What's New

New lodges in the Pantanal, new beaches in Bahia, new restaurants and samba clubs in Rio de Janeiro. And of course we are always on the lookout for wonderful places to eat or shop or drink or sleep in and highlight what's worth your time.

Rio de Janeiro Accommodations

On everyone's lips for nearly 2 years, the new Fasano hotel (tel. 021/3202-4000) has finally opened in Ipanema, the only hotel in the world designed top to bottom by renowned enfant terrible of the design world Phillippe Starck. Rooms, lobby, everything lives up to expectations. The rooftop pool deck is a thing of beauty.

Equally distinct, and quite a change from most of Rio de Janeiro's high-rise accommodations, the Santa Teresa Cama e Café B&B Network (tel. 021/2224-5689) offers spectacular rooms in one of the city's most charming neighborhoods. The participating homes range from mock German castles to colonial homes to Art Deco mansions from the 1930s.

If you want to stay on the quaint hilltop with a higher standard of luxury, try Mama Ruisa (tel. 021/2242-1281), opened recently in a century-old hillside mansion. Beautifully decorated, and named after cultural icons, each of the seven suites also features all the modern trimmings such as wireless Internet, cable TV, and air-conditioning. On the very tiptop peak of Santa Teresa, Solar de Santa (tel. 021/2221-2117) offers wonderfully comfortably accommodations in a beautiful mansion on a shaded hilltop.

Finally, one of the most venerable of Copacabana's hotels, the Olinda Classic Othon (tel. 021/2545-9091) has gotten a much-needed makeover. The lobby has been transformed into an elegant salon with a restaurant and piano bar. All the common spaces have Wi-Fi Internet access. And in the rooms, the dark colonial furniture has been tossed, replaced by lighter woods, soothing pale colors, and stylish furniture.

Rio de Janeiro Dining

On the second floor of the Modern Art Museum, the clean and modern interior of the Laguiole (tel. 021/2517-3129) matches the classic modern design of this Rio landmark building. The food is modern Brazilian, with a subtle touch of French. The wine list is encyclopedic: over 600 labels and 8,000 bottles!

Up in the newly bustling hilltop 'hood of Santa Teresa, the new star on the block is Espirito Santa (tel. 021/2508-7095), which features a great patio looking over the Santa Teresa hillsides and excellent Brazilian food, with a strong flavoring from the Amazon. One popular starter features a rack of ribs from the Tambaqui fish, served with a pesto made from the jambu herb.

Though spectacular by nature, funky is hard to find in Rio de Janeiro, so Miam Miam (tel. 021/2244-0125) has found the perfect niche. This hip eatery/lounge/bar is whimsically decorated with fabulous kitsch touches, making for a cozy room divided into a lounge area with couches and love seats and a somewhat more staid dining room. The lounge is perfect to enjoy a cocktail and share some appetizers.

Steak lovers can take comfort in the advent of Giuseppe Grill (tel. 021/2249-3055), a worthwhile addition to the dining scene in Leblon. We came here on a rare cold Rio night looking only for a good steak and a bottle of red, and left thoroughly impressed with the outstanding steak (you can choose from grilled beef or slowly roasted beef on a charcoal grill), the affordable wine list, the pleasant, modern room, and the attentive professional service.

What do you do if you're the son of a famous French chef? If you're Thomas Troisgros you open a restaurant, Bistrô 66 (tel. 021/2266-0838), offering a traditional take on French bistro food, at a fraction of what dad charges at his high-end affair. The younger Troisgros's cozy eatery offers outstanding dishes including Moules Mariniere, a big steaming pot of mussels in a fragrant white-wine sauce, perfect for dipping with some crusty bread; or risotto with Parma ham, brie, and rucula; or excellent roasted lamb with a tomato and lemon farofa confit and a delicious grilled duck in orange sauce. All at an affordable price.

