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One of the main characteristics of Fernando Noronha is the scarcity of physical space and natural resources; this scarcity, combined with the island’s strict environmental controls, makes Noronha’s hotel segment different from other tourist centers in Brazil.
Until a few years ago, before the explosion of tourism, the only lodging options were the small pousadas that residents built from remodeling their own homes.
These pousadas in Fernando de Noronha still make up most of the accommodation on offer in Noronha.
All have undergone improvements, but comforts customary elsewhere, such as air-conditioning, cable TV and swimming pools, are still considered luxury options; and guests are reminded to economize even on the most basic items, such as water and power.
Fortunately, the beauty of the island of Fernando de Noronha means that pousadas take a back seat.
Recently, some of the old pousadas on Fernando de Noronha have been expanded and have gained the status of luxury hotels (Pousada do Zé Maria is the most famous case); at the same time, new developments have been erected to cater for the more affluent tourists who have come to visit Noronha (Pousada Maravilha is an example).
The hotels in Noronha were divided into categories, according to Embratur’s evaluation; however, instead of stars, the hotels were graded by Dolphins.
Where to stay in Fernando de Noronha
Hotels in Fernando de Noronha are classified
- One Dolphin the simplest
- Two Dolphins the intermediate ones
- Three Dolphins the most equipped
1. List of Hotels and Inns in Fernando Noronha
MARAVILHA ($$$$$)
The name of the most elegant pousada in Noronha already gives you an idea of what you will find.
There is no more sophisticated way to stay there than by booking one of the rooms at Pousada Maravilha, the main point of celebrities and cool people who arrive on the island in private jets.
The pousada has 5 bungalows for couples, where the biggest treat is the furô on the balcony, and 3 apartments for up to four people. All offer king size beds, wrapped with Egyptian cotton sheets and pillows, DVD players with home theater and views of the bay of Sueste.
From an architectural point of view, Pousada Maravilha doesn’t even look like a hostel. With the exception of the reception desk at the entrance, it resembles a beach house of fine people.
It has a large central room with a structure made of logs and large sliding glass in place of the walls, which is for the sea breeze to enter smoothly and guarantee the happy omnipresence of the view to the Southeast. On one side are sofas and armchairs for reading, on the other, the bar and the restaurant tables.
Stepping out onto the veranda, there’s a wooden deck with loungers, three wide white futons that seem to beckon you to stretch out on them, and the infinity pool.
At the back are the accommodations in independent bungalows, scattered around a garden that guarantees privacy.
Service is another strong point. For about 20 guests, there are almost 30 employees, who unfold in courtesies.
Room tidying, for example, is constant. Whenever you return from the beach, you will find your things tidy and the air conditioning set at the right temperature.
Breakfast is served à la carte and in the room if you wish. All this, of course, comes at a price, and it’s not cheap. In high season, which means eight months a year (except April, May and June) even the most affordable rates at Pousada Maravilha do not come out for less than R$ 1,200 for a couple. And only breakfast is included in the daily rate.
Even so, you need to book well in advance if you want to find a place. Pousada Maravilha is for those who can, or don’t mind paying a fable to spend a king’s day on Brazil’s fantasy island.
Where it is: BR-363, Praia do Sueste
Consult: (81) 3619-0028, www.pousadamaravilha.com.br
ZÉ MARIA ($$$$)
Brazil’s leading pousada, it was also the forerunner in the new generation of luxury pousadas in Noronha, ever since businessmen Paulo Fatuch and Carlos Nogueira from Paraná joined forces with José Maria Sultanum from Pernambuco.
Zé Maria’s then small pousada, like so many others on the island, which operated in a simple prefabricated house, would give way to a set of bungalows responsible for the beginning of the new wave of comfort in Noronha.
Zé Maria continues to welcome his visitors with friendliness and two fingers of prose, just as he used to do in the living room of his old pousada. In addition, the view remains stupendous to the Morro do Pico, which there, curiously, displays phallic contours.
But guests have gained perks, from the infinity pool to the massage room.
There are 22 accommodations in all, divided into three categories. The top ones are the luxury bungalows, equipped with split air conditioning, king size beds, 29″ flat screen TV with pay channels, sofa and a balcony with a whirlpool bath, where you can bathe while admiring the landscape.
The apartments, although smaller and without the balcony, leave nothing to be desired in terms of coziness.
An interesting detail is that all the accommodations were built on stilts, so that it was not necessary to make the earthwork of the land and impair the flow of rainwater.
Pousada do Zé Maria sets an example in environmental policy, doing even more than stipulated by the Roteiros de Charme Association, of which it is a part.
