Anima Hotel

The nine-cottaged Anima Hotel is on the island of Tinharé, a two hour boat ride away (or twenty minute air taxi) from Salvador. In complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of Salvador, Tinhare is a top spot in which to chill out for a few days. This is a beautifully quiet and laidback location set alongside a huge, palm-fringed beach of Praia do Encanto is arguably Morro's best.

Anima Hotel is a small and simple set-up. There's an open, airy, low-slung main building containing the reception, kitchen, dining room and sitting area-cum-library with a few books, games, changing art exhibits and a collection of 200 DVDs to borrow for your room. Next to that there is an attractive pool and deck with plenty of loungers on which to soak up the sun.

The cottages are spaced well apart to ensure privacy and set back from the main building along a pathway through woods. Food is a real highlight with a delicious fusion of Brazilian, French, Asian and Italian concepts. And best of all, while Anima's location is very secluded, there's a regular shuttle into Morro de São Paulo, which, in season really hums with late night DJ parties on the beach.

"The Anima is a collection of nine environmentally sensitive bungalows outside Morro de Sao Paulo, on the island of Tinhare. (It's two hours by boat from Salvador de Bahia.) Each has a private outdoor shower; four have decks with hot tubs. The resort is on 15 acres of forest, and there's a shuttle into the village (free until 10 pm), when the isolation-and the 88-yard-long beach-simply become too much."

50 Utterly Charming Hotels around US$100, Budget Travel Magazine, December 2006