Vitória Praia Hotel

I have nothing but praise for the Vitoria Praia pousada and its amazing, super-nice staff. You feel like you're part of a family, instead of a hotel, which you are, since you're in the hands of owner Ana Cristina and her husband. We came back to the hotel several times to book more nights after taking side trips around Northeast Brazil. The Vitoria became our home away from home and also for one of our friends, who stayed longer than we did, turning the patio into his computer cafe. The lobby and downstairs patio are decorated with local folk art, as are the rooms. It's all sunny and bright. We were the only non-Brazilians for the entire stay there. The upstairs breakfast and dining room is spacious and overlooks the skyline of the city. You can go out on the veranda at night to take in the city lights. There are two great restaurants across the street and the beach is six blocks away. For price, location, and people, the Vitoria gets a 10.