Much of the waste is separated and sent for recycling. A water treatment plant was installed to reuse part of the water and reduce waste. The baths are heated by solar energy and an organic garden supplies the restaurant with fresh vegetables and foliage.
The pousada’s restaurant is one of the most popular on the island. Especially on Wednesdays and Saturdays when Zé Maria promotes a gastronomic festival, a delicious meal where sushi and carne de sol are served, with live music.
After dinner, the forró follows. The only problem at Pousada do Zé Maria is finding a place. The average occupancy rate is 95% throughout the year, one of the highest in Brazil.
Where it is: Rua Nice Cordeiro, 1, Floresta Velha
Consult: (81) 3619-1258, www.pousadazemaria.com.br
SOLAR DE LORONHA ($$$$)
At the end of a dirt road in the neighborhood of Floresta Velha hides one of the newest charming pousada in Noronha.
In 2006, Solar de Loronha joined the ranks of home-based inns, underwent a general makeover and opened eight bungalows with everything on top.
The inn is perched high on a hill, overlooking Morro do Pico.
A wooden walkway leads to the bungalows arranged in two rows. The rooms are very comfortable and await the arrival of every new guest with flowers and goodies. Ask for room number 4 or 8, which are the most reserved.
If you’re traveling on your honeymoon, let the maid know beforehand that you’ll need a fruit basket and a bottle of champagne.
Breakfast is served à la carte in the room, with everything you choose from a menu on the bedside table.
The pool is large by Noronha standards and is in front of the inn, hidden from the street by the bamboo fence.
The location is good, close to restaurants and Vila dos Remédios. Although it overlooks the sea, it is a 15-minute walk from Cachorro beach, the same time to Conceição beach following the trail that starts at the neighboring Pousada da Filó.
WHERE IT IS: Rua Nice Cordeiro, 38 A, Floresta Velha
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1105, www.pousadasolardeloronha.com.br
Tejú-Açú ($$$$)
The newest member of the group of top pousadas on the island, inaugurated a year ago, is in an isolated place, surrounded by bushes, on the road that leads to Praia da Conceição.
But it’s not far from everything, just a five-minute walk to the beach, and ten minutes to the restaurants of the Floresta Velha neighborhood. The charming look of Tejú-Açú enchants those who pass by.
The architectural design is somewhat reminiscent of the style of Zé Maria, but in smaller proportions. The bungalows are there, built on stilts, with a structure reinforced with reforestation tree trunks, scattered around the pool. There are six bungalows in all, with two 40-square-meter apartments in each, big enough for up to two extra beds.
The floors are tiled, the lighting is indirect and the decor is tasteful. A sliding door made of green blindex opens onto a balcony where a white hammock rests. At the center of it all is the pool, small but interesting in its triangular shape, surrounded by sofas and poufs, which guests enjoy when they return from their late afternoon walks.
The restaurant, on the other hand, has gained a prominent position, located in front of the inn, on a mezzanine above the reception, and also serves non-guests. One of the desserts on the menu has gained a reputation that keeps growing: the Romeo and Juliet (cheese with guava) in a petit gateau version, of guava with a creamy and hot filling of curd cheese.
WHERE IT IS: Estrada da Alamoa, s/n
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1277, www.pousadateju.com.br
POUSADA DO VALE ($$$)
This one offers several advantages. The first: the impeccable rooms, with comfort worthy of a hotel.
There are five rooms inside the main house, and two other duplex chalets, inaugurated a year ago, with living room and balcony. All accommodations have a flat-screen TV and DVD player. Pousada do Vale has no neighbors, is surrounded by bush, in a very quiet place, although very close to the center of Vila dos Remédios.
Just climb a historic slope to point on the street of the church. It is a good place for those who want to enjoy the shows that take place at Pizzaria Feitiço da Vila or fall into the forró of Cachorro. To the nearest beach, it’s just a five-minute walk.
Another strong point is the breakfast, with cold cuts, yogurts, various types of breads and natural juices.
There’s even espresso coffee. Tapiocas and omelettes are freshly prepared, just choose the filling on the menu that is on the table and ask the cook for the opening to the kitchen, which is open, white and clean.
Guests have coffee together at the same table, which encourages interaction, exchanging stories and experiences from the previous day.
As a courtesy, afternoon coffee is served from five until eight in the evening, very important to keep your appetite until dinner after a day of diving. Not to mention the grilled fish on the banana grill on Thursdays, and the pizza rodízio on Sundays, both included in the daily rate. Pousada do Vale likes to please.
