Asalem

Sad experience. Not to be recommended. Hotel is run down with old and sinking-in mattress, cold shower, closed bar and broken sun beds. Service is also of a low level with little interest in you as a guest. Don’t expect real value for your money.

This place describes itself as rustic or authentic. I’m afraid this is no more than an excuse to be hugely rundown. Our trip was marred by poor weather and this of course is nothing to do with the hotel. What can be lain at the door or the hotel is the state of the place; ancient pillows, two of our four were some old they had formed clumps like cotton balls throughout the pillow. Everything, pillows, towels, throws was dirty and more than that they smelled. The light switches were filthy as were the tiles in the bathroom and the glass shower screen. We paid nearly £200 (pounds, GBP) a night and honestly I cried at the hovel it was. The is not a comfortable chair in the entire establishment. The loo for guests was in within spitting distance of the kitchen where all of the food was prepared. The staff were fine; polite, but no more. I sent WhatsApp’s asking to book a massage and received a reply so late it was impossible to book for that day. I asked for help with the fridge that didn’t work and by the time I had a response I had to ask them to come the following day because it was by then too late for them to come to the room, we had gone to bed. I have left now and there is no benefit to me in writing this negative review, I can’t get a discount, I can’t get a refund and there’s no compensation drink or anything of the sort- the only reason to write this review is the hope that someone doesn’t have the same miserable time I had a this place. Please go somewhere else.

If your looking for a place where time is irrelevant and you just want to turn off your phone, and relax. This is the place!!! From start to finish our stay was peaceful, picturesque and beautiful. We received a warm welcome. The room was amazing. This place really is as good as it looks in the pictures. Better even. Happy hour cocktails were great. Breakfast and dinner is all prepared and cooked by the owner, which gives it a real quaint feel. Also tastes great. We will certainly be back.

Arrival at the Asalem by boat was like ‚time to calm down, forget about work and relax‘. During the day the bay ist quite busy, the Asalem is located just perfect. Close enough to Vila do Abraão to enjoy restaurants and the little shops, far enough from the main tourist spots to have a quiet night. My husband likes to swim long distance, so we made a 15 minutes morning hike to the Praia de Abrãaozinho. Perfect start into the new day (We brought lightweight hiking shoes, locals use Havaianas or go barefoot. Other guests recommended a restaurant at the end of this beach, unfortunately we had no time to go there, stayed only 3 days on the island). You can also jump into the water right from the pousada‘s pier. Afterwards ‚breakfast with a view‘, makes it hard to get up and explore this wonderful island. If you visit the Ilha Grande to hike: The trail to Lopes Mendes Beach is right behind the Asalem. We enjoyed tasty dinners, Yoga in the morning (at the pier, no class) and a wonderful therapeutic passage at the terrace. To chat with employees and the owner was the icing on the cake of a great holiday stay.