3 Best Hotels in Balneario Camboriu, The South

A well-manicured hotel with direct access to a clean, quiet beach, Estaleiro Guest House has 21 rooms, split across a trio of colorful, three-story buildings. The hotel is a good choice for serious relaxation, the only decision being whether to lounge seaside or around the palm-lined pool. The richly furnished rooms all come with flat-screen TVs and modern conveniences, while the bistro serves lunch and dinner. Add to the mix the massage hut and the beachfront bar, and it's easy to while away a few days here without ever needing to leave.

What started as an upmarket guesthouse in a quiet, residential suburb is now a self-styled “exclusive hotel,” with a vibe that's design-conscious and hip. Expanses of white walls, glass, and wood give a minimalist feel to each of the 10 rooms, all of varying sizes. An excellent bistro ($$$$), with artfully mismatched furniture and lanterns in the trees, is at the heart of the space, and draws a young, well-dressed crowd at weekends. Hire one of the hotel’s bicycles (R$25 for the day) for the five-minute roll downhill to Praia Brava.

Simple and rustic, this pousada is one of the few on this stretch of coastline to have direct access to the beach. Brightly painted two-story buildings, dotted about a wild jungle of a garden, are split into 24 rooms; all have air-conditioning, a fridge, and TV, and a handful have kitchenettes. The furnishings are basic, with some rooms starting to show their age, but what this pousada lacks in luxury it more than makes up for in the warm welcome of the family that runs it.