WHERE IT IS: Rua Pescador Sérgio Lino, 18, Vila dos Remédios
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1293, www.pousadadovale.com
DOLPHIN ($$$)
It’s technically the only “hotel” on the island, although it’s not that big.
The Dolphin was once the best accommodation in Noronha, but it still offers good rooms and a nice social area, with a pool (it was the first to have a pool in Noronha), bar and sauna.
The hotel is located on the edge of BR-363, near the Tamar headquarters, where Ibama lectures take place, Praia da Conceição and Mirante do Boldró, where people gather in the late afternoon to watch the sunset. The restaurant is highly praised, and also serves non-guests.
Lunch is served in buffet system and dinner, with individual à la carte dishes.
WHERE IT IS: BR-363, Boldró
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1170, www.dolphinhotel.tur.br
SOLAR DOS VENTOS ($$$)
You will not find any pousada by the sea in Fernando de Noronha.
For environmental reasons, all buildings are far enough away to escape the eyes of those walking on the beach. The exceptions are the pousadas Maravilha and Solar dos Ventos, which offer a view of Sueste Bay, although they are a few hundred meters away.
The pousada offers great independent chalets with a veranda and hammock, spread over a large plot. They are decorated in cheerful colors, have brick walls and are all equipped with box beds and split air conditioning.
In addition, Solar dos Ventos charges very affordable daily rates compared to other good hostels.
It will be difficult to find the same cost-benefit ratio. To get a place, book at least three months in advance, as this is one of the most popular. If you can, ask for chalet number 4, which has the best view, or 9, which is in a more private corner, thanks to the garden’s hedges.
The pousada is at the end of the BR-363 highway, far from Forró do Cachorro, the restaurants, the Ibama lectures and the other beaches. But that won’t be a problem if you’re with a rented buggy.
WHERE IT IS: BR-363, Baía do Sueste
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1347, www.pousadasolardosventos.com.br
POUSADA DO FRANCÊS ($$$)
A charming guesthouse with nine 20-square-meter apartments decorated with simplicity and good taste. The furniture is made of light wood, the floor is tiled, and a glass door gives access to the outdoor balcony, long and common to all apartments, where there are hammocks to stretch out in the morning.
It is located in the Floresta Velha neighborhood, a five-minute walk from Vila dos Remédios.
WHERE IT IS: R. da Consolação, 19, Floresta Velha
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1192
MORENA ($$$)
One of the most traditional. The three larger chalets, named after beaches (Cacimba do Padre, Sancho and Conceição), independent of the main house, is what differentiates Pousada da Morena from other houses.
In the chalets, there are king size beds, flat screen TV and even a computer connected to the internet. But they could charge a little less for the daily rates.
The inn is decorated with paintings and art objects produced by the owner herself. There is no swimming pool, but there is a lawn with benches to watch the view and sunbathe. Next to the pousada is the restaurant Trattoria da Morena, which serves the best pasta in Noronha.
WHERE IT IS: R. Nice Cordeiro, 2600, Old Forest
CONSULT: (81) 3466-4300, www.karitas.com.br
BECO DE NORONHA ($$$)
The house is made of wood, like so many other homely inns, but it is not ground floor like most, it has two floors. The width of the walls and the solidity of the doors also indicate that Beco de Noronha is not just any old guesthouse. In the Sebrae ranking it receives a rating of two dolphins.
It has more spacious rooms, tastefully decorated and some rustic handicrafts – the lamps, for example, are made with toilet paper and tree branches. There are double and triple room options. All are equipped with ceiling fan, air conditioning, minibar, private bathroom with hot water, box bed, TV and telephone.
The social areas are the living room with TV and straw chairs, a mini cyber café connected to the Internet, and the so-called Japanese corner, with two futons arranged next to an internal garden. The Beco de Noronha is a grace.
WHERE IT IS: Quadra P, bloco 3, Floresta Nova
Consult: (81) 3619-1568, www.becodenoronha.com.br
2. THE DOMICILIAR BED AND BREAKFAST
Don’t think, however, that Noronha will experience a boom in charming pousadas. The typical lodging continues to be the pousadas domiciliares. But even they have made a commendable leap towards comfort.
They bear no resemblance to those old guesthouses with communal bathrooms, where guests borrowed the kitchen fridge to store the food they bought at the nearest grocery store.
Encouraged by the local administration and with the help of specialists from Sebrae, the innkeepers learned to face the activity in a more professional way. They received training on everything related to the proper functioning of an inn: how to make reservations, arrange the rooms, prepare breakfast…
It’s true that most guesthouses still operate in prefabricated wooden houses, as it’s too expensive to bring bricks and cement from the mainland. Even so, the cleanliness and tidiness of these houses can please even the most demanding tourists. Almost all of them offer air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms and minibars.
