Overall - I'd recommend this hotel and would definitely go there again! I love the beach, the food and the rooms were fine, and the people were wonderful (including people not working for the hotel)!

Service - my son (20) lost his prescription eyeglasses in the sea and we needed to see an optometrist to get his prescription before getting new glasses or contacts - staff were able to get us the name of an awesome eye doc within travel distance, as well as tell us where we could get glasses. We had to send an envelope FedEx and while that was not quite as easy (because they don't do it often there), it got sent and now they know the drill. Mid-way through our vacation, we asked for a separate room for one member of our group - they provided a fine second room on short notice (and in the high season) to keep everyone happy. The staff also arranged a tour for my 3-year old and me to go snorkeling - so it wasn't as if I was making routine requests - and that also turned out fine! Several staff members speak English ranging from perfect to better than they'll acknowledge... either way they will see to it they solve any problems!

Location - The beach is wonderful! It's clean and the waves are fine, even for my 3-year old (with supervision, of course). One can even surf (but I am not a surfer, so if you are one, maybe these waves will be too small). They rent boogie boards (Dec 2010 these were $5Reais/hour) and surf boards on the beach. One has to cross a small road to go between the main rooms of the hotel and one of the pools and beach - this was not a problem even with the 3-year old. Tour buses use this road, so that's where you get picked up if you go on a tour. Currency exchange and bank machines are right up the hill, as are stores with souvenirs (2-block walk). There are several excellent restaurants nearby. Joggers will enjoy the beach in the morning (I did a half hour jog more-or-less to the Morro de Careca and back, guessing 12 minute/mile pace - it's slower running on the beach than a road, though I'm never very fast! And one could easily go twice that to the north along Via Costeira.)

Rooms and Beds - some quad and triple rooms have King-sized beds, others double beds, and then one or two (triple or quad, respectively) single beds. All the beds can be pushed together so you can accommodate a variety of sleeping arrangements for families with children. There is not a LOT of extra space (no dressers, 1 coat rack), but you went for the beach, right!? Balconies are available on some rooms and these are nice, though I didn't want my 3-year old out there (they can be kept locked closed in that case). Large plasma screen TVs that can hook up to your computer keep those who came along for the ride but don't like beaches (etc) happy anyway. TVs have occasional English channels (at least 1) and subtitles for those who cannot live without the tube. Safe worked just fine and we used it a lot. Internet wasn't free but wasn't expensive, and it worked great!

Food - was good. The tapiocas in the morning were one of my favorites (especially with coconut and a little doce de leite or milk sweet). There was a good selection of various foods in the morning and evening at the Aquarium restaurant. The poolside bar was a bit expensive except for the burgers, which were excellent and reasonably-priced. There was a convenience store right there, too, which actually also had good food and reasonable prices (and lots of stuff for whatever you might need!), though it is not part of the hotel.

Other facilities - the pools were nice - none too big but the ocean's right there so the pools are not really the main attraction, if you ask me. Pools are on the top level, second level, then across the little road just above the beach. All have showers to get the sand, salt, and/or chlorine off. All were clean - maybe a bit heavy on the chlorine at times but that's the side I'd err on, too. Foosball and billiards on the top deck recreation area. Bars top deck, lobby, and poolside across the road. Beach has roving vendors for drinks, food, sunglasses, sunscreen, hats, cangas, jewelry, beach toys, boogie boards and surf boards, kites, souvenirs, and music. In fact, the latter is probably the only downside (but you'll probably get this everywhere except MAYBE Via Costeira). The people selling stuff on the beach are great (personable, and they try really hard to be helpful even if they can't understand you - and some speak a bit of other languages). Some of the folk on the beach make *really good* drinks and/or *really good* food - chances are you'll find someone and look for the same person every day. The music sellers, however, play repetitive loud music all day except when someone pays them to play something different, so one is tempted to pay them to go play it someplace else. Still, the noise pollution is only a minor annoyance and many don't mind it at all! The sea itself isn't exactly quiet! Several shops on the way to the beach sell touristy stuff and it is not far to go for more (up the hill behind the hotel), and at reasonable prices.

All in all, we had a terrific vacation, and would certainly go back!

Travelling with a 5months old babygirl, we were a bit nervous before ariving to the hotell of witch we knew nothing. But it was a complet success!
Verry clean and tidy, well functioned aircondition and a fabolus breakfeast, but best of all, one of the swimmingpools were in the shade most of the afternoon. This ment that we could take our baby there for a swim, all other places we had to wait until after sunset. Another familly we met had a teenager whom had been badly sunburned, this pool area was also his saving from beeing forced to stay all day in the room.