48 MAY 2017 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
RESERVA DO IBITI’POCA
Even intrepid drivers will have to white-
knuckle it down the rutted, 24-kilometer dirt-
and-brick road from Lima Duarte, but it’s
worth it to reach Reserva do Ibitipoca, which
sits in a valley on a nature reserve four hours
northwest of Rio. Modeled after an 18th-
century mansão de fazenda, or farm manor,
the 12-room eco-retreat strikes a balance
between historic charm and modern luxury.
The hallways and public spaces are adorned
with works commissioned from local artists—
replicas of old maps and watercolors of
indigenous flora—while rooms featureEgyptian-cotton linens, claw-foot tubs on
heated bathroom floors and iPads preloaded
with the spa menu and pictures of the
endangered monkeys that live nearby.
Here, sustainability is more than just a
buzzword: solar panels heat the water, and
much of the food is grown on site. But the
hotel’s cofounder, philanthropist Renato
Machado, has a larger mission. He bought the
first parcel of the farmstead—now 4,000
hectares—35 years ago to reforest the Ibitipoca
hills and preserve wildlife corridors linking
the terrain to the neighboring Ibitipoca State
Park. In 2008, he opened the hotel to showcase
the region’s beauty. Machado is invested in the
social and economic health of the community,
too: three longtime staffers are now co-owners
of the property.
The state of Minas Gerais is a rural one
known for its hospitality and hearty food—the
Brazilian analogue of the American South.
Ibitipoca exemplifies this spirit with group
outings on horseback and morning yoga
classes that cultivate a sense of community
among guests. Dinner is also convivial, served
at a communal table in the wood-clad dining
room or by candlelight outdoors. Musical
performances fill weekend evenings. Even
António, the resident parrot, is friendly,
greeting new arrivals with an outstretched
wing. Still, there’s plenty of time and impetus
for solo reverie—I got lost in thought while
reading to a soundtrack of crickets on the
wraparound porch. For those guests seeking
true solitude, don’t miss the chance stay a
night at the hotel’s mountaintop cabin.
ibiti.com; doubles from R$1,537. >>/ beyond/THREE STAYS
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT: An
outdoor tub and
shower; a
woodstove in the
main dining room;
Reserva do
Ibitipoca’s resident
parrot.