Pousada Recanto dos Sonhos

The Pousada Recanto dos Sonhos is spread over a large hillside complex with landscaping, lush foliage, trees, winding paths, decks and good views of the surrounding area and mountains. Although it's not far from the road, the atmosphere at the Recanto is quiet. While not overly luxurious, the property has a charming European alpine ambience and gracious chalets, many with fireplaces, jetted tubs, or both. There are even themed villages: a Swiss Village with typical Swiss architecture and bistro specializing in fondue dishes, and an English Village with Tudor-style buildings and an iconic London red phone booth. Service is friendly and attentive, and the Recanto is family-friendly, with a swimming pool, playground, and mini-golf course. The large outdoor chessboard is a unique touch.

The Pousada Recanto Sonhos is in the Mantiqueira Mountain region, surrounded by forest. The pousada is about a 15-minute drive south of Capivari and its restaurants, bars, shops, Sao Benedito Church, and the cable car up to Morro do Elefante (Elephant Hill) and its small amusement park. Campos do Jordao town and the Baden Baden Brewery are within a 15-minute drive west, and Palacio Boa Vista (the winter home of the Governor of Sao Paulo) is a 15-minute drive northwest of the pousada. The area offers hiking and other outdoor activities. Parque de Floresa Encantada is within a minute's drive, and the Horto Florestal park is a 30-minute drive northeast. The Pousada is two hours northeast of Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, and two hours and 15 minutes northeast of the city of Sao Paulo.    

The pousada has 36 cottage-style chalets, sleeping two to eight guests and ranging from 325 to 860 square feet in size. Chalets are arranged in groupings: Couples, Families, Swiss Village, and English Village. The chalets are fairly simple but gracious in feel and well constructed, with lots of natural wood. Walls are white and largely bare, with a few pieces of art, and the color palette is mostly brown and red. All chalets come with hairdryers, flat-panel TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Some chalets have some combination of in-room safes, DVD players, mini-fridges or kitchens, fondue pots, living rooms, jetted tubs, fireplaces, mountain views, balconies, and hammocks.

The Recanto Sonhos has a wealth of on-site facilities, including an indoor splash pool with a small waterfall heated to 77 to 86 degrees. There are also a sundeck, sauna, hot tub, small grass soccer field, and a picnic area with barbecue grill and tables with umbrellas. A game room includes billiards, table tennis, and foosball. Adults can relax in an elegant sitting area with a leather sofa, large flat-panel TV, and cocktail bar, while kids can have fun on the large playground with rope bridge, swing set, and more. A mini-golf course is set on terraces cut into the side of a hill. One of the more arresting features of the complex is a giant chessboard. Dining and drinking venues include an English tea house, a French bistro, and a breakfast room with views of the surrounding greenery. The breakfast spread (for a fee) consists of pies, cakes, breads, pastries, meats, juices, yogurt, fruit, jams, cheese bread, omelets, sausages, pates, toast and more. The English tea house has a traditional afternoon tea with teas, coffee, petit fours, strudel, and pies. Set in a cozy space with a fireplace, the French bistro serves fondue, crepes, and has a large wine list. The pousada also has free parking and several PCs with free Internet.