Recommend October 2013 - (Page 67)

Opposite page: The Pousada Estrela D’Agua, a Relais & Chateaux property in Brazil. Left: Playa Vik in Uruguay. Two of Ladatco’s top beach favorites, one on shore and one offshore, make an interesting dual-beach option. The ﬁrst destination is Trancoso, in the state of Bahia. It’s not only a village frequented by the Brazilian elite and Hollywood movie stars, but also named a UNESCO World Heritage site. The heart of the village is the Quadrado, a central plaza adorned with a beautiful church, small colorful houses, and lively little restaurants lit up with lanterns at night. “This is a fun area for young couples,” says Perez, who particularly likes the sophisticated Pousada Estrela D’Agua on Nativos Beach, a Relais & Chateaux property. Its ﬁnest accommodations are in the seven Master Suites, all with ocean views and air conditioning, large sitting room and deck with hammocks, and private pool or jacuzzi, plus rooms with king-size beds and all the usual amenities. Clients will want to step out for caipirinha cocktails and dining by the beach, or to hang by one of two pools. They’ll deﬁnitely want to head for the spa where the entry ticket is a foot bath and herb-based drinks, followed by treatments using ingredients from the Amazon and Atlantic forests. Rates for a Master Suite are $692; for Master Duplex Suites it’s $760 per night with breakfast. Special rates are available for 5- and 7-night stays. Fernando de Noronha, a destination that all Brazilians (and Perez) hold in high regard, offers a totally different beach experience. Floating about 200 miles out in the Atlantic and served by air from Recife and Natal, the 21-island archipelago is both a National Marine Park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s home to more than a dozen stunning beaches—three of them, Praia do Sancho, Baia dos Porcos and Praia do Leao, rank among the top 10 in Brazil—that ring the island of Fernando alone. Above all, it is the marine life—200 ﬁsh species, dolphins, sea turtles, and sharks— that makes these islands a mecca for scuba divers and snorkelers. The top-of-the-line resort pick is the effortlessly romantic Pousada Maravilha, which has a stunning location, a Japanese-inspired style and good environmental preservation credentials. Its ﬁve bungalows, nestled into the hillside overlooking the ocean, offer privacy, luxurious comfort, and spectacular sunsets. Each comes with air conditioning, king-size, four-poster beds, and even aromatic candles with personalized matches to light them. Bathrooms are spacious with his-and-her sinks and mirrors, and bungalows have a huge deck ﬁtted with hammocks, table, chairs and a hot tub. Guests can also enjoy a small inﬁnity pool, sauna, steam, and massage treatments, a wine cellar and cigar room, and dining room serving fusion dishes with Italian accents. Sporting options such as surﬁng and windsurfing are available. Deluxe rooms range from $854 to $1,350; bungalows from $999 to $1,526, including breakfast and airport transfers. Adam Carter, president of Brazil Nuts Tours, sells luxury beach vacations with a different take. “While life’s indeed a beach in Brazil,” he points out that, “I believe the beach is just one ingredient of a well-mixed Brazilian cocktail of a vacation. A luxury beachside stay must be blended carefully with culture, cuisine, music and nightlife. It’s kind of a one-two punch of TAM airlines upgrades comforts on U.S.-brazil services Everything’s up to date at TAM Airlines, including new nonstop ﬂights connecting the U.S. with more gateways in Brazil and six new 767 aircraft equipped with full, 180-degree, ﬂatbed seats for business class travelers. These upgraded planes made their debut in August on TAM’s daily ﬂights between New York and Rio. Through November, they will continue to be integrated into the carrier’s ﬂights from Miami to Manaus, Brasilia and Belo Horizonte. With a seating capacity of 221—30 in business and 191 in economy—the new 767s also feature a revamped, state-of-the-art, on-demand entertainment system, as well as a “ﬂavor that makes you feel good” menu, developed by Brazilian chef Bel Coelho. From New York, Miami and Orlando, TAM connects U.S. travelers to 41 Brazilian destinations. And TAM is now a member of the LATAM airlines group, as a result of its association with LAN Airlines and its afﬁliates in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. tam.com.br october 2013 67 66-69 LA BrazilUruguay.indd 67 9/23/13 8:05 AM http://tam.com.br

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend October 2013

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: COMO Hotels and Resorts
Tour Talk: Emirates Vacations
Hail Caesars!
Wine Country + San Francisco: A Perfect Pairing
A Vintage Stay in Mexico
Lais-Back Luxury at La Casa Que Canta, Zihuatanejo
Asia Raises the Bar on Luxury
Guadeloupe islands Travel Planner
Royal Princess
Cunard's Queen Elizabeth
Seaside Swells: Brazil + Uruguay
Moroccan Splendor
Regent Palms Turks & Caicos
It Takes A Villa

Recommend October 2013