Nanã House

Traditional Bahia Made Modern

A stunning two-home villa complex in the secured Altos de Trancoso community, this luxurious take on Bahian architectural tradition comes fully staffed with a chef and assistant, a pair of housekeepers, a bartender, concierge and general assistant, plus round-the-clock security.

A neatly manicured tropical garden surrounds the prestige property for 12, punctuated by a generous swimming pool, sauna, outdoor shower, bar, and kitchen, and well-equipped recreation/game rooms. The home’s styling is traditional, with beamed ceilings and rich wood floors that open to the outdoors and covered lounging terraces with sofas and Adirondack chairs. The interior décor fuses regional pieces with global finds for a refined, though low-key, ambiance. The spacious pool deck has loungers and sunbeds, and there’s a stone grill/wood-fired rotisserie and an outdoor dining pavilion.

The main house is built on two levels, with four bedrooms, three downstairs (two queens; one king) and the primary suite upstairs with a king-sized bedroom, spacious tiled bath and a leafy balcony. An independent bungalow features two additional, king-sized bedrooms and a shared balcony, and both rooms have both indoor and outdoor showers in intimate gardens. The property’s bed and living rooms are airconditioned and equipped with mosquito nets. The staff purchases food and beverages based on clients’ preferences and delivers it prior to guests’ arrival, and is on hand for 24/7 support during the stay.

Around

Trancoso is located in the Bahia region of Brazil, a slightly off-the-beaten-path destination bathed by dense rainforest and surrounded by miles of beaches. The town is famed for its charming Quadrado, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, with its whitewashed wedding chapel and colorful houses surrounding the square. Once a fishing town, the town became a favored hippie destination in the late 1960s, yet today the town is more hipster than hippie, its stylish cobbled streets and candy-colored houses increasingly popular with international trendsetters.

Trancoso was originally settled by Jesuit priests in the late 1500s, and it’s still pristine and relatively undeveloped today. The nearby villages of Arraial d’Ajuda and Caralva are worth a day trip, and one of Brazil’s most beautiful beaches, Espelho, featuring remarkably warm swimming lagoons formed at low tide by the coral reefs, is easily accessible nearby. Local beaches include Praias dos Nativos, the Praia dos Coqueiros with its kaleidoscope coral reef alive with tropical fish species, and the more remote Rio Verde Beach, one the town’s/area’s quietest, with secluded sands and swaying coconut palms.

Location

Nearest airport: Porto Seguro (20 miles)

Best time to visit:

December to March

Photo credit: Bruno Pinheiro