46 MAY 2017 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
Brazil’s
Quiet
Side
Three fantastic hotels are
luring travelers away from the
beach and into the mountains.
BY CATESBY HOLMES
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDRÉ KLOTZ/ beyond/THREE STAYS
The reading room at
Fazenda Catuçaba, in the
Brazilian state of São Paulo.
THOUGH LAST YEAR’S Olympic Games
prompted a wave of interest in Brazil,
most travelers still stick to a fairly
standard itinerary. But there’s more to
the country than its famous coastline
and cosmopolitan cities. Those willing
to venture just a few hours (and many
winding kilometers) inland from Rio de
Janeiro and São Paulo will discover a
whole other side to this oft-pigeonholed
South American nation—including a
lush, mountainous region of cloud-
obscured peaks; cow-dotted
pastureland; and pockets of the ancient
Atlantic Forest.
In this scenic setting, three quietly
ambitious hotels are cultivating a stylish
new vision of Brazilian turismo rural—
going beyond the dude-ranch-style
experience with high-end amenities,
delicious farm-to-table dining and
luxury-minded nature excursions.
Sylvan charm is a common factor, but
delve a little deeper and each property
has a distinct personality, so travelers of
every stripe can find what they’re after,
and escaping the beaten path is
remarkably affordable. Bucolic as they
are, inland Brazil’s hotels aren’t just
detours—check in to any one and you’ll
find they’re worthy destinations all on
their own. >>