Abracadabra

Laid-back, cheap and chic pousada within arms reach of all the best bits of Búzios

Perched on a hillside overlooking the main bay of Búzios, the Abracadabra is in the perfect spot for the indecisive. If you’re there for the shops, restaurants and bars, you're only a short stroll away from the heart of it all. If it’s seclusion you’re after, just find yourself a quiet corner and spend the day with a good book, as the world goes by below you.

Abracadabra is the baby sister to the successful Pousada Casas Brancas just down the road - she's a little less pricey and a little more basic, but with the same magic touch from glamorous Argentine owner Amalia de la Maria she's proving just as popular as her sibling. Everything is geared towards helping you relax - from the airy rooms to the gentle sound of the staff’s flip-flops. Rooms are dotted around the gardens and pool area and the feel is chilled and cosy - perfect for unwinding and getting into Brazilian time. Leaving, of course, plenty of time to discover a different beach every day and a new restaurant every night - a task the ebullient town of Búzios lives up to admirably.

Highs

• Great central location, hovering on the hillside overlooking the main bay
• Chic without being too try hard - the laid-back tone of the place is set by the friendly management, who are on hand when you need them and ready to let you into all of Búzios’ secrets
• Great value for money - less pricey than some Búzios hotels, but still offering lots of style

Lows

• Búzios is a party place for much of the year so expect the sound of drinking and dancing to travel your way late into the night
• There’s no full time restaurant in the hotel itself - just breakfast and poolside snacks - but dinner is available in the sister hotel a few doors along