With the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics on the horizon, this is a very exciting time for Brazil. And when thinking of Brazil, Rio and Sao Paulo are the first places that come to mind. For our adventurous traveler, always in search of exciting new destinations and resorts we bring you UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa, created by Wilbert Das, the former creative director of Diesel. The 11-casa property is located in the colonial fishing village of Trancoso, in the southeast of Brazil’s subtropical Bahia.

This area has long been a haven for artists, hippies, and naturalists who flocked to the area in the 1970s and built a free-spirited culture among colorful antique casas and spectacular beaches. UXUA contains four restored fisherman casas dating from the 1500s plus seven more recent constructions created by hand using reclaimed materials and traditional building methods, including a treehouse and a restored ceramic atelier. The one- to three-bedroom casas have been harmoniously integrated into the town’s historical center without signage. Four casas face Trancoso’s 500-year-old grassy village square, the Quadrado, one of the most picturesque settings in all of South America.

Owner and designer Wilbert Das, formerly the creative director of Italian fashion label Diesel, was inspired to open the property after frequent visits to Trancoso. Drawing on the spirit and ideals of the locals, the Netherlands-born Das worked side-by-side with native artisans and Pataxó Indians to create pieces such as sinks and bathtubs carved from fallen tree trunks found on the property and shower heads shaped from local woods. The hotel, which is an hour and a half flight from both Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, and one hour from Salvador, has two restaurants specializing in home-style local seafood, a spa with custom UXUA cosmetic products, a gym, a swimming pool lined with aventurine crystals thought by locals to have healing qualities, plus a beach annex.

Trancoso’s rustic-chic and authenticity has made it one of the top destinations for global jet-setters looking for something truly different.

New in 2014:

Additional Casa – UXUA recently restored the atelier of famed local ceramic artist Cala, creating a one-bedroom casa called “Terrace of the Sky.” The casa has an open floor plan and handmade furniture and décor (ceramic floor tiles in the shape of tropical fish populating the surrounding sea, colored glass windows, and a sunken bathtub) produced by Das in collaboration with local artisans. The building has a rooftop swimming pool and a pergola offering views of the Quadrado and the Atlantic Ocean.

Private Residences – Das is constructing several private residences for guests who have fallen in love with Trancoso. A three-bedroom house on the Quadrado, not far from UXUA, is being built for journalist Anderson Cooper, and a 12-bedroom house is now under construction in nearby Espelho for English art dealer Ivor Braca. The residences are designed in the same environmentally friendly style as the hotel.

Artist in Residence Program  UXUA invites international designers to stay at the hotel to collaborate with local artisans on pieces such as lighting fixtures and chairs that are then used to decorate the casas and main lounge area.

Location:

The sleepy village of Trancoso, founded by Jesuit missionaries in the 1500s, was for centuries one of the most isolated coastal towns in Brazil, lacking even a road connecting it to the rest of the country. It was not until the late 1970s, when hippies and artists began to arrive from all over the world, that the town became rediscovered and acclaimed for its natural beauty. On a hilltop overlooking the sea and backed by rainforest and mangroves, Trancoso is centered on the historic town square, the Quadrado. It is lined with 50 brightly colored fisherman’s houses and a small 16^th century São João Batista church.

Food & Beverage:

UXUA’s kitchens offer traditional Bahian cuisine – a spicy mix of African, Native American, and Portuguese influences. The main kitchen is an open structure with barstools overlooking the kitchen so guests can watch, learn, and sample menu items such as fresh fruits, grilled vegetables, and spicy espetinhos (traditional kebabs). Ingredients include produce from UXUA’s own garden and organic farms in Trancoso, as well as wahoo, Spanish mackerel, and cobia caught using traditional netting techniques.

Spa:

UXUA’s Almescar Spa draws on the traditions of the Pataxó Indians and rare Atlantic rainforest ingredients for its products. The sap of the indigenous Almescar trees is the key ingredient. The restorative qualities and scent complements other local, organic elements, including coconut oil, pink pepper seeds, and fresh palm oil. The spa features Bahia’s first Vichy Treatment suite, which has five water jets housed in carved eucalyptus tree trunks.

Activities:

UXUA offers a range of complimentary activities in and around Trancoso: canoeing and kayaking, the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira, beach volleyball, dancing lessons, fishing, golfing, trekking, surfing, and horseback riding.

Social Commitment:

UXUA gained acclaim in Brazil for its progressive employment practices, and for supporting local cultural initiatives incorporated into the luxury hotel’s guest programs. For example, UXUA sponsors Trancoso’s academy of capoeira, a traditional Bahian sport that merges martial arts with dance and musical accompaniment. Local children have studied for free since 2008 under sponsorship of UXUA, and the hotel’s guests often join these classes.

Getting There:

Commercial flights connect major Brazilian cities such as São Paulo or Rio de Janiero with Porto Seguro, a 1-hour drive from Trancoso and UXUA. An airport for private jets and helicopters is located in Trancoso itself, a ten-minute drive from UXUA. UXUA is accessible to cars via a quiet street running behind the Quadrado and there is ample parking.

Rates:

Rates start at $471 for a Studio Casa.
For More visit www.uxua.com