copper and stone, parking.
Activities
Bike
Trancoso is that kind of small town that everywhere is easily accessible by bike, even the faraway beaches. Riding on dirty roads completely surrounded by virgin bush can take visitors to all of the beaches around, rivers and the spectacular Bull’s Valley. For those who like to explore the local life, a short ride around the village is also a nice and easy way to get to know the town. Yet, guided-tours can be arranged based on the level of each rider and they can be mixed with canoeing on the river, diving in natural pools or just a picnic break under the shadow of any fruit tree.
Trekking
Trails among farms crossing rivers and groves challenge the more adventurous spirits. Always guided by professional trekkers and accompanied by a 4 wheel drive, these organized tours include top mountain bikes and general safe gear. Also mixed with canoeing, cavalcade and other eco-sports, different tours can be settled, including visits to Red Indian villages, old churches, fruit plantations or just being among the bush.
Horseback riding
Riding a horse on the beach during a bright full moon can be one of the most exciting and romantic experience one can have. Always guided by friendly local cowboys, these tours can be organized any time of the day on the beach, dirty roads or trails among the nature. For beginners or children the cowboys take care of guiding the horses while the person riding can relax and enjoy the ride, while admiring the views.
Skin diving
A calm place surrounded by rivers and many coral reefs on the beaches like Trancoso can be ideal for those who like fishing or skin diving. Beyond taking your fishing rod or diving gear and just choose the beach to fish, organized tours on fishing boats can take you some kilometers away from the coast into natural pools made by reefs that just delight with the variety of crustaceans, fishes, reefs and other sea living organisms. You can eat your own caught fish in a cottage near the river or in one of the fishing boats.
Canoeing
There are 2 rivers in Trancoso propitious for canoeing and from both the trips end where the rivers debouch into the ocean. To access the start point, the adventurous can go either by car or by bike and take a small trail to get in the river. From there, wear a helmet and a life jacket, take your paddle and get into a one or two hour trip among the rich flora that surrounds Trancoso and, if the tide is low or the sea is calm, just keep canoeing around the coast.
Kite & windsurf
The coast of Trancoso is windy most of the year, but from August to December the Northeast wind blows towards the town and creates a perfect scenario for kit and wind surfing. In the neighbor Arraial D’Ajuda is possible to rent the equipment, but most of the surfers prefer to bring their own.
Snorkelling
With 16 kilometers of coast, Trancoso is a full dish for those who like snorkeling. In all of its 8 beaches there are reefs, and in most of them low tide creates natural pools that just absorb by variety of sea living organisms into the transparent water. The best beaches for this activity are Nativos, Coqueiros, Itapororoca and Patimirim. Talking to the smiling locals one will easily discover good points to watch sea-life.
Beach volleyball
At UXUA praia bar or just after the block of huts at Praia dos Nativos (Nativos beach) there are beach volleyball courts to anyone who wants to play it. If you do not have a pair or a group of friends to play with, never mind. Locals and most of tourist are always looking for someone else to join their teams.
Soccer
If there is one thing that makes Brazil world famous it is soccer. All around the country a visitor will see adults, boys and girls playing the sport. Soccer is so immersed into the culture that even in a heritage area as the Quadrado features a court to play in. Each afternoon the natives have their daily game in Quadrado and spectators are invited to play, although you may prefer to watch their style before show off your skills. The low tide creates natural courts to enjoy the game on the beach.
Tennis
There are 4 tennis courts in Trancoso, two in the main street and two at Estrada dos Macacos (Monkeys Road). The last one provides one playing completely surrounded by Atlantic forest, 20 minutes walking or 5 minutes by car from Quadrado. In both of them players can rent racquets.
Capoeira
Mixing martial arts and afro-culture, Capoeira was created in Brazil by the slaves during 18th century. Essentially used for self-defense in the past, today Capoeira has become a national sport and is even taught in some public schools. Beginners can have classes on the beach or in town at Casa da Cultura (Culture Center). Most afternoons at the Quadrado, Capoeira experts put on a spectacular show performing their acrobatics and precise movements against their pairs, attracting crouds who applaud the fascinating sport.
