Pousada Rêmora — Hotel in Região Geográfica Imediata de Florianópolis

Pousada Remora has certainly earned its #1 spot on TripAdvisor. We arrived in the evening after an all day drive through the Santa Catarina mountains and the climb up the (very rough & steep) road to the top of the hill upon which the pousada is perched. As soon as we were through the gates, we felt like we'd arrived in paradise. Every detail is perfectly thought out- the elegant, cozy dining/sitting area w/ statues, paintings, fireplace- all oriented towards the spectacular view of the sea, the broad glass doors that create a smooth transition to the deck, the beautiful and impeccibly clean infinity pool, the mix of shade and sun romantic sitting areas... glass covering over the walkway to the deck from the rooms so you don't notice them at all unless it's raining, glass rail on the deck so the spectacular view is unobstructed. ||||When we arrived, the chef greeted us, checked us into the hotel, and offered us dinner (we were the only one there). We had one of our best meals in the area and really of our trip to Brazil. He made a terrific first impression because he couldn't have been friendlier or more welcoming. He happily made us dinner on another night when we arrived just 5 minutes before the kitchen closed. These folks really make a hotel great. We immediately decided to change the rest of our trip (we were supposed to fly to Bahia for the last 4 days of our trip) so we could spend the rest of our vacation there. The gentleman who helped us extend our reservation in the morning (Marcos) went out of his way to help us. ||||The room was just lovely- again, well thought out, with wall to wall windows on the view-side, and a mirror on the other so you're always looking at the ocean. The room was incredibly clean and I noticed the staff also left unoccupied rooms open during the day to allow them the breeze to air them out. ||||If you're lounging on the deck, there is always someone around offering you drinks or snacks. Breakfast was very good- wide variety of breads and cakes, granola, yogurt, fruits, and eggs. During the week the chef made us special omelettes (the weekend was more crowded so eggs were available for self-service). They also told us that if we wanted any special breakfast item during our stay, they would try to get it. ||||The pousada has deliberately limited the number of rooms it offers and restricted children, to enhance the romance and relaxation of the experience- to make it feel exclusive. I really got lucky because we were there during the week on the off season so had the place to ourselves. They are building a spa area off the deck which should be great. ||||The location is ideal. I was not sure about picking a hotel on a hill far from the beach, but it's perfect, because it kind of feels like you're at the beach without the sand. You see the ocean all around you. It's a short trip down to the beach through the town in any case. Rosa Beach actually is not developed around the beach itself, which is part of this beach's charm. All the pousadas are tucked away cosily into the hillsides with views of the ocean or the mountains and lake to the west. ||||The staff who worked with us was amazing: Jeferson and Marcos were just fabulous, but special thanks also to Christiano, Mateus, Beto (the new guy), Daniela, Yani, and Jana and Paula. ||||Admittedly, this would be a tough spot if you don't speak Spanish or Portuguese. Most of the staff do not speak English or are nervous to practice the little they know. However, they were great at finding ways to communicate with my boyfriend, who is English-speaking only, and at the end of the stay, he said he felt like he was leaving his family behind. ||||The only thing I thought was a little weird was that the dining/sitting area had a couple of huge screens that were constantly, and often loudly, showing live concerts of English-speaking artists, mostly from the 80s (Depeche Mode, Simply Red...). I did not get that at all and found it a little disruptive to the mood. But it must be a cultural thing- I didn't see a single other American traveler in Santa Catarina so I'm obviously not their target demographic. Maybe the other guests love it. ||||Looking forward to...

[Note: we stayed in February/March 2016] This is an adult-only small hotel (rather than a pousada), with a very good view of the bay and good, ample rooms. The views, however, come at the price of distance to the beach: a 15-20 minute walk downhill (but uphill when you come back) which is not that easy when you are carrying umbrellas and chairs (that the hotel lends you); this may not be for everyone, as it is steep at times.This also applies to going downtown, which can take you some 20 minutes walking in a generally dark road by night (a safe area, but still it does not feel very nice). So overall you are much better off by car.||While we expected a romantic feel in such a hotel, it was not our experience: during the first week, there was a group of 6-8 people in the pool in the afternoons, basically getting drunk, yelling at each other, etc.; techno-style music was continually banging through the loudspeakers (we heard it from our room), and we asked for the music to be played softer, to no avail (we had to make this request virtually every day). The pool is nice (if smallish), but it was kept warm in the summer , which did not make it too pleasant. Service did not excel: when staying in the pool area you had to go ask someone in the bar inside to fetch you anything (no one would come around to offer), and they did not clean or remove glasses very often (you could find used glasses or bottles from the day before, for instance). ||In general, the place was not very quiet. The noise of chairs being moved around in the pool area woke us up every day (the pool is directly above the rooms). And while having a jacuzzi in your room is fantastic, the noise from those of other rooms was not welcome. Not to mention the noise we got from other guests, who seemed to behave as kids in spring break rather than adults.||A separate word goes to the restaurant, which was excellent in variety and quality. Breakfast was quite good as well. ||All in all, while the place is physically nice, it can definitely improve in service and, to us, it dit not have the comfy feeling of a Brazilian pousada, nor the atmosphere you would expect from an...

As soon as you walk past the gates of the pousada you know you've chosen well. The view from the pool is amazing, you get to see Praia do Rosa as a whole. To get such a prestigious view the pousada's located on the very top of the "village" so you do need a car to get there (a little heads up for travellers). I don't know if it's specified here on Trip Advisor but the pousada only accepts guests above 14 years of age, so families be aware before picking your stay. Fortunately as we checked in we were told we had booked the best room of all, they weren't lying. The room was indeed amazing, it had a jaccuzi and the beds were extremely comfortable and clean. With such space they could enlarge the bathroom (my only recommendation to the hotel staff). The staff's attentive to the guests which's always very nice. Very good memories from this place, would...