Hotel Fazenda Dona Carolina

Ranked as a top hotel in a very exclusive historic setting, Dona Carolina has seen better days. The buildings and surrounding landscapes are beautiful. Staff is friendly and very helpful. Restaurants are buffet style, quality of food is excellent. Only minus is the hotel was packed with families and we had to eat all meals surrounded by dozens of very young children running around the tables plauing and shouting... Our room was of good size. Bed, Linnen and pillows were good. The bathroom has aged and the shower was weak. Towels were old and fraying. Electricity outlets from last century... We did not use the pool since it is not heated. Nice hotel. For families with young children. Very expensive for what it is.

I am not sure how to put into words our experience at Hotel Fazenda Dona Carolina. It was… breathtaking. Almost 200 acres of beautiful grounds with a lake, hiking trails, kayaks, ziplines, and incredible food. When we arrived on an early Friday afternoon, our room wasn’t ready, but they made sure that we were able to take advantage of the grounds and the food offerings. Once we got our room, we were charmed by the beautiful room and the view of the Brazilian countryside. While we were there, we spent a lot of time at the pool. It’s a large pool and it’s heated, so even though the temperatures were between 70 and 82, we were always comfortable in the pool. Their poolside service was also amazing. Everyone was so accommodating, even though we didn’t speak Portuguese and very few of the staff spoke English. It was actually fun when I would use my translate app and they would help me pronounce words I didn’t know. The rooms were immaculate. The property was stunning. We had the opportunity to hike several miles around the property without having to leave it. And the food. Can I talk about the food? Every meal had an amazing spread of local dishes, breads, cheeses, and on the weekend - rotisserie meats like carne asada and sausage. This is a family-friendly resort, and even though my husband and I were on an early 25th Anniversary trip without our four (adult) kids, we loved seeing all the families enjoying their time together. It reminded us of when our kids were small and made us very happy. The kindness and patience of the entire staff made this a memorable stay. At some point, we plan to come back and maybe share this with our children and grandchildren. Thank you to the entire Dona Carolina team!