Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa Bahia

Authenticity is the greatest luxury a visit to Brazil’s picturesque and historic Bahia state can offer. And no place delivers the experience like Trancoso’s Quadrado, its car-free, UNESCO-protected town square.

Half UXUA’s casas here date back 500-years to the village’s founding. They were restored by designer Wilbert Das in collaboration with local artisans using traditional techniques and reclaimed materials.

These casas have a soul, each with legends and family history, every detail uniquely crafted by caring hands. UXUA’s rustic beach lounge, Almescar Spa, Quadrado restaurant and 5-star service complete the perfect holiday.

CASA HISTORY
The much-loved Seu Pedrinho lived here, gaining fame over his lifetime for his bright personality and his enthusiastic contributions to Trancoso’s annual religious celebrations. He was always the life of the party. His casa’s brilliant magenta color was inspired by the area’s oldest bougainvillea which grows out front with a rustic picnic table resting in its shade.

DESIGN
Its the largest one-bedroom casa on the Historic Quadrado, with an airy, bright interior no less colorful than its exterior. Accented with smooth wooden floors, each room offers a Quadrado view. Vast living area with deep sofas, open kitchen and dining room, bar, cozy private garden, two bathrooms – one with a double shower – and a spacious bedroom with canopy bed.

LOVE FOR DETAILS
Thousands of small details executed with care give UXUA its identity. Furniture, decor, lighting and fixtures are one-of-a-kind, organic creations of designer Wilbert Das, handmade at the hotel by native artisans ranging from fishermen to Pataxó Indians. Antiques and art are sourced locally. International creatives living at UXUA have contributed via our Artist In Casa residency.

ALMESCAR SPA
BIODIVERSITY & TRADITION
In the 1970’s hippies came to Trancoso out of curiosity. But they stayed out of passion. Passion for a way of life centered on personal wellness inspired by unspoiled nature – rainforest, mangroves, beaches and the sea – plus the timeless wisdom of Bahian and native American traditions.

PHILOSOPHY
Spectacular biodiversity, centuries of herritage of Pataxó Indians, African slaves, Jesuit missionaries, and even 20th century hippies all combine to influence our exclusive range of spa treatments and products.

ALMESCAR
Prized by Pataxó Indians for centuries and indigenous only to southern Bahia and the Amazon – almescar trees produce a pure, highly bioactive resin which is our signature ingredient.

With restorative qualities and an alluring musky scent, almescar is that most elusive element offering authentic and effective organic treatments.

SPA RANGE & TREATMENTS
Our hand-made range of spa products include other native ingredients such as 100% virgin coconut oil, shea butter, Brazil nuts, pitanga and assorted fruits, pink pepper seeds, fresh palm oil, and dark cocoa grown in our own gardens.
Some of our signature therapies:

Relaxing Almescar Oil Massage
Moonbath Pre-Sun Body Scrub and Hydrating Massage (in vichy treatment suite, with fresh coconut or passion fruit)
After-Sun Skin Repair with Fresh Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Reflexology with Almescar
Bahian Hot Stone Massage with Almescar Oil or Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Lymphatic Drainage Massage with Essential Oil of Ginger (option of Cinnamon, Rosemry, Lime, or Cloves)
Almescar Facial
Bahian Cacao Facial

CAPOEIRA CLASSES
Capoeira is a martial-art inspired dance form. It originates in Bahia, and remains key to this region’s cultural identity. We love to share it with our guests in personalised classes which are a great all-over-body workout accompanied by live, traditional music.

100% of class fee is added to our monthly support of Trancoso’s academy Capoeira Sul da Bahia, and guests are welcome to visit the school and join their daily lessons, which through UXUA’s support are provided free to hundreds of local youth since 2006.

YOGA
Classes of yoga, pilates, and even Brazilian forro dancing (much-loved in Trancoso) are UXUA specialties, at spa or beach.