Golf
With breathtaking views from the cliff to the sea, Terravista Golf Court is considered to be the most challenging in South America. Around 12 kilometers from the town, it is the first one in Brazil that has TifEagle grass on all 18 greens that allows for a fast and precise putt. It includes a Driving Range of 350 yards plus Putting Green and Chipping Green. Golf carts and top-brand golf equipment is available to rent, as well as a pro-shop, tee-time booking and other special services.
Visit Indian Reservation & National Park
The Indian Reserve Barra Velha, of the Pataxó tribe, is at the entrance of Monte Pascual National Park. Here live 500 families who sustain themselves by handicraft, fishing and agriculture, in many aspects the same life-style that the first Portuguese to arrive in Brazil saw. At a distancing of 36 kilometers from Trancoso, this environmental protected area features a virgin Atlantic Forest alongside the ocean, where the Indian village and culture takes place, and visitors can watch their rituals and dances. For Pataxó Indians, necklaces of seeds bring the power of the nature for those who wear them, and the sale of these items provide needed income to the tribe.
Contact
UXUA Casa Hotel Praça São João Batista Rua do Parque Trancoso Bahia 45818-000 Brazil
PHONE NUMBER: 0055 73 3668 2277 WEBSITE: www.uxuacasahotel.com EMAIL: Send an Email to UXUA Casa Hotel
Press reviews
Travel and Leisure, June 2009
"Bahia’s sexiest beach village takes a giant leap forward with this nine-suite gem masterminded by the creative director of Diesel. The design is outdoorsy elegant, with burnished reclaimed timber, billowing muslin curtains, and Midcentury Brazilian furnishings. The three best villas open onto the Quadrado, Trancoso’s town green, and every evening, bossa nova wafts across the lawn, and you’re right in the heart of the action."
Vanity Fair, April 14 2009
"Rustic and local might not be the atmosphere you’d expect at a luxury hotel conceived by the top designer at Diesel, the fashion-forward, international brand. Instead, infinity pools and sheets of glass might come to mind. But when Wilbert Das, Diesel’s creative director, embarked on construction of Uxua Casa Hotel in Trancoso, a brightly painted coastal village in southeastern Brazil, he aimed for full aesthetic immersion. “I am very tired of design hotels,” Das says. “I think you should feel like where you are when you’re on … vacation.” To revamp and build the property’s guesthouses (eight “casas” and one treehouse) and public areas, he recruited local craftspeople, asking that they use regional construction methods and materials, and avoid glass and plastic. Workers made walls from mud and branches (a local Indian technique), used wooden blinds instead of windowpanes, and shingled roofs with a traditional hardwood. Now complete, the hotel is a complex of tropical gardens, a quartz-lined pool, and colorful buildings that are in sync with their historic surroundings.
Das, who hails from Holland, did not completely ignore his contemporary-design background during construction, however. One thing that’s modern about the hotel, he says, is the way that local craftsmanship became amplified and reinterpreted. “After we transformed the first house, I was completely blown away by how well people … could work with the wood. And how beautifully they could sculpt things in construction—everything mostly by hand,” he says. “So we exaggerated that.” In several guesthouses, for example, craftspeople added plumbing to wooden beams, creating unusual showers. (“It’s incredibly strange to see the water just flowing out of the construction of the building,” Das says.) They carved fallen trees into rough-edged sinks and benches and turned an erect tree trunk into a huge outdoor shower. In the garden, a self-taught mosaicist took on the challenge of a 40,000-pebble pool.
