Just returned from the Vila dos Corais, Praia do Forte, Brazil. I see a very thorough review has just be posted ahead of me. Lets see what I can add.

This is a lovely character hotel for people who want to feel that they are in Brazil (rather then one of the faceless mega all inclusive numbers). A lot of local materials are used in the decoration which is all rather charming and rustic. The hotel is located about a slow five minute stroll from the main pedestrian street in the village, through a residential area. It was completely safe to walk to at night.

The pool is ample for a cooling dip - with lots of different levels and little parts to sit on in the water. There is a jacuzzi bubble section. It's not really a pool to have a proper swim in but in the heat you probably won't have the energy to do much but dip anyway.

The breakfast was lovely. Aside from cold meats and cheese the fruits are fab and fresh. There is also a selection of dishes which change around like a truly wonderful breakfast flan, little cakes, scrambled eggs, fried banana dusted in cinnamon. There is plenty to chose from.

The rooms were ample in size and colourful. I didn't have a balcony room but this didn't bother me. I was offered to change to one but I was quite happy where I was! The balconies have hammocks on them. Rooms have satellite tv (CNN and Universal are in English plus some others that have random programmes in English if you're having a siesta). There is a small fridge which is ample for your own bits and bobs.

The bathrooms are big enough. Shower only, no bath, but the shower is nice and large. I wasn't too keen on the fact that the small window opening simply has bamboo at it rather then a window so anyone walking past can hear you on the toilet! Apart from that little niggle it was nicely tiled and met our needs.

The standard of cleaning was excellent. The grounds and reception were equally spotless.

I didn't try the massage but I saw someone else on the receiving end and they seemed to get an incredibly long massage for the money! It looked good.

There is a tele room which also gets used for business conferences that has a cabinet with some English books where you can exchange your holiday reads.

The nice thing with this hotel is that you can mix with Brazilians on holiday. This is where the locals go. There are only around 50 rooms so if you're looking to escape you're fellow countrymen then this is a good choice.

I did wonder if there would be enough sun loungers but it never seemed to be a problem to get one. The sun moves away from the grounds at around 3:00 to 3:30. The sun is so strong here that you'll appreciate the shade anyway.

The staff speak varying degrees of English but you can get by enough to get what you need and a smile goes a long way. When I felt a bit rough one day they were happy to prepare a breakfast tray for myself and my partner and bring it to our room.

If you ask at reception - the lady with the long hair - they can run trips. These are much better value then the Thomas Cook trips (or you can book the same trips at the little tourist office).

All in all I think this was an excellent choice of hotel and have no qualms in recommending this place.

Have just come back from spending two weeks at this hotel and had a great time. It only has 3 stars but deserves more. It is a small hotel 50 rooms and is maintained well. Not all the rooms have balconies which is a shame otherwise we had no criticisms. The rooms are clean and cleaned on a daily basis with clean linen. The rooms have shampoo, conditioner and shower cap replaced as needed. You have a mini bar and a small amount of space in fridge for your own drinks. Breakfast is from 8am till 10am but this is flexible usually started about 7.30 and is a good buffett breakfast. Freshly squeezed local juices cold meats and cheeses, hot and cold dishes homemade cakes and very attentive waiters who were pleasant.
It has its own restaurant where you can have snacks or a proper meal and prices no different from the village. Pool is ample size for hotel with jacuzi. there is a small gym and massages are available.
The staff are all friendly their english is limited but they are learning this and the man on reception in the afternoon has a good understanding of english.
The hotel is about 5min walk from the centre of the village which is delightful it has been enlarged from a small fishing village into an ecofriendly resort. The bulidings can't go any taller than 2 storeys and the main street is pedestranised. There are numerous restaurants to choose from and we did not have a bad meal the whole time we were there. The ones I would recommend are Beach House, Bambu, Sabour da vila, Taverna Paridiso, O European,
There are numerous boutique style shops selling clothes and accessories, local art and jewelery.
There are several places to change money using your card its based on the us dollar so rate is good, though the weekend they do seem to run out of money but the ATM by the Youth Hostel seems to be kept well supplied. You need to put your card in then take it out and follow instructions.
There is a laundry, go right out of hotel then right at end of road 5 min walk.
The beach is lovely with local fishing vessels in the bay and when the tide goes out there are rock pools and snorkling available to see the reef area with the local marine life.
There is a local tourist information place just up from the bustop, which have some good trips to offer for reasonable prices they do speak English, and Thomas Cook plan to use them and said there insurance was good along with health and safety.