The inns that have managed to adapt to the proposals of the island’s administration have won blue plaques, such as the acronym HD (Hospedaria Domiciliar), a kind of quality seal, which you will see affixed next to the entrance door of each one.
To top it off, since 2001, Sebrae has been classifying inns with one to three dolphins. You can find the list at www.noronha.pe.gov.br, although it is quite out of date at the moment.
Perhaps the only thing that hasn’t changed in Noronha’s pousadas is the service, which although it has become more professional, is still informal and very warm.
The owners are usually always around, living in a room attached to the main house, and that makes all the difference. So much so that the name of the pousada is almost always the owner’s own: Pousada Da Maga, Pousada do Tio João, Pousada do Marcílio and so on … In this Noronha has not changed.
ESTRELA DO MAR ($$)
This hostel is one of the best value for money finds.
In style, it resembles the Pousada Solar dos Ventos, with independent wooden chalets, with balcony and hammock, scattered around the lawn.
But they do not offer a sea view. It is located on top of a hill, at the back of the Floresta Nova neighborhood, about a 15-minute walk from Cachorro beach.
The hostel does not charge absurd prices for the daily rates, which are quite reasonable for the category of accommodation by local standards.
Perhaps because of the distance to the beach. The rooms are nice, have a king size bed and tidy bathrooms.
Whatever you need, rent a car, take a tour, visit Atalaia beach, or even book a table at the restaurant, just talk to the reception and the employee will take care of everything for you.
WHERE IT IS: Alameda da bela Vista, s/n, Floresta Nova
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1366, www.pousadaestreladomarfn.com.br
ALGAS MARINHAS ($$)
The Algas Marinhas hostel is the best example of how to make a home hostel with charm and good taste.
From the outside, it’s nothing more than a prefabricated, lime-green, one-story wooden house.
But inside, guests will find comfortable and beautifully decorated rooms.
The walls are textured and painted in cheerful colors, the lamps on the bedside table are made of straw crafts to give indirect light. There’s a chest of drawers with a clothes rack, and the bathrooms are clean and have a glass-enclosed shower stall.
Honeymooners are welcomed with a tray of fruit, chocolates and a bottle of wine.
For all this, the daily rate is a little higher than the average for other hostels, but it’s still well worth it. It’s hard not to like Algas Marinhas.
WHERE IT IS: Alameda das Flores, 118, Floresta
NEW CONSULTATION: (81) 3619-1911, www.pousadaalgasmarinhas.com.br
MARCÍLIO ($$)
A good middle ground between the domiciliary and the inns considered “intermediate”.
The narrow corridor of the main house, made of masonry, gives access to the five internal rooms. At the back are the eight chalets, larger and with balcony, a little more expensive than the rooms.
Marcílio’s pousada is on the edge of BR 363, near the Tamar project, and some good restaurants, such as Tartarugão, Hotel Dolphin and the Zé Maria and Tejú-Açú inns.
Due to its proximity to the beaches of Boldró and Cacimba do Padre, it is usually full of surfers during the wave period, which runs from December to February. To satisfy the hunger of those who catch waves, Marcílio usually makes breakfast, served until 10am.
WHERE IT IS: Alameda Boldró, s/n
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1392, www.pousadarmarcilio.com.br
DA FILÓ ($$)
The best rooms are in the chalets at the back of the inn.
Cold floor, brick walls, box bed, balcony with hammock, view of Morro do Pico (always him). It is a good option for those who don’t care about luxury but don’t give up a comfortable place to stay.
Dona Filó is proud of the master suite, which differs from the other chalets in that it has an anteroom separated from the bedroom by a glass door and a good-sized flat-screen TV with a DVD player.
The pool certainly disappoints, but no one goes to Noronha to swim in an artificial tank with all those beaches at their disposal.
WHERE IT IS: Rua das Pernanbucanas, 30, Floresta Velha
CONSULT: (81) 3267-5779, www.pousadadafilo.com.br
DO MANO ($)
One of the most comfortable and cost-effective homes.
It has a nice little living room right at the entrance, where the sofa, the bookcase with TV and nautical-themed decorative objects are located.
The rooms along the corridor have tiled floors, are white and very clean, as are the bathrooms, which have solar-heated showers.
At reception, guests can use the computer to download their digital photos.
If you’re going diving, you can rent a digital camera with a waterproof case to take underwater photos at the hostel, for about R$100 a day.