What’s also modern, of course, is the hotel’s level of luxury (not to mention its price: $395–$1,095 per night at a guesthouse). Visitors can lounge at the restaurant, spa, and library at the hotel’s main property or take the five-minute walk (down the road and over a long bridge through mangroves) to their reserved beach-side sofa for hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Back at the hotel, the amenities of each guesthouse vary: some buildings have a plunge pool or a Jacuzzi; others are edged by a terrace or private gardens. Every house contains an indoor/outdoor living room, high-tech services (like a Wi-Fi Internet connection), and a full kitchen or kitchenette, offering self-sufficient visitors the option of treating their space like a private home. And since the hotel is in the center of Trancoso, just off its grassy main square, it’s easy to live like a local. Or, at least, a pampered one, with a fat wallet."
Globorati, April 2009
"Leaving your one-bedroom casa in one of Brazil’s oldest fishing villages, you might feel like a native biribando. But the cluster of candy-colored houses perched on a grassy cliff in Trancoso — a small, 16th-century town in the state of Bahia — is Brazil’s latest five-star retreat: Uxua Casa Hotel. Originally intended as a second home for Wilbert Das, the creative director of Diesel, the Dutch designer instead turned his sights on creating Brazil’s most exclusive luxury lodge.
Although it’s just opened, the hotel has already welcomed members of U2 and the diamond magnates of Bulgari. With only nine houses for 28 guests and traffic strictly off-limits (save the occasional wild horse), Uxua is fast becoming the preferred escape for São Paulo’s urban elite, too. Designed and decorated by Das with the help of local craftsmen, the Bahian and native-styled casas vary with one to three bedrooms and can be fully serviced by Uxua staff, or left alone for absolute privacy. Three are renovated homes on Trancoso’s centuries-old quadrado, while the other six are new additions scattered throughout a tropical garden studded with coconut and jackfruit trees."
Rooms & Accommodation
Gulab Mahal
Gulab Mahal
Sleeps: 2 Cost: from 1,310-1,750 Brazilian Reales per night
215 sq m, faces historic Quadrado, outdoor seating/dining available, indoor/outdoor kitchen, raised mezzanine, views of Quadrado from living room, mezzanine, kitchen and eating area.
Facing the Quadrado Histórico, a two-bedroom traditional fisherman house previously restored during the 1980s by self-titled ‘hippie’ immigrants who named the home Gulab Mahal after adding extravagant Indian-influenced details. UXUA’s recent restoration began in 2006, and was only completed in 2008, managing to carefully restore elements of traditional Bahian construction while preserving also more recent Indian detailing, carved hardwood windows and doors, stained glass windows and a cushion-filled raised mezzanine ‘meditation’ area. The result celebrates both the old and new immigration to Trancoso, first by Portuguese Jesuits starting in the 1500s and later by international ‘hippies’ in the 20th century. The house offers stunning views of the Quadrado Histórico from the living room, mezzanine, and indoor/outdoor kitchen area and its tiered gardens.
Bedrooms: Two Baths: Two ensuite and WC
Seu Pedrinho
Seu Pedrinho
Sleeps: 2 Cost: from 980-1,290 Brazilian Reales per night
135 sq m, faces historic Quadrado, outdoor seating/dining available, private garden, views of Quadrado from every room.
Seu Pedrinho is likely the only one-bedroom house facing Trancoso’s Quadrado Histórico. Distinguished by an open airy spaciousness, wooden floors, and views to the Quadrado from every room, this house is extraordinarily comfortable and inviting. Living room and kitchen open directly onto the Quadrado through the sheltering canopy of the square’s oldest bougainvillea (its brilliant magenta flowers inspired the colour of the exterior of the house). There are two bathrooms – one with a double shower, plus a bar and private garden. A rustic table and chairs sit in the quadrado itself in front of the house, allowing guests the rare opportunity to relax and dine ‘at home’ within the enchanting natural setting of Trancoso’s central square.
Bedrooms: One Baths: One ensuite and two WC’s
Zé e Zilda
Zé e Zilda
Sleeps: 6 Cost: from 1,650-2,150 Brazilian Reales per night
211 sq m, faces historic Quadrado, outdoor seating/dining available, private garden patio, views of Quadrado from living room, kitchen, and eating area.
