Asalem

Ilha Grande is a tropical paradise. It’s beautiful. The weather is great. The water is warm, and so are the people. Asalem has the best location on it for balancing privacy with easy access to town. Asalem’s deck is a wonderful place to have dinner and the food is excellent. The friendly staff was wonderful. So I can’t give this hotel less than 3 stars. But if you are used to North American or European 2 star hotels or better, you should look at other options. And that’s crazy because for a little effort, the owner could make this place amazing. The towels in the room smelled. The beach towels were covered in dirt. The bed spread was dusty. When I moved in the bed at night, dust particles would set me off coughing. The pillows were terrible. The room was filled with ants. Maybe that is hard to stop here, but I didn’t get the impression they were trying real hard. They were doing noisy construction throughout the day, something they never mentioned nor apologized for. There was an old wooden canoe which I used for a great paddle around the bay. A couple of paddleboards or sit on top kayaks (like most other nice hotels on the water have) would provide something you could stop and swim off of, or kids could play on in front of the hotel. Again, the location and staff are wonderful. That's why I titled this lost opportunity. We lost the opportunity to enjoy Ilha Grande even more. But it’s really a lost opportunity for the owner, who for a small investment in some towels and pillows, and hiring one really good cleaning person, could be running the best hotel on the island.

This place describes itself as rustic or authentic. I’m afraid this is no more than an excuse to be hugely rundown. Our trip was marred by poor weather and this of course is nothing to do with the hotel. What can be lain at the door or the hotel is the state of the place; ancient pillows, two of our four were some old they had formed clumps like cotton balls throughout the pillow. Everything, pillows, towels, throws was dirty and more than that they smelled. The light switches were filthy as were the tiles in the bathroom and the glass shower screen. We paid nearly £200 (pounds, GBP) a night and honestly I cried at the hovel it was. The is not a comfortable chair in the entire establishment. The loo for guests was in within spitting distance of the kitchen where all of the food was prepared. The staff were fine; polite, but no more. I sent WhatsApp’s asking to book a massage and received a reply so late it was impossible to book for that day. I asked for help with the fridge that didn’t work and by the time I had a response I had to ask them to come the following day because it was by then too late for them to come to the room, we had gone to bed. I have left now and there is no benefit to me in writing this negative review, I can’t get a discount, I can’t get a refund and there’s no compensation drink or anything of the sort- the only reason to write this review is the hope that someone doesn’t have the same miserable time I had a this place. Please go somewhere else.

I will make this review brief. I cried a little when it was time to leave. Have you ever watched Gilligan's Island? It's kind of like that. Yes, it is rustic. Yes, you are in (a VERY remote part of) a developing country, so have a little patience with silly things like hot water or wi-fi. You really don't need either of those things here. And keep in mind, getting supplies in for building and repairs is not easy, nor cheap. The drinks and the food and the FRUIT are amazing. The staff are like family and the most beautiful people you will ever encounter. Suffice it to say, we will return ASAP!

Arrival at the Asalem by boat was like ‚time to calm down, forget about work and relax‘. During the day the bay ist quite busy, the Asalem is located just perfect. Close enough to Vila do Abraão to enjoy restaurants and the little shops, far enough from the main tourist spots to have a quiet night. My husband likes to swim long distance, so we made a 15 minutes morning hike to the Praia de Abrãaozinho. Perfect start into the new day (We brought lightweight hiking shoes, locals use Havaianas or go barefoot. Other guests recommended a restaurant at the end of this beach, unfortunately we had no time to go there, stayed only 3 days on the island). You can also jump into the water right from the pousada‘s pier. Afterwards ‚breakfast with a view‘, makes it hard to get up and explore this wonderful island. If you visit the Ilha Grande to hike: The trail to Lopes Mendes Beach is right behind the Asalem. We enjoyed tasty dinners, Yoga in the morning (at the pier, no class) and a wonderful therapeutic passage at the terrace. To chat with employees and the owner was the icing on the cake of a great holiday stay.

This hotel is a little piece of heaven! The staff was so friendly and kind. I encourage you to eat at least one dinner there, it's homestyle cooked food. I highly recommend staying here if you are looking for a romantic getaway. Easy commute to and from village via boat provided by Asalem. I hope to make it back!