AVENTURINE QUARTZ POOL
Heal thyself with some aquatic therapy, via a dip in UXUA’s one-of-a-kind pool. The lake-like creation is composed entirely of 40,000 specimens of unique green aventurine quartz, a native Bahian stone considered by many to have powerful healing qualities and reign among the most therapeutic minerals in the world.

OUR BEACH
RUSTIC PERFECTION
UXUA is defined by authenticity, and our beach lounge is its pure expression. We restored an old fisherman bar, and serve still from an antique wooden boat topped by a thatch roof. Low impact, sustainable, and delightful.

Bahian cuisine and innovative tropical cocktails, all UXUA standards. Surf, sea kayaking, beach volleyball, wooden gym, all at Trancoso’s most central beach just steps from the Historic Quadrado.

UXUA PRAIA
Every UXUA Casa has its own, deep sofa reserved on our beach. Its only an 8-minute walk from the hotel, through the Historic Quadrado and down a path to a simple wooden bridge passing one of the best-preserved stretches of Atlantic mangrove in Brazil. Arriving at UXUA Praia, towels, every imaginable drink, and UXUA’s innovative Bahian fusion cuisine await. As do all the services one could wish for; massage, yoga, and capoeira lessons all available.

TRANCOSO’S EIGHT FAMED BEACHES
Trancoso’s eight beaches spread across 24 kilometers of pristine coastline, nestled under towering cliffs or alongside Atlantic rainforest and mangrove. These perfect stretches of sand are easily reachable from the Quadrado by foot, bicycle, or horseback:

BARRA DO RIO TRANCOSO
This is the smallest and closest of the beaches to the Quadrado, and yet it feels like one of the most remote. A 500-meter stretch of silky white sand, this beach offers thick, privacy-enhancing mangroves, and breathtaking views of the juncture where ocean and Trancoso River meet and mingle. Best of all, it’s home to UXUA Praia Bar.

RIO DA BARRA
Calm, serene and peaceful, Rio da Barra marks where the Atlantic Ocean and Barra River meet. Only four kilometers from UXUA, this beach is perfect for inveterate sunbathers or nature lovers keen to explore by canoe the virgin bush along the Barra River.

NATIVOS
Social and vibrant, Praia dos Nativos (aka Nativos Beach) is the “bubbly little sister” to its neighbor, Rio da Barra. Although this 3-km-long inlet boasts an abundance of natural beauty – pristine mangroves, hundreds of coconut trees and lavish coral reefs – Nativos is also home to beach bars only meters before the beach meets the Trancoso River. These bars lure visitors, among who are also sports lovers who cherish the regular winds, which aid in any kite and wind-surfing efforts.

COQUEIROS
Sporty types will love this beach, where 400 meters of white sand and dense mangrove swamps prove conducive to soccer, strand-tennis and, of course, beach volleyball. Tidal pools formed by reefs among the emerald-colored waters and colorful corals up the dramatic factor for sunbathers more intent on admiring the local scenery.

RIO VERDE
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but with its coral-dotted waters, shallow lagoon and lush vegetation, this beach can be considered the “pretty one” of the family. Only 2 kilometers south of the village, Rio Verde can boast of few cottages and is bordered by the river of the same name. Because of its proximity to the river, lush flora and fauna await intrepid hikers who manage to venture beyond the sands.

PONTA DE ITAPOROROCA
Because of its secluded location, this is known as a great walking destination. A long stretch of sand without huts of any kind joins turquoise waters and sparse vegetation, meaning little shade for beach-goers. A tip: bring plenty of sunscreen.

PATIMIRIM
Where to go when a little “alone time” is called for? This almost deserted swathe of sand punctuated by wildflowers will probably fit the bill. The only companions may be the creatures you find lurking underneath the stones on the beach.

ITAQUENA
This is the surfers’ choice, thanks to Itaquena’s reputation for generously sized waves. About 5 km from UXUA, this beach is often deserted, save for the cajueiros – trees of Brazilian origin that grow the world-famous caju (cashew) nut.