Facing the Quadrado Histórico, a restored fisherman house offering a bright, airy atmosphere that is unmistakably Trancoso. Two bedrooms in the main house, one on the second level overlooking the traditional shingled rooftops and lush gardens of the south side of the Quadrado; the third an independent garden suite separated by an outdoor patio filled with sofas and cushions. Fully equipped kitchen and adjacent sitting room and bar offer views of the historic square. At the other side of the house, a rustic table and chairs sit in the Quadrado itself in front of the house, allowing guests the rare opportunity to relax and dine ‘at home’ within the enchanting natural setting of Trancoso’s central square. All rooms feature en-suite bathrooms.
Bedrooms: 3 Baths: 3 ensuite
Estudio
Estudio
Sleeps: 2 Cost: from 790-990 Brazilian Reales per night
92 sq m, indoor/outdoor bathroom with vertical garden, large terrace, private patio.
Inspired by the dream of creating a perfect Bahian ‘artist’s studio’, this one-bedroom unit is extremely airy, with one wall opening completely onto a generous veranda and private garden. Features include an indoor/outdoor bathroom with a lush vertical garden climbing up its wall, sinks carved out of fallen tree-trunks recovered from the garden, double wooden shower-heads, a walk-in closet, mini-kitchen and adjoining private patio. All situated in front of the one-of-a-kind aventurine quartz swimming pool, which shimmers all day long in sunlight and glows alluringly when night falls.
Bedrooms: One Baths: One ensuite
Quintal da Glória
Quintal da Glória
Sleeps: 2 Cost: from 790-990 Brazilian Reales per night
80 sq m, 2nd floor, spacious outdoor balcony with bed and eating area overlooking pool and gardens, panoramic views.
From its second storey vantage point, this one-bedroom studio feels cradled in the very branches of a sprawling mango tree and assorted plants which closely surround it. The dominant feature is the open balcony featuring a covered eating area with enormous sofa that look through green leaves towards UXUA’s pool and gardens. Features walk-in closets, mini kitchen, bathroom with double wooden shower heads positioned to offer privacy but offering open views across the treetops to ‘secret gardens’ and tall woods behind Trancoso’s Quadrado Histórico.
Bedrooms: One Baths: One ensuite
Casa da Árvore
Casa da Árvore
Sleeps: 2 Cost: from 980-1,290 Brazilian Reales per night
139 sq m, tree-house constructed of recycled wood, thatched roof, outdoor tub, captivating private garden.
Something of a treehouse fantasy constructed of recycled wood, spread over multiple levels three meters off the ground, this one-bedroom house offers the most rustic atmosphere in the property. The roof is made of the thatched straw common traditional to Bahia, and complements perfectly other organic materials used, while a beautiful contrast is created by large panes of clear glass and carefully hidden conveniences built hidden into the structure, all elevating it to a new standard of modern ‘casual luxury’. A large covered veranda serves as an al fresco living room, with giant hammock, sofa, and bar. The bathroom features a double shower and a spa tub is located on the outdoor deck . A swingset hanging underneath the structure makes an excellent place to loll away a lazy tropical afternoon, or to enjoy the last drink before retiring after another idyllic day in Trancoso.
Bedrooms: One Bathrooms: One ensuite
Eugênia
Eugênia
Sleeps: 4 Cost: from 1,310-1,750 Brazilian Reales per night
228 sq m, most spacious rooms and social areas of any house on the property, outdoor tub and shower, private patio.
A two-bedroom house which is the most spacious on the property (at 228 square meters), its rooms give a sense of space, air and light and offer wonderful views of both private gardens and the lush UXUA property. Located deep within the garden, down the path leading to the spa, the house is surrounded by mature trees, some of which literally grow through the roof (the house in fact is named after one of the most prominent of those trees). Features a spacious indoor/outdoor kitchen, an outdoor terrace eating area, a bar and an outdoor spa tub and shower. The grand living room is filled with irresistible lounging seating and a sofa whose cover was custom-made from recycled truck canvas. The master suite’s spacious bathroom is almost an apartment in itself – each features a double wooden shower-head as well as an antique iron bathtub. The second suite’s bathroom features a private balcony overlooking the property.
