Strategically located between the country’s two largest capitals and within walking distance of the historic city of paraty, Angra dos Reis maintains its irresistible charm filled with beautiful beaches, hundreds of islands and magnificent landscapes that perfectly frame the Atlantic Forest and the ocean.
All this beauty is enhanced by the Fasano Angra dos Reis hotel that established the group quality seal in 2017 inside the FRAD.E, sub-condominium in the grandiose Porto Frade, surrounded by the mountains of the Costa Verde of Rio de Janeiro.
If attention to service, zeal in the hospitality industry and care in gastronomy have accompanied the unit’s operation since its opening, now, at a time when the pandemic has caused significant changes in tourism, the hotel, more than ever, is committed to bespoke experiences .
After its reopening, a new experiences menu was launched: on land, on the high seas, in the middle of the forest or even inside the premises, the proposal is to diversify the menu so that the Fasano Angra dos Reis is a destination in itself .
private island
This year, the big news is the Catitas Island a small territory amidst the hundreds of islands of Angra that is a kind of extension of the hotel’s beach.
After a pleasant navigation through the multicolored waters that are characteristic of this coast, you arrive at a wooden pier that takes visitors to a mini beach and an airy house, which has a bar and sofas.
Leased by Fasano, for years the island served as a summer retreat for the presenter Xuxa Meneghel .
The feeling of being here is the same as that experienced by a queen (even the short ones): privacy mixes with high standard services, where drinks by the water are served on loungers – try the Gin Beach the hotel’s most popular cocktail, featuring Tanqueray, tonic, peach schnapps, orange juice and grenadine.
If hunger strikes, a menu made entirely on the grill, with seafood, cheese and garlic bread, is an option for lunch – there is a minimum daily consumption to enjoy the island’s delights.
massage therapy to the sound of the coming and going of the waters can also be scheduled. For those who prefer more action, water sports are ideal to be made in the calm of the sea.
Snorkeling and stand-up boards are available, as well as, on land, a slackline strip challenges guests’ balance with a paradisiacal landscape in the background.
A short stone path connects the main island to an even smaller expanse of land. With only vegetation and a sandy beach, the tiny territory guarantees a phenomenal view of the blue waters with the island right in front.
A small wooden and stone frame makes up the setting, which could be ideal for lean wedding receptions in the future.
Accessed daily by appointment and distant about 10 minutes by boat from the marina in front of the hotel, the idea of Catitas is to be a secluded option where guests spend the day – not yet used for an overnight stay – and experience the true meaning of shade and fresh water.
On land or on the sea
The island is part of a menu of more than 20 experience suggestions that can be made daily, all personalized and that embrace the surrounding biodiversity.
The views of the elegant Frade’s marina where moored boats and yachts help to compose the riviera atmosphere, are inviting for walks on the high seas.
The “Al sole” is one of them, a tour that mixes a five-hour navigation through the Costa Verde region with snacks, main courses and exquisite drinks made to order with the help of a chef and assistants.
Passengers enjoy pâtés, cheeses, ceviches and lunch of the chef’s choice, such as soft octopus with Sicilian lemon risotto alongside asparagus and vegetables. Wines, sparkling wines, coconut water and even Aperol Spritz help with refreshments.
Stops at strategic points in the middle of islands are ideal for bathing and diving.
It is interesting to note that the color of the sea changes according to the passing of the day and the incidence of sunlight. Shades that play between blue and green stay in memory – with luck you can see turtles in the clear waters.
Whether resting at the bow or at the table with cushions at the stern, the surrounding scenery, once again, is one of the highlights of the program, in which, on the horizon, mountains, sea, beach and vegetation blend harmoniously.
The same scenario is repeated already back on dry land, where trails through the region are a way to discover the wonders of this part of Rio de Janeiro.
Adventurers can follow the Gold Trail at Serra da Bocainawhich includes a tasting of plants and mushrooms with lunch at Bananal Farm or go through the Sugarloaf Mountain trail with landscape of Mamanguá bag and the Bay of Paraty – light walks along trails close to the hotel with the right to pass by waterfalls satiates those who don’t want to go far.
visits to beaches araçatiba , red , mangroves and Lopes Mendes are an opportunity to discover other stretches of sand in addition to the friendly Praia do Frade, in front of the hotel, which has kayak, beach tennis and Hawaiian canoe.
