Barracuda Villas & Hotel

Brazil

The small town of Itacaré sits prettily on the north-eastern Bahia state’s lush Cacao Coast. This rainforest-backed, sugar-white-sand coast, pounded by waves irresistible to surfers, provides the setting for Barracuda Hotel & Villas.

Overlooking the sea, this 17-suite hotel and its nine villas are spread across the green hills that rise up behind the coconut-tree-fringed Praia do Resende. Befitting this verdant setting, the hotel was designed in synergy with the surrounding environment: bringing natural light and the sea air into each area, the architecture and interiors combine Swedish minimalism with natural textures.

Balcony suites provide panoramic views over the forest and sea, and villas complete with infinity pools give you a home away from home feel. A restaurant and bar flow out to the infinity pool and panoramic deck of the indoor-outdoor hub of the hotel, with a separate rooftop lounge bar, tennis and padel courts tucked into the forest – yoga and meditation sessions take place to the sound of crashing waves on the forest-view wellness deck.

Bahian specialities set the menu of the hotel’s chic sea-view restaurant apart. Here, refined plates, such as tender mangrove crab sautéed with traditional Bahian seasonings and finished with a fragrant coriander and lime crust, give you a taste of the coastal region. Committed to having a positive impact on the area, the Barracuda group (encompassing this property and Barracuda Boutique on Itacaré’s beachfront) established the non-profit Yandê Institute Itacaré, driving social and environmental initiatives. The hotel’s curation of guest experiences reflects this community and environmental ethos. Visit a cacao farm in nearby Taboquinhas, set out on an Atlantic Forest tour and cruise along the Rio de Contas before cooling off in one of the forest’s hidden waterfalls.

Words by Lauren Jade Hill. Photos by Tarso Figueira. Doubles from £478.