Bedrooms: Two Baths: Two ensuite
Seu João
Seu João
Sleeps: 2 Cost: from 980-1,290 Brazilian Reales per night
78 sq m, private pool with hydro-massage, private patio, outdoor shower, raised pergola.
Outer appearances deceive with what appears on the one hand to be a simple one-bedroom Bahian house, in reality all the walls of one side of the house can be opened to reveal unobstructed views of a lush interior courtyard of garden and decks featuring at its center private swimming pool and hydro-massage, a true oasis of comfort. Large raised pergola with sofas are scattered around the pool, perfect for lounging the day away in the bright Bahian sun or gazing at the star-filled night sky. This fusion of indoor/outdoor living is that which for many people epitomizes the appeal of the southern Bahian lifestyle.
Bedrooms: One Baths: One ensuite
Nozinho
Nozinho
Sleeps: 2 Cost: from 1,100-1,420 Brazilian Reales per night
165 sq m, private gate / parking beside house, direct access road to beach, patio and large private gardens.
Nozinho is a delightful two-bedroom house sitting at one end of UXUA’s secluded garden and with its own access to a quiet residential alley offering passage to the road towards the beach and the UXUA beach annex. Residents of this house enjoy the convenience of a private gate and a space for parking a car (or better, bicycles or a horse) beside the house. A light-infused and airy living room is filled with soft furnishings and provides the perfect space for cooling down after a visit to the beach. The kitchen spills out onto a long patio and outdoor eating area, with abundant private garden space.
The tiny fishing village of Trancoso on Brazil’s southern Bahian coast is one of the most enchanting destinations in South America. Its spectacular natural beauty attracted early Native American Indian tribes and later Portuguese explorers and missionaries.
More recently, a generation of free-thinking hippies, naturalists and artists flocked to Trancoso seeking ‘paradise on earth’. One of those paradise-seekers is Dutch fashion designer Wilbert Das.
In 2006 Wilbert purchased an abandoned pousada on the Quadrado – a 320m-long grassy hilltop square that overlooks the ocean and is the center of village life. The Quadrado is a world-heritage site free from traffic (apart from the odd grazing horse) and lined with candy-coloured casas. The project was completed in March 2009 with the creation of a spa, as well as the opening of a rustic beach lounge set among mangroves at the confluence of the Trancoso river and the sea.
UXUA was conceived as a tribute to Trancoso and Southern Bahia, and each home of the property is a unique expression. The architectural mix showcases subtle Indian influences - reminding of the hippie past of the property - alongside a rustic modernism that nods to founder Wilbert Das’s work in contemporary fashion and furniture design. Bahian art and antiques are used throughout the property. The goal in creating UXUA was to utilize local craftsmanship and when possible recycled materials. Countless details were born from two years of collaboration with artisans of the area as well as the nearby Pataxó tribe of Indians. Specially-designed fittings such as sinks and the unique wooden showers have been crafted on-site from fallen trees and recycled wood and iron. Roof tiles are reclaimed from old homes and refitted. Door-handles and hinges are restored from old buildings, as are many wooden floors and some doors and windows. Local ceramics were used for both floors and decor.
UXUA is not sign-posted from the road or the Quadrado, and while it feels like an oasis, it’s far from being an isolated resort keeping travelers removed from the authenticity of Brazil. The UXUA philosophy is for guests to feel total immersion in the rhythm and color of this authentic Bahian town.