Nilda, the owner, says the breakfast doesn’t disappoint either.
WHERE IT IS: R. da Harmonia, 4, Floresta Nova
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1262, www.pousadadomano.com.br
DA MAGA ($)
The prefabricated wooden house, on a corner of the Floresta Nova neighborhood, draws attention to the surrounding veranda, full of white hammocks. Maga, the owner, says that everyone comments on the veranda, but “the whole inn is nice”, she assures.
The guest book, at least, doesn’t belie the friendly lady, full of praise for both the inn and Maga’s service.
The pousada doesn’t offer any luxury or anything special compared to other good homestays, but it does charge a little above average, at least in high season. In the low season, the value pays off.
WHERE IT IS: Conj. Residencial, quadra J, Floresta Nova
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1387
COLINA DOS VENTOS ($)
It is a house with lilac walls, without a sign on the door, near Vila do Trinta.
Its differential is its location, which, as the name implies, is on top of a hill, overlooking the sea. The rooms are basic, facing a balcony common to all, with hammocks and sofas. Book 5 or 6, which have the best view.
WHERE IT IS: Estrada da Colina, 6, Vila do Trinta
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1257, www.pousadacolinadosventos.com.br
MONSIEUR ROCHA ($)
Well known on the island, it is located in Vila do Trinta, and looks like a nice beach house, larger and more airy than the typical prefabricated houses.
The veranda right at the entrance offers sofas and hammocks for guests who arrive tired from the tours. The rooms are comfortable, with TV, telephone, minibar and air conditioning.
WHERE IT IS: R. D. Juquinha, 139, Vila do Trinta
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1227
TIA ZETE ($)
Tia Zete is one of the oldest residents of Noronha, a kind of “institution” of the island.
There are guests who go there just because of her. Actress Luana Piovani, a regular at Tia Zete’s pousada, which is located in a brick house on a paved street leading to Vila dos Remédios.
The rooms, with air conditioning, minibar and box bed, are located on the land at the back of the house, 12 in all.
WHERE IT IS: Rua Nice Cordeiro, 8, Vila dos Remédios
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1242
ALAMOA ($)
If all you want is a bed with a fair price, no luxury, but friendly service, write down the name of this hostel.
The house is prefabricated, like so many others, and the rooms have only the basics (air conditioning, TV and minibar). But the breakfast is competent, the location good, and the balcony very nice.
There’s no pool, but in Noronha that’s not really necessary.
WHERE IT IS: Alameda das Acácias, 2, Floresta Nova
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1839, www.pousadaalamoa.hpg.ig.com.br
POUSADA ATLÂNTICA ($)
Along with the pousadas do Mano and A1amoa, it is another great option among the more affordable home-based ones in Floresta Nova, the neighborhood also known as the “village of wooden houses”. The living room is tidy and the rooms are clean.
WHERE IT IS: Alameda das Acácias, s/n, Floresta Nova
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1346.
ALEFFAWI ($)
The rooms in the main house have wooden walls, in the back are the masonry ones, next to a small pool.
All have the basics: air, TV and fridge. And the price is the same. The balcony on the side is pleasant and with hammocks.
It is located on BR-363, near the Tamar, a good location for those who go to Noronha to surf. An advantage is the partnership with a local agency that gives discounts on tours.
WHERE IT IS: BR-363, Boldró
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1318, www.aleffawi.com.br
CORAIS ($)
Slightly larger than the prefabricated houses.
It has a pool out front, an open and organized kitchen (which guests can use), a dining room and three bedrooms with masonry walls, for those who are bothered by the faint smell of varnish from rooms with wood walls. But it charges a little above average.
WHERE IT IS: Quadra D, house 7, Floresta Nova
CONSULT: (81) 3619-1147, www.pousadacorais.com.br
AGULHÃO ($)
Typical hostel in prefabricated house. The rooms follow the standard of the island, with nothing special. But does not charge expensive. It has a swimming pool in the backyard.
WHERE IT IS: Alameda das Acácias, I, Floresta Nova
CONTACT: (81) 3619-1368, www.pousadaagulhao.com.br
RECANTO ($)
It looks like a small hotel, from the façade, with tinted windows, to the reception, but
the rooms are not so impressive, a bit cramped. Number 2 is the only one with a box bed. Triple and quadruple rooms are available.
WHERE IT IS: Rua da Consolação, 118, Vila dos Remédios
CONSUITE: (81) 3619-1236, www.pousadarecanto.com.br
Main Hotels and Pousadas in Fernando de Noronha