3 Best Hotels in Trancoso, Salvador and the Bahia Coast

This delightful, family-run pousada set right on the Quadrado is one of the oldest in town, dating back to the '80s when owner Sonia arrived from São Paulo with the first wave of hippies and began cooking up delicious food in her kitchen. These days, its 20 barefoot-beach-chic rooms, spread through 10,000 square meters (2.5 acres) of tropical garden, remain one of the best value options in Trancoso, combining vibrant hospitality with a great restaurant, lovely breakfast, and tranquil pool.

Those looking to wake up and walk straight onto deserted, golden sands should make straight for this chic pousada, named after the tropical tangara bird that can be found darting through the garden and around the swimming pool. Each of the 16 elegant, blue and white rooms come with a private terrace and giant white hammocks, spacious bathrooms replete with L'Occitane toiletries, and comfortable beds kitted out in Egyptian cotton. A bountiful breakfast is served farmhouse style on a large round table in the restaurant, where a tropical mural painted by owner Sonia enlivens the main wall. There's a real sense of home-away-from-home, with Sonia keeping guests posted on the fresh fish that has just been brought in for lunch, while the hotel's beach club is something of a hot spot among locals due to the great service and the hostess's ever-present smile. For nonguests, there is a minimum consumption charge of R$100 per person.