Our Trusted Partner's Responsible and Sustainable Travel Policy
Trancoso is notable for having a very strong preservation movement, already present in the town since the 1970’s with the arrival of ‘hippies’ who came to live in this simple rustic paradise.These hippies are called ‘biribandos’, and had the farsighted vision to help the nativos (natives of Trancoso) appreciate how special was the natural beauty of their town and its beaches and nature.For this reason the entire center of town, around the historic Quadrado where UXUA Casa Hotel is, has been blocked from motorized traffic already almost 30-years, and the 50 small, coloroful fisherman houses around the Quadrado must be maintained in their original form.The beaches, where the UXUA Praia Bar (beach bar) also prohibit motorized buggies or motorized quads, and even recreational boating is prohibited.Large commercial projects of hotels or resorts have for the most part been blocked from the area, with instead there only having been allowed the development of small, boutique properties, well-hidden into the environment.
The preservation of Trancoso has been a passion for Wilbert Das, and in developing his project here he found himself collaborating with local builders and artisians who themselves were sensitive to issues of the environment and shared interest in using traditional methods of building.The idea of using recycled materials on the property was born in part from the fact that the large flowering garden in which UXUA sits was abandoned for years and contained enormous quantity of fallen trees and branches which were really begging to be used by skilled carpenters and Wilbert. From this starting point expanded the concept of finding recycled wood floors, also old doors and door-handles and fixtures from abandoned homes and buildings and farm; a supply of old roof tiles came available at some point in the project, and a momentum began of working in this way.Here below is listed a few of the notable recycled materials used or conservation approaches applied in the creation of the UXUA Casa Hotel, and showing the emphasis on organic materials sourced whenever possible locally or from nearby areas of Brazil:
* Many shower heads we made from pieces of eucalyptos which were pieces remaining from the construction, used in the traditional manner of making pillars and beams; we took ends of the eucalyptos beams and created shower-heads from it – it was an ‘invention’ made by the construction team working with Wilbert and experimenting with many different shapes
* The main dining table in the bar area near the pool was created using a large cashew-nut tree branch (Brazil has lots of cashew-nut trees, in fact on almost any beach walking vendors will sell you amazing bags of cashews). This branch is simply placed on the floor and a single giant piece of hardwood placed on top of it, with the hardwood being cut in a thick, clean form, making a nice contrast with the twisted, knobby, cashew-nut branch. This work and many others at the property was created with a local carpenter, a former fisherman, named Dati, who is amazingly skilled with wood and also built by hand almost all the windows and doors of the property using in many cases recycled wood
* The wood shingles are recycled from old houses of the native people of Trancoso, who often throw them away because they require a lot more maintenence than newer, ceramic tiles. But in the UXUA property with regular care the wooden tiles still function well and are beautiful. These old tiles are created from all different kinds of Brasilian wood, such as paraju, tatajuba, aderno etc
* The floor at variuos casas, such as the Casa da Árvore (the treehouse), ESTÚDIO and the suítes of Gulab Majal, and casa Seu João, are built from abandoned wood found at several falling-down, old farm-houses in Minas Gerais, Brazil. We restored these woods, and they are laid on the floors in different shapes, the pieces each slightly different in color and texture
* the Casa da Árvore (treehouse) actually has as supports four trunks of fallen trees from the property, and all of its walls are built from the recycled wood from Minas Gerais
* The same recycled woods from Minas Gerais were used to made the tables and all the furnitures in our offices
* most of the clay to build the kitchen, the pool bar area and the beach bar were taken from the ground near our parking area, and this clay is applied on the walls in a style typical of the Pataxo Indians who live in the area (in fact they taught us the technique – which is called ‘pau a pichi’). The Indians also contributed numerous decorative items – all organic – made from seeds, feathers, carved goards, etc…)
* At the UXUA Praia Bar (the beach bar of the UXUA Casa Hotel) the bar is actually built into an old fishermans boat that has been there for years lying ashore, and also the dj booth is another abandoned fishing boat
* The tables of the beach bar were made from spare wood from construction