Rio de Janeiro Nightlife

For lovers of live music the Lapa neighborhood is still strong, and now there's a "new Lapa" arriving on the scene. Just beyond the Praça Mauá, close to the port area, one of Rio's older neighborhoods, Gamboa, features lovely 19th-century buildings, pretty squares, and a fascinating history (this is where slaves were brought upon arrival and according to many, the birthplace of samba). It is also on the cusp of an urban revival similar to that seen in Lapa 10 to 15 years ago. A few visionary musical entrepreneurs have set up shop, including Trapiche Gamboa (tel. 021/2516-0868), a gorgeous three-story building from 1856 that has been transformed into a fabulous live venue playing, what else, samba. More recent newcomers include Rio's hottest new gay dance club The Week (tel. 021/2253-1020) and Sacadura (tel. 021/2233-0378), a more upscale live-music venue. Keep on eye on Gamboa, as more new places are opening up every couple of months.

With Botafogo's revived nightlife scene it was only a matter of time before it would produce a decent live-music venue, and the Cinemathèque Jamclub (tel. 021/2359-0216) is all that. With only 150 places, it remains small enough to feel intimate but large enough to draw some big names on the local music scene, including both Preta Gil (Gilberto Gil's daughter) and Martinalia (daughter of Martinho da Vila). The outside area has a lovely patio and bar, perfect for a pre- or post-concert bite or drink.

One of Rio's newest concert venues, the Vivo Rio (tel. 021/2272-2900) is located right next to the Museu de Arte Moderno on Rio's downtown waterfront. Since opening it's been drawing all the big-name concerts, both Brazilians and foreign acts like BB King.

São Paulo Accommodations

Although not a Philippe Starck hotel like the one in Rio, the São Paulo Fasano (tel. 011/3896-4000) was the first hotel opened under the name of the successful São Paulo restaurateur family. Using their many years of hospitality experience, the São Paulo Fasano has quickly become one of the top hotels in the city. The hotel is decorated with elegant 1930s period furniture, combined with clean modern design elements. And the location is outstanding, smack in the middle of São Paulo's most elegant and visitor-friendly Jardins neighborhood. If you prefer luxury over location, then the Sofitel São Paulo (tel. 0800/703-7003) should be your first choice. The combination of French sophistication and Brazilian hospitality results in one fine luxury hotel. Just across from Ibirapuera Park, the hotel is ideal for those who like to start the day with a walk or a vigorous game of tennis; this is one of the few hotels in the city with its own courts. Those traveling on a weekend can often book a room online for rates as low as R$250 to R$300 (US$125-US$150/£68-£81)!

São Paulo Dining

One of São Paulo's hottest (or should we say coolest) dining lounges is Skye (tel. 011/3055-4702) at the Unique Hotel. People come not only to experience this fantastic hotel, nicknamed "melancia" (watermelon) for its interesting shape, but also to enjoy the rooftop restaurant. The views of the São Paulo skyline are spectacular and the kitchen serves up innovative Brazilian cuisine.

São Paulo Attractions

The hottest new cultural attraction in Latin America's biggest city is, wait for it, the Museum of the Portuguese Language (tel. 011/3326-0775). Okay, I know what you're thinking, but it genuinely is very cool, even if your command of Portuguese is only limited. Set in a vast former train station, the museum takes full advantage of the space to offer displays that are creative, interesting, interactive, visually fabulous, and fun.

Salvador Accommodations

Finally Pelourinho has the boutique hotel it deserves. At the top of a steep cobblestone street leading up from largo Pelourinho itself, the Convento do Carmo (tel. 071/3327-8400) has the perfect location on the outside, and luxurious accommodations inside. Indeed, considering the original 17th-century convent was designed to shield its residents from the pleasures of the flesh, the conversion carried out by the Portuguese Pestana group did a remarkable job leading the old girl into the lap of luxury. The hotel's common areas -- the round tiled pool and restaurant in the cloister, the lounge tucked into one of the arcades, the large library -- are a delight.

