UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa is the only boutique property on Trancoso’s UNESCO-listed Quadrado – a village green framed by fishermen’s cottages and a 17th-century church.
Conceived by Wilbert Das, former creative director of Diesel, there are fifteen brightly painted casitas, each designed in collaboration with local artisans. Some are restored fisherman’s homes facing the historic Quadrado; others are hidden away in the lush tropical gardens. No two are the same, but all are joyful, characterful spaces that celebrate Bahia’s rich creative culture.
There’s a copper-lined pool, a beach lounge on one of Trancoso’s quieter stretches, a restaurant that reworks Bahian classics with restraint, and an excellent spa. Stylish but never showy, UXUA is design with a soul.
What we love about UXUA
- Its low-key-luxe one-, two- and three-bedroom casas are a treasure trove of Bahian expression, filled with vibrant folk art, reclaimed wood furniture and ceramics.
- The lake-shaped pool lined with green aventurine quartz, surrounded by a huge wooden deck, tall trees and coconut palms.
- An open-air restaurant serving fresh, unfussy Bahian dishes – moquecas, grilled fish, and tropical fruits – using local ingredients and produce from the hotel’s organic gardens.
- The Almescar Spa, offering therapies using indigenous local ingredients like almescar and cacao.
- The beach lounge, just a short stroll from the hotel, serving tropical cocktails from a bar fashioned from an antique fishing boat.
- A deep commitment to sustainability and community – the hotel makes creative use of upcycling and recycling, and trains and employs the local community.
Days at UXUA are calm, revolving around the beaches and the creative life of Trancoso.
Start with yoga or pilates in the garden, followed by a treatment in the al fresco spa set beside a lily-covered pond, with some of the best hands in Bahia. Afterwards, stretch out by the pool or wander down to UXUA’s private beach lounge, where they’ll mix you up their signature pineapple and ginger caipirinha.
The hotel is embedded in Trancoso’s Quadrado. Step outside and everything is immediately at hand: artisans at work, small shops, and restaurants set around the grassy square.
For those looking for more activity, there are capoeira lessons at a local school, and opportunities for cycling, fishing, hiking, snorkelling, and scuba diving nearby. Nights come to life in this sleepy town with restaurants, music and all things Brazilian.
Uxua lies between the Atlantic rainforest and the sugary beaches of Trancoso in Brazil – possibly the world’s smartest fishing village turned mega beach hot spot.
Uxua is approximately an hour’s drive from Porto Seguro. There are direct flights to Porto Seguro from a number of locations within Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Sao Paulo.
When to Travel
Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa can be visited year-round. Trancoso has a tropical coastal climate, so temperatures stay consistently warm – usually between 24-30C. The clearest, brightest weather is typically between September and February; April to July brings more passing rain, but it tends to be short, heavy bursts rather than long spells.
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Conde Nast Traveler Specialists every year since 2017
