UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa
Trancoso, Brazil
Vibe
Restored fishermen houses blend into leafy gardens where lantern-lit paths connect intimate open-air lounges directly to Trancoso's grassy square.
“Bahian artisan quarters”
Historic Quadrado casas restored with Pataxó crafts, traditional Bahian cooking classes, and community capoeira partnerships.
Restored fishermen cottages with upcycled truck-bed frames, branch fixtures, and a green aventurine quartz pool.
Warm Bahian guesthouse hospitality with personal hosts, private casa dining, and reserved beach lounge sofas.
Facing the historic grassy Quadrado in Trancoso, steps from local boutiques, cafes, and church.
“The UXUA casas are largely handmade by local craftspeople, and they’re open to the air, with indoor/outdoor living areas and al fresco showers.”
Rooms
Individually restored casas feature upcycled truck-bed frames, branch fixtures, al fresco tree-trunk showers, and textiles made by Pataxó artisans.
“Casas wholly deliver on today’s oft-bandied promises of ‘individually designed’ and ‘handmade’. Each casa is entirely different…”
Wellness
A lake-shaped pool paved with green aventurine quartz stones anchors the garden, beside open-air spa treatments using native almescar oil.
Backstory
Former Diesel creative director Wilbert Das partnered with local artisans in 2009 to restore historic fishermen cottages on the Quadrado.
Eat & drink
Bahian moqueca is served beside the grassy square, while the beach lounge pours fresh caipirinhas from a reclaimed wooden fishing boat.
The neighborhood
Step straight onto the historic Quadrado, a car-free green bordered by colorful colonial cottages and the iconic whitewashed São João Batista church.
More like this
UXUA Maré
“Rewilded rainforest homestead”
Secluded
Hotel Fasano Trancoso
“Tropical modernist hideaway”
Secluded
Hotel Villas de Trancoso
“Secluded Bahian retreat”
Quiet
The app
This is one hotel. The app has every one we rate, in your pocket, for the whole trip.
Our shorthand
What makes a hotel special, how well they pull it off, and what it feels like outside the door.
How well they pull it off
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
They did this well. You’ll notice.
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Architecture and interiors lead. There’s a creative vision at work.
The guest is conspicuously well cared for. Requests met before they’re made.
Rooted in place. Local character runs through the whole stay.
Energy and scene. Where the city goes out, whether or not it’s sleeping here.
A building with history. The story of the place is part of the stay.
Built around feeling better. Rest, sweat, soak, spa.
A hotel the city grew up with. Same rituals, same regulars.
A world of its own. No reason to leave the property.
Scene — what’s outside the door
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
A place apart: the property is the destination.