The hotel industry has recently been faced with a lot of new challenges and has seen a huge influx of new companies excelling in disrupting the so called hotel stay. Airbnb surely changed the way people travel and in the past few years One Fine Stay and Kid and Coe have taken a step further in luxury personalized stays without the cold and impersonal hotel setting. I haven’t personally tried out Kid and Coe but must say that our One Fine Stay experience in NYC was exceptional. A stunning brand new, tastefully decorated penthouse with outdoor area, 4 bedrooms, hotel quality bed linen and toiletries right in the heart of Tribecca with 24/7 service and assistance for our every need is hard to beat.
Right in between the luxury hotels and luxury un-hotels there’s a new market for boutique ‘hotels’ or ‘un-hotels’ where you are treated with utmost care and attention and where you truly feel welcomed as a guest at someone’s home. During our recent stay at Fazenda Santa Vitoria, in Queluz, São Paulo (bordering the state of Rio) we all felt like we were guests at the farm and our requests, likes and dislikes were carefully considered. Unlike many leading farm resorts in Brazil, Fazenda Santa Vitoria is a profitable fully functioning farm with acres and acres of land, hundreds of animals, waterfalls, horse riding, etc. The main house which now operates as a ‘hotel’ is impeccably maintained while also providing modern luxury amenities such as Trousseau bed linen and bath robes, Granado toiletries, AC and heater in every room, and king sized beds.
The farm house currently has 8 bedrooms with 2 modern chalets being built nearby. We managed to fill the house with friends and family for an extended weekend which was a real treat. Fábia, the manager, is the reason why one would never want to leave. Prior to our arrival, each family received an email requesting details on likes and dislikes, any special needs and food preference for each meal! This kind of customer service and welcome is something that you will rarely find in standard hotels. Fábia catered to our needs throughout the stay and was constantly checking on us but at the same time giving us total freedom to enjoy our stay without being ‘in our face’.
The farm is stunning, beautiful grounds, amazing organic vegetable and fruit garden, fruit trees everywhere we looked, a very relaxing swimming pool, plenty of activities for the whole family paired with superb local and organic food and the most attentive and caring service. It was a truly memorable stay and we are all looking forward to going back very soon. I would strongly recommend Fazenda Santa Vitoria for couples, small groups and families. We had small kids as well as grandparents in our group and everyone had a wonderful time. However, if you are going with small kids and not part of a group I would check if there will be other kids staying at the farm and if there will be monitors available to keep them occupied during your stay!
Fazenda Santa Vitoria is a true gem providing a genuine farm stay ‘un-hotel’ experience for the most discerning guests.