Picnics on lawns with a special menu and bike rides also make up the selection. The possibilities are available at site and scheduling can be made at the time of booking or during the stay at least 48 hours in advance.
wellness care
One of the pillars of Fasano Angra, which also follows the group’s concern, is well-being.
In view of this, the experience menu includes options focused on wellness, such as Tai Chi Kung a Japanese practice that seeks to improve the functioning of the organism and the immune system, and chakra alignment therapy, made with various energy stones.
If the bathtub in the superior rooms decorated with candles and salts is not enough for a relaxing bath, the spa of around two thousand square meters – the largest of the Fasano hotels – can help with the mission.
Two hot pools can be enjoyed without scheduling, one in a straight line of 25 meters in length and the other in the shape of a flotation tank with powerful water jets. Wet and dry saunas are also available.
There are eight massage rooms in all, in addition to a room with a massage bath with chromotherapy and a comfortable area to have teas after the chosen treatment – exclusive to Fasano Angra, the “Foot on the sand ” (from R$498) uses sea water, rosemary and lavender in a foot bath, exfoliation, sauna, immersion bath and massage circuit.
Interesting is that the olfactory identity The spa can also be purchased at the reception: for R$ 139 it is possible to take home the scent of relaxation and calm of the space – the aroma of the elevators and common areas is sold for R$ 172.
The hotel: refined casualness
Fasano Angra dos Reis occupies the land that for four decades belonged to the Hotel do Frade a development that helped catapult luxury accommodation in Costa Verde.
Built in two interconnected low-rise buildings, it is possible to perceive the laid-back elegance of the hotel right in the lobby, which brings together a mix of handicrafts with mostly Brazilian furniture design – pieces by Jorge Zalszupin, Sergio Bernardes and Hugo França, for example, are mixed in the decor.
In addition to the furniture, a bar with numerous spirits lined up completes the lobby. There it is even possible to make a bartender workshop: guests get down to business and make their own drinks, including caipirinhas, bloody marys and whiskey sour.
Altogether, they are 60 rooms spread over three floors , which are endowed with modern straight lines. There are five categories of rooms, ranging from 42 square meters to the 106 square meters of the two presidential suites, which have a super view of the sea.
With spacious bathrooms, signature furniture, balconies with cinematic landscapes and nightly turndown service, that is, which prepares the suite for guests to sleep, the reception in the rooms is pampered: coconut water, chocolates and fruits are available. as a welcome.
All bathrooms even have wooden louvers, a simple idea that helps integrate the room and that, at the same time, can be closed and ensure privacy.
In addition to the spa pools, two more are open to guests, one right in front of the breakfast room on the first floor and the other in the clubhouse. marea a place with sun loungers and a bar where guests spend the day and nibble on well-executed portions.
Lunches and dinners take place at the restaurant Fasano and not Beach which offer the best that the region has, such as fresh fish and seafood, linked to menus that draw on Mediterranean and Italian cuisine – it is worth ending your meals with the famous Tiramisu already a registered trademark of the group.
One boulevard in the middle of the free span of the hotel, also open to residents of the condominium, it has clothing stores, an ice cream shop, an optician, a wine store and even the Panetteria Fasano where naturally fermented Neapolitan sweets, pastas and pizzas with an airy rim can be enjoyed on small wooden tables in the open air.
Children are not left out: a kids club full of video games, handheld games and a dedicated staff entertain the little ones.
To end the stay with a golden key, a dinner with candles in the moonlight can be scheduled with the team, which is responsible for choosing the best spot on the sand or in covered areas in case of rain. In fair weather, a clear view of the stars is the best company with a special house dinner.
Fasano Angra dos Reis
Governador Mario Covas Highway, Km 512 – Praia do Frade – Frade – Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro
Phone: +55 (24) 3369 9500
Reservations via site and e-mail: [email protected]
*The journalist traveled at the invitation of the Hotel Fasano Angra dos Reis
**Values for experiences, services and accommodation vary and must be consulted directly with the hotel
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