* The cover of the sofa in pool bar social area, casa Eugenia and casa Seu João are old canvas... recycled and overdyed with color. This canvas was actually used originally for covering the back of trucks, like one sees on old military vehicles
* in the pool bar social area of the hotel, the long wooden bar is made from carved treetrunks of fallen trees from a farm outside Trancoso, and the bar fixtures and cabinets are created from the recycled wood from Minas Gerais
* many lamps were made by left pieces of wood from construction...as well as benches, hangers, shelves etc. * papercraft are all in recycled paper: from business cards to internal memos – of course UXUA is not the only ones to do this – but actually some of the UXUA paper is locally produced, as Trancoso has a very unique small cottage industry of ‘home-made’ paper recycling, done by artisians, who create by hand really beautiful papers in different textures and weights
* an outdoor shower is created from a single giant treetrunk of found in this exact ‘hollow’ shape at a farm outside Trancoso
* numerous benches and seats on the property are carved from dead trees found in the area, some left totally rustic in shape and some carved to give some playfull form
* several sinks of the property are carved directly out of fallen trees, in particular one giant jacca tree trunk more the 3 m long has been used in the casa Estudio to create a twin-sink, carved directly into the wood, and placed in front of a vertical garden in an open bathroom
* during the construction period we saved all spare wood with the objective of having enough left over to rebuild some of the constantly-in-need-of-repair walking paths which cross the water and mangrove down at Trancoso’s beaches. In the end we rebuilt one of these entirely paths entirely – keeping the old rustic style
* all the wooden pathways within the UXUA property are made from recycled wood
* some of the door-handles and locks on the property have been restored from old abandoned buildings of the area
* The entire project has been build without cutting a single tree, therefore some of the trees are growing through the roofs of two different houses, casa Estudio and Casa Eugenia
* The hot water in the casa hotel is heated through solar energy, with the panels hidden on top of the wooden roof tiles, out of site, making a really interesting contrast
* Most of the bought furniture in the UXUA is antique or vintage brasilian ‘modern’ design furniture
About our Trusted Partner
Wilbert Das, Creative Director of Italian label Diesel, launches an independent project, the UXUA Casa Hotel (pronounced oo-SHOO-ahh) located in Trancoso, a colorful fishing village on Brazil's idyllic Bahian coast.Situated on Trancoso's historic 'Quadrado' – a grassy cliff-top square closed to traffic, except the occasional horse – UXUA's unique 1 - 3 bedroom houses are self-catering or fully serviced according to preference. The units are complemented by a one-of-a-kind aventurine quartz swimming pool, a restaurant/lounge, library, gym, and spa.Three renovated fishermen's houses face directly onto the Quadrado, and the remaining six homes (including a multi-level treehouse made entirely of recycled wood) are nestled around pools in a lush tropical garden of flowers, fruits, and towering coconut, cocoa, and jackfruit trees.Wilbert conceived UXUA as a tribute to the region of Bahia. Created using local and recycled materials and traditional construction methods, the hotel was realized over a two-year period in personal collaboration with local artisans and builders.The resulting architectural mix showcases southern Bahian and Indian influences alongside a rustic modernism that nods to Wilbert's work in contemporary fashion and furniture design. The houses are as unique inside as they are on their exteriors: each is filled with antiques and Bahian art as well as hand-made furniture and fixtures created on site together with Trancoso craftsmen.Complimented by a private beachfront annex constructed of grounded fishing boats set beside the ocean mangroves 5-minutes walk from the Quadrado, UXUA offers full immersion in a natural and traditional Bahian environment. UXUA is a place where guests can experience a new level of casual luxury – from the comfort 'of their own home' – in one of Brazil's most enchanting destinations.
UXUA Casa Hotel : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
UXUA Casa Hotel
Splashes of colour : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Splashes of colour
Outside dining : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Outside dining
Trancoso church : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Trancoso church
Treehouse : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Treehouse
Furniture detail : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Furniture detail
Romantic bathing : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Romantic bathing
Spa : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Spa
WiFi at UXUA : UXUA Casa Hotel at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
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