BEACHES JUST OUTSIDE TRANCOSO
You can find a beach in Trancoso to fit any mood, but if you can’t resist exploring further here are some suggestions:

PITINGA
Ideal for windsurfers, snorkelers or divers, Pitinga sports enchanting reefs, emerald waters and natural pools that form during low tide. Located in Arraial D’Ajuda, the beach is about 10 km by foot along the beach or 16 km by car via dirt road from Trancoso.

TAÍPE
Lovers of dramatic landscapes will cherish Taípe, which is completely surrounded by high cliffs – the color of which change with the rising and setting sun, and are particularly dramatic in moonlight. Located halfway between Arraial D’Adjuda and Trancoso, Taípe only holds 2 huts and has a reputation for being quiet – aside from New Year’s Eve, when a bevy of party-goers invades the shore for a legendary night of carousing. Partying of a different order can be seen during spawning season, when hordes of sea turtles come to lay their eggs.

CURUIPE – ESPELHO
This “mirror” has two names. Known alternatively as Espelho (”mirror”) or Curuipe, this beach features waters so crystal-clear that they “mirror” the horizon. A border of cliffs completes this dramatic picture. Cottages and restaurants have come to take advantage of the picturesque location, making this one of the busier beaches in the area, despite its relatively distant location: 18 km from Trancoso by dirt road.

CARAIVA
This beach could epitomize what southern Bahia originally was for a visitor. An hour from Trancoso, Caraiva is basically a fishermen’s village, sans cars, motorbikes, or any other motorized vehicle. Sand roads, almond trees and a veritable orchard of fruit trees fills out this charming picture, while an inland Red Indian reserve – comprising ¾ of the village – makes Caraiva a unique day trip for anyone interested in culture, nature or miles of virgin beaches.

APA (ÁREA DE PROTEÇÃO AMBIENTAL) – MAP OF ENVIRONMENTALLY PROTECTED BEACHES
Future generations will enjoy perfectly preserved nature on the beaches around Trancoso with special Federal environmental protection extending from Trancoso to Caraiva, and bordering kilometers of undeveloped coastline which Monte Pascaol towers above, sacred lands reserved as a permanent home for indigenous Pataxó indians.

TASTES OF TRANCOSO
With Bahia’s rich culinary heritage mixing African, native American, and Portuguese influences and Trancoso’s unique rediscovery by hippies in the 1970’s, its no surprise the food scene here is dynamic, and we celebrate every aspect from the most innovative restaurant to the goodness of home cooking and simple, traditional street food.

ORGANIC FESTIVAL – SHORT FILM
Values of the organic movement mirror those of Trancoso itself, nature, biodiversity and ecological balance, tradition, wellness. Trancoso’s first Organic Festival brought together culinary talents from across the nation like Roberta Sudbrack united with neighbours from across the Quadrado and local NGO Despertar, exchanging ideas, having fun, and educating the public.

TASTE OF TRADITION – MOQUECA BAIANA
If there’s a single dish which defines cuisine of the region its the famed fish stew, moqueca baiana. Its a spectacularly flavorful meal tracing African origins in ingredients such as dende oil, coconut milk, and sweet peppers

CHOCOLATE IS FROM THE AMERICAS !
Chocolate isn’t Swiss, it has its roots in the Americas where cacao is indigenous. Its a privaledge for us to have old cacao trees growing naturally in UXUA’s garden, and we make good use of them

ARTIST CANVASES
UXUA is fortunate to host many creative guests. Over the years we’ve invited a few to share their own impressions of Trancoso through horizontal compositions we call Artist Canvases. Here are 26 contributions, each telling a unique, personal story of Trancoso and UXUA. Scroll to view fully.

Website: www.uxua.com

Rooms: 10

Price: from 303 EUR per night