MARINA Vip Club Resort & spa

The Marina Vip Club Resort & Spa is a cozy, family-run pousada with comfortable common areas. The tiny lobby features rustic furniture and there's an adjacent bar serving juices and tropical drinks. The restaurant functions mainly as a breakfast room, but the owners offer a la carte meals for lunch and dinner on request. There's also a romantic outdoor section with a sofa set, armchairs, and white curtains. At the heart of the pousada, the pool area offers lounge chairs and a couple of sofas surrounded by blooming tropical flowers and a travelers' palm tree. The property caters to families and tourists on a budget, and pets are welcome by prior approval.

The pousada is located on a main road, a 10-minute walk from the Baia Formosa beach, which is good for swimming. Althoguh there's not much in the immediate area, the hotel is convenient to public transportation, and shared minivans heading downtown stop in front of the pousada. There's also a bus stop a bit further away and the center of Rasa -- with supermarkets, pharmacies, ATMs, bakeries, and few basic eateries -- is a five-minute drive from the hotel. Porto da Barra --  in Manguinhos -- takes five to 10 minutes to reach by car and offers an excellent seafood market, several restaurants and bars, and some small boutiques and galleries. It's a good place to watch the sunset or look for sea turtles diving in the Atlantic Ocean. Downtown Buzios -- 10 to 15 minutes away by car -- offers fine dining, seafood restaurants, Brazilian grills (churrascarias), and fast-food outlets. Downtown's Rua das Pedras has several boutiques and shops selling fashionable beach wear and souvenirs. The nearby city of Cabo Frio can be reached in 30 minutes by car. It offers more shopping opportunities and some decent beaches. It also has some of the best dive sites in the area. The national and international airports in Rio de Janeiro can be reached in two-and-a-half to three hours by car, and the front desk staff can help arrange transfers. However, during the New Year, Carnival time, and long holiday weekends, it can easily take twice as long to reach the city. 

The pousada offers Standard and Superior rooms that come in double, twin, triple, and quadruple configurations. Rooms feature ceramic tiled floors, rustic furniture, and pastel-hued walls. Colorful upholstery and carpets make the simple rooms feel more vibrant. All rooms have air-conditioning and small flat-screen TVs, and some come with safes. Bathroom sizes vary, and are larger in rooms configured for groups. Some offer separate hot and cold water faucets and some have electric showers. All come with basic toiletries.

The Marina Vip Club Resort & spa's restaurant serves a free Brazilian-style hot buffet breakfast with fresh fruit, juice, bread, cakes, eggs, and sausages, and lunch and dinner can be arranged upon request, but room service is not available. There's also a lobby bar serving drinks. There's another bar next to the pool/hot tub area, though it has an unfinished look. There's also a tiny spa area in the garden where guests can get massages or skin treatments. Concierge services are available at the front desk, and guests can purchase tickets to city tours (including night tours), as well as boat trips to nearby snorkeling areas. Wi-Fi and parking are free, while beach towels are available for a fee.