Pousada Relíquias do Tempo — Hotel in Região Geográfica Imediata de Diamantina

My husband and I happened upon this pousada when we arrived in Diamantina as our first stop on a multi-town road trip through Minas Gerais. This was the one town where we did not book a pousada ahead of time because I found that I didn't see much online to choose from. We took the recommendation of a local restaurant owner and were not disappointed. The pousada itself is a historic house that has been in the owner's family for years. It's quite expansive and has many different levels and rooms/areas for relaxing such as a pool area, library, game room (think old-fashioned games) and chapel. The owners are knowledgeable and very helpful and would welcome the opportunity to show you around and talk about the many antiques they have adorning the place. Be sure to ask for the owners because we found not all the front desk help are super helpful. The breakfast is in keeping with breakfasts at most Brazilian pousadas and afternoon tea is a very nice touch. I found the location to be perfect to explore the city center and historical attractions as well as getting out of town for excursions. Driving the cobbled, steep streets of Diamantina is a treacherous endeavor, so you don't really want to drive around a lot, just get in and out of town. The pousada has a gated parking area which is a plus. Overall, the feel of the pousada is in keeping with the charm of Diamantina and I would highly recommend this location for those travelers looking for authentic charm...

The Reliquias do Tempo Inn is a fantastic blend of old fashioned hospitality, museum and curated comfort. The innkeepers, Carmen and Leobardo, have created an oasis of beauty and calm in the heart of Diamantina, an historic mountain town born from the Portuguese diamond rush of the 1800's. Carmen was born in this inn and it has been part of her family for generations. ||Throw open the windows, day and night, and enjoy the most temperate and forgiving weather on the planet, especially during Brazil's summer months. See the museum in the inn that Carmen and Leonardo have created!||The central part of Diamantina is protected by Unesco, forever preserving this former mining town and its unique stone streets (wear good hiking shoes), colorful architecture and good restaurants.||Ask Carmen to find you a guide for your eco-tours of the caverns, the falls, and the old mines. Learn about the marriage of the slave princess Chica da Silva to the Portuguese baron, Joao Fernandes de Oliveira Filho. They helped change the culture of Diamantina and its views on slavery at the time. You can still visit Chica da Silva's home today. ||Diamantina is also home to JK, also known as Juscelino Kubitschek, the prescient President of Brazil who drove the creation of Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, in the 1960s. ||This is a great inn and Diamantina is a great place. Wonderful!...

The building is charming in its old (mostly 19th century) appearance and decorations. The room windows still have shutters and the doors use skeleton keys. There are numerous sitting rooms in the pousada, including a small library, a small shrine, a Catholic saints doll collection, some old-fashioned wooden puzzles and games. The best is the mine museum. While it is only a single room, the pousada owner has great stories to tell about the artifacts. Numerous period artifacts decorate the pousada. A delicious breakfast is served on the patio complete with a wood-fired stove and tables made of sugar mill spindles. The sweet rice was unique (in my Brazilian experience) and the pao de queijo was especially good. The bedrooms are small and basic in an old building, but still charming with the period furniture. The bathrooms are modern. The pousada is in a perfect location in the center of the historic district. The view from the rear of the building is of the city and valley. Negatives: the plaster and paint are showing their age. This is not ornate...