Passing coffee, papaya and lime farms woven through the forests of Brazil’s rural Bahia, a jet-set fashion Mecca seems to spring from nowhere; welcome to Uxua Brazil.
The vision of design forefather Wilbert Das, former creative director of Diesel, Uxua Brazil hotel has been gradually expanded over the years, and now counts Uxua Alma local villas, a beachfront resort and a working farm as part of its collection.
Located in Trancoso, a former fishing village turned hippy hideaway, conservation is king here – from the preservation of the enveloping Atlantic Rainforest to the historic town, and the ancestral crafts that furnish every room. Seventy per cent of Uxua’s energy comes from solar power, and it was the first hotel in Brazil to sign the UN’s Global Compact initiative.
The Vibe
“Mi casa, su casa” is the message here: the enveloping heat and beat of nature instantly melts away the short flight from Brazil’s major cities. Expect an instant reset from urban life: if Trancoso is like a sedative, then Uxua is the panacea. It’s low-key and intimate with all the amenities and services of a five-star hotel, designed for eco-conscious guests who’ve arrived from around the world (and are every inch as beautiful as the staff and its surroundings).
The Rooms
Uxua is truly a boutique sanctuary. Every room is different, built from meditatively soothing sustainable materials and adorned with iconic objets d’art. Every suite has outdoor space; some have private pools – including one with its own swimming lake – and most have kitchens. Outside-inside rainforest showers, dressing rooms and intelligent slats and shutters keep spaces cool amid the humidity of the rainforest. Some incorporate (and preserve) the soul and aesthetic of original artisan’s ateliers; others rise as treehouses with hot tubs and panoramic views. On arrival, a troop of monkeys peered down from the walls of our outdoor bathroom, and the nocturnal orchestra of animal and bird song comes guaranteed.
The Food + Drink
Uxua communal life is centred around its waterside restaurants, soon to be joined by the first cocktail bar on the region’s main square, the Quadrado. At the hotel, breakfast is an elaborate mix of wellness tinctures and gluten-free delicacies, alongside freshly baked Bahiano cakes and exotic fruits. The à la carte menu has the region’s famous tapioca pancakes, eggs your way and the freshest açaí around. By evening, the menu becomes a fusion of artistically presented local and international recipes, textures and techniques. Freshly caught fish is served alongside crunchy cassava, cashew sauce and a creamy mash. Food is locally sourced, with ingredients grown, laid and reared on Uxua’s own new farm. You’ll want to order at Uxua’s Beach Bar, where skewers of grilled meats and seafood are washed down with ginger jam, tangerine caipirinhas and agua de coco sipped through a straw – as much accessory as refreshment on the Discovery Coast.
The Little Extras
Wellness is woven into the lifestyle of Uxua. Encircled by cabanas, the swimming pool is lined with healing aventurine quartz, with a jungle gym set beside Uxua’s beach bar. The fitness suite and serene treatment rooms – one with a Jacuzzi, another featuring one of Brazil’s only Vichy showers – sit to the rear of the property. Private beach CrossFit, Pilates, yoga and capoeira classes can all be arranged. The exclusive-use garden sauna – with its floor-to-ceiling glass wall gazing onto the jungle – is a must before a treatment at the Vida Spa, enveloped in the cocooning warmth of the rainforest and named after the native trees that perfume the heady scents of the property’s products.
Strokes from Bahiano masseuses are a quasi-spiritual experience. Intuitive and powerful, the treatments begin on the back, then move to the abdomen, blending reflexology and lymphatic drainage techniques, before ending with an mint-infused olfactory high. Indulgent local snacks are served in the restaurant throughout the day, while small, home-baked treats await in the rooms. Enjoy a WhatsApp concierge service available around the clock and a comprehensive local directory of the town’s best restaurants.
The To-Do List
In Trancoso, days unfold between the cabanas of the golden-sand private beach club and the curling waves of Uxua’s stretch of Praia Nativo, with a horse ride or surf lesson in between. As the sun sets, pass through the mangroves to candlelit evenings at the restaurants on the Quadrado. This whole stretch of the southern Discovery Coast has shifted seismically from the days when fishing sustained its coastal towns and villages. Neighbouring Arraial d’Ajuda is a bustling seaside resort, with standout clothes shopping at Anbé and Forma, while Caraíva is the car-free estuary village that’s become a viral barefoot sensation. Praia de Espelho – the crescent-shaped ‘Mirror Beach’ – is best accessed by boat. In the autumn and winter months, whale-watching is a must.
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