Truly in the heart of Pelourinho, the new Solar dos Deuses (tel. 071/3320-3251) overlooks the square in front of the São Francisco church. This lovely pousada has seven rooms, each one decorated in honor of an orixá, the African deities of the candomblé. All rooms are elegantly furnished with period furniture and feature lovely high ceilings, hardwood floors, and large windows looking out over the square or side street just off the square.

Salvador Dining

The trend in fine dining in Salvador continues out toward the harborfront, where the new Amado (tel. 071/3322-3520) offers ultimately cool waterfront dining -- the room is vast and gorgeous, mixing wood and stone and glass with open views over the waterside deck and the harbor and bay beyond. The cuisine takes traditional Bahian ingredients -- manioc and seafood principally -- and puts them to use in innovative ways, always with lovely presentation. For those not into fish, the menu boasts an equally intriguing array of chicken and beef creations.

The other hot new area in Salvador is Rio Vermelho, home of the tiny hidden gem called Dona Mariquita (tel. 071/3334-6947). Tucked away in a little laneway opposite the main square, this small restaurant is full of surprises, including a decor featuring high-quality Northeastern crafts and artwork, and some truly excellent caipiroscas. The food takes traditional Northeastern dishes and adds a twist or bit of spice. Even better, on Fridays there's live music.

Also in Rio Vermelho, but hidden at the top of a steep street, one finds the Lambreta Grill (tel. 071/3335-0107). Here Japanese chef Fukino runs one of the most popular yet laid-back seafood restaurants in town. The restaurant decor is ultra-basic, but wait until you taste the food! Try the seafood symphony -- sinfonia de frutos do mar; a piping hot steel griddle brought to your table piled high with juicy morsels of squid, prawns, mussels, and octopus, served with a side of potatoes and palm heart.

Natal

Little more than a year old, the Serhs Natal Grand (tel. 084/4005-2000) is the newest and most luxurious of the top-end resorts strung along the ocean-side Via Costeira. Rooms are fresh, bright, and modern, all with tile floors, clean bright bathrooms and balconies facing out over the sea. Recreational facilities at this Spanish-run hotel are top-notch. The entire front deck of the hotel is one sprawling wavy pool, dotted here and there with little Jacuzzi islands. The sports center offers volleyball, soccer, and basketball, whereas the Japanese spa offers a full range of massage and beauty treatments. The Kid's Club features a kids' pool and indoor children's recreation area. On the beach, the hotel offers volleyball and soccer, plus beach chairs and a lifeguard service.

While in Natal, the ideal place to get a look and taste of Nordestino food, the cuisine of Brazil's dry, cattle-raising Northeast is at Mangai (tel. 084/3206-3344). Mangai offers a self-serve buffet -- or better, a smorgasbord -- featuring over 40 different Nordestino dishes, some of them traditional favorites, other wonderful inventions made using traditional local ingredients such as carne-de-sol (sun-dried beef), macaxeira (sweet manioc root), and farofa (ground, roasted manioc root). The carne-de-sol na nata (butter-sautéed sun-dried beef) is a house specialty.

The Pantanal

Wildlife viewing is always a matter of luck and patience, even in a place as rich as the Pantanal. Large predators like jaguars are a particular challenge. But one of the best ways of improving your odds is to visit the Jagaur Ecological Reserve (JER) where an astonishing one in four guests sees one of these huge South American cats. It's a very long way (110km/68 miles) down the bumpy Transpantaneira, and the accommodations are expensive and only basic, but for a view of that big cat it may be worth it. For the 75% of guests who do not see jaguars, there is still the usual vast array of caiman and colorful birds, so rare in the rest of the world, so common in the Pantanal. Note that it's probably best to book your stay here through Open Door Tours (tel. 067/3321-8303). The JER has been in operation for a number of years, and while operations in the field run smoothly, their booking operations have been a little on the amateur side. Better to deal with professionals.