Fera Hotel, in Salvador: gastronomy as a strong point and a dream rooftop

Bahia has its own charm, an energy that you only need to visit to understand. Bahia has an axé, as people from Salvador like to say.

O Fera Palace Hotel in the center of savior , has this axé. What does that mean? When it comes to hospitality, it means a place where people don’t want to leave, a place that welcomes.

A delicious mix of friendly and attentive service, first class cuisine, a rooftop from which you can enjoy one of the most charming and unforgettable sunsets and a privileged location.

Located in the Historic Center of Salvador, a few steps from the famous region of Pillory It’s from Lacerda’s elevator , the hotel offers a glamorous journey through time. The Fera as we know it today was opened in 2017, but the establishment is located where the Palace Hotel used to be in the distant past.

The Palace was iconic and even hosted great figures, such as Carmem Miranda, Pablo Neruda, Orson Welles and several presidents of the Republic. Unfortunately, there was a period of decline in the Center and the Palace closed its doors. In 2012, the building was purchased by the group that currently runs the hotel and thus began a long process of renovation and restoration of the building.

Built in Art Deco style in 1934, inspired by the Flatiron Building in New York, the monumental building has a façade composed of 230 original external ornaments and 640 solid wood windows. The entire façade, listed by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (Iphan), adornments and windows were restored, preserving the authenticity and originality of the property.

Rooftop of dreams

It is on the rooftop that the hotel’s infinity pool is located, with a privileged view of the Baía de Todos os Santos and the emblematic copper dome. It is also there that “the best cabin” is located to watch the sunset in Salvador, but don’t leave it to enjoy the space only at the end of the day.

A place where it is possible to spend hours – even the whole day – between a swim, a sigh of admiration for the view, a cajá caipirinha and the dishes and snacks from the pool bar, which has a menu signed by none other than the duo Fabrício Lemos and Lisiane Arouca chefs at the head of the Origin Group and which appear in the selected list of 50 Best Restaurant Latin America.

On the menu are items like breaded shrimp with aioli; aratu cone with palm oil farofa and vinaigrette; crispy shrimp taco; white fish ceviche; rib fritters with parmesan; fish and shrimp moqueca; in addition to desserts such as rocambole with pineapple brigadeiro with coconut crunch, 3 milk syrup, farofa de sigh and ice cream or the white cake with red fruit filling and merengata with ice cream.

The pool bar is only open for guests from 9am to 7pm, but from 7pm onwards the Rooftop Beast becomes a restaurant open to the public and with a romantic and special atmosphere.

The atmosphere is transformed with candles on the tables and the menu changes to a Mediterranean-inspired tasting format, with cuisine from Portugal, Greece, France, North Africa and Lebanon.

Expect items like tabbouleh, babaganoush, octopus with mandioquinha, chorizo ​​emulsion with jus and bottarga; shrimp paella; black ravioli with mushrooms; sea ​​bass with asparagus and Tobiko roe; and Black Angus with Ginger Carrot Purée.

In desserts, there are options like toast filled with brigadeiro 70%; tangerine textures; olive oil ice cream with crème anglaise and crispy bread with bacon; between others.

Gastronomy

Fabrício and Lisiane are in charge not only of the rooftop gastronomy, they also take care of all the food and beverage services at the hotel, from room service to breakfast, meals at the OMÍ restaurant and drinks and snacks at the lobby bar, which houses a counter decorated with 1930s-style inserts and an aged brass top, as well as a 4-meter-high wine cellar with capacity for more than 1,000 different labels.

Undoubtedly, the duo managed to transform gastronomy into a great differential at Fera. Breakfast in periods of maximum capacity is served buffet-style, with a table full of typical Bahian items, bread, a huge variety of sweets and cakes, juices, tapioca, cold cuts, omelettes, among others. At other times, coffee is à la carte, but with a menu just as plentiful.

O OMI it is the restaurant on the ground floor, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served – also open to non-guests. The menu features a Bahian accent and many regional ingredients in a contemporary and authentic way, from a beautiful tagliolini with pomodoro sauce and burrata with pesto to sun-dried fillet with couscous tropeiro, plantain and egg.

Decoration, rooms and common areas

As the building is historic, the 81 rooms are cozy, but don’t expect huge rooms. Well equipped with a closet, minibar, super comfortable bed, side table and a great shower, the original hardwood and marble floors were recovered and elements such as crockery, metal and lamps have all the charm and inspiration of the style of the time.

Inspired by Art Deco, the rooms gained furniture with a strong Bahian identity through the use of regional materials such as linen in the curtains, sisal in the rugs and cotton for the trousseau, creating an authentic experience for those visiting Bahia.

Other elements that insert the hotel into the culture of Bahia are the sculptures by Bahian artist Nádia Taquary, which are on display in the lobby, and photos by fellow Bahian artist Akira Cravo, decorating the lobby, corridors and apartments.

Undoubtedly, Fera celebrates the revitalization of the Historic Center and has become one of the most important accommodation options in the city, attracting Salvadorans to enjoy its gastronomic options and tourists from all over the world.