Ponta dos Ganchos

Rooms

There are 25 wood and stone cabanas scattered over the side of the hill, all with private wine cellars and imperious views of Ganchos Bay and the Emerald Coast. The smallest Villa Anhatomirim rooms are still enormous and come with open fires in the sitting rooms, walk-in wardrobes, excellent bathrooms with showers (but no bathtubs) and walls of glass that open onto huge decked balconies, all of which look out to sea.

You may well wonder what more you get if you slide up the price scale. The simple answer is more space, private Jacuzzis and private dry saunas. Sissial have private plunge pools; the Tingua villas also get small private sea-water pools and gardens, as well as 2 showers; Costa Esmeralda have Jacuzzis with sea views while Villa Ponta dos Ganchos, the grandest of the lot, has its own fitness centre and massage room.

The décor in all is simple and uncluttered: big beds, fine Egyptian cotton, neutral colours, comfy sofas and oodles of light; or in 2 words: absolute luxury.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Central heating
• Fan
• Fireplace
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Radio
• Safe box
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

You can eat whenever you like; a complimentary buffet breakfast is served all day and they’ll bring it to your cabana, or you can drop down to the lounge. Predictably it’s a feast: fruits from the jungle, yoghurts and juices, cereals, cakes and homemade breads. There are croissants and rolls, waffles and toast, and eggs anyway you want them. If that’s not enough, there are 9 different cheeses and a selection of hams and salami. Don’t expect to go hungry.

The beachside restaurant serves à la carte lunches and dinners, with different menus each day. Lunch is informal, dinner is more of a spectacle. You get lots from the water - prawns, oysters, mussels, fresh fish. To give you an idea, here’s a taster, 3 of each course plucked from various menus; starters: baby squid with marinated tomato salad, oysters in lemon sauce or fois gras with fruit chutney; main courses: fillet steak with mustard and cognac sauce, asparagus risotto or grilled chicken breast with orange, ginger and shitake mushrooms; puddings: hot chocolate pie, strawberry soup or basil ice cream. If you want, you can dine in romantic splendour on a private table on the beach, or on one of the islands that's accessed by a pier. There’s only 1 table (with a dedicated waiter, décor and music provided) so you get the island to yourself. There’s an extensive wine list, too.

During the quieter winter months (June/July), the hotel often hosts gastronomic weekends with some of South America's finest chefs.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Coffee maker
• Restaurant
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• If you want to stay put, you can swim from the beach in clear blue water; the tiny islands shelter you from the ocean beyond and turn this drop of sea into a private lagoon. There's an indoor pool for the cooler months (June-September)
  
• Flippers, masks and snorkels are all provided, so you can explore the bay, and strike out further with canoes and sailing dinghies
  
• A plethora of keep-fit facilities are on offer - a gym, a pool, a tennis court, volleyball and a jogging track
  
• Play a game of chess or pot a few balls on the snooker table
  
• There’s also a small cinema with a large screen (as in an English pub). The ultra-comfortable armchairs make this a kingly place to watch a movie, so ask at reception and they’ll pop one on (you can choose), or come for the World Cup, Wimbledon, the Masters or a Grand Prix
  
• Take boat trips (at extra cost) up the coast to the Arvoredo Marine Reserve for some of the best diving off the Brazilian coast, or to Anhatomirim for dolphin spotting
  
• Enjoy a massage and Jacuzzi
  
• During the winter season (July to October) excursions to Imbituba/Praia do Rosa to see southern right whales can be arranged on request - it takes 2 hours to drive there

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Pool table
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Scuba diving courses
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Tennis coaching
• Trekking
• Whale watching

Kids

Only guests over the age of 18 are accepted.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Ponta dos Ganchos is situated in Governador Celso Ramos, a fishing village on the coast of Santa Catarina state, in the south of Brazil. It's 45km north of Florianópolis, 650km from São Paulo and 1100km from Rio de Janiero.

By Air:
Florianopolis Hercílio Luz Airport (64km) is the nearest airport and is served by several domestic carriers from Rio and Sao Paulo.

From the Airport
Guests can be met in Florianópolis and driven to the hotel by bilingual drivers. Helicopter transfers can also be arranged (see Rates).

By Car:
If you want to hire a car please see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.