Where to find affordable Brazil Pousadas

Tthe English-speaking world has bed and breakfast places, guest houses and boutique hotels.  In Portuguese-speaking countries there are pousadas.  These are small hotels, sometimes luxury properties but also comfortable family-run places with a strong sense of the local region.

A pousada may or may not be expensive, but many people prefer them over larger less expensive hotels for the sense of locality:  you really feel you are somewhere different.  And pousadas may be located in out-of-the way places or right in the city centre where you cannot find larger hotels.  They can be in historic buildings, which means you pay more, but you will really feel that you are somewhere different as your building is likely to feature the local architecture.  However, there are plenty of ordinary guest houses on offer as well so if you want character you will have to search carefully among the small hotel properties on offer.

Pousadas tend to be individually run and the facilities vary.  They will usually have fewer than 20 rooms and a dining room and breakfast may be included, with the assumption that guests will want to visit local restaurants for other meals if they are in a town.  Brazilian pousadas often have internet access and refrigerators so you are not exactly “roughing it.”

Writer and marketing specialist Alison McGowan visits and reviews pousadas in www.hiddenpousadasbrazil.com and says that in most Brazilian pousadas there will be someone who speaks English or another European language.  McGowan has managed to find rustic, chic, boutique and luxury properties and the listing is of the best places she has visited rather than a comprehensive guide of the thousands of properties available.  Her recommendations are highly regarded judging by the comments on the site.

The Portuguese website www.pousadas.pt also has a section for Brazil (in English) and you will find listings on other accommodation sites for the country.