Casa Turquesa is the small hotel most couples shortlist in Paraty. It is a maison d'hôtes, a guesthouse in the French sense, set in a restored townhouse on Rua Doutor Pereira in the colonial historic center. Behind the colonial facade are about ten suites, each named for a color, plus a courtyard with a pool. The house belongs to several respected travel networks, including the Brazilian Luxury Travel Association and HIP Hotels and guides list a minimum guest age of 14, so the mood is calm and grown-up.
Its strength is the combination of privacy and position. You step out onto car-free cobblestones lined with churches, galleries and restaurants, then retreat to a quiet house where staff know your name. The house also organizes the things Paraty does best: days on the bay in a traditional wooden boat, canoeing in the Saco do Mamanguá inlet, diving and paddle sports.
Rates for two often start around $390 a night. It suits couples who want a town-based honeymoon with dinners on foot and one or two days at sea. It suits less well couples who want a beach on the doorstep or a large resort pool.
Highlights at a glance
- About ten color-named suites in a restored townhouse
- Car-free historic center on the doorstep
- Courtyard pool for hot afternoons
- Private trips on traditional wooden boats
- Canoe and kayak days in the Saco do Mamanguá
Why Couples Love Casa Turquesa
Paraty's historic center is one of the best-preserved colonial towns in Brazil, part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing with Ilha Grande. The streets are closed to cars, the houses are whitewashed with bright doors and window frames and at high tide the sea sometimes washes into the lower lanes. Living inside that, rather than driving in for an evening, changes the trip.
Casa Turquesa makes the most of it. With only about ten suites, the house feels like a private home and the team has the time to learn your plans and preferences. The minimum age listed by guides keeps it quiet.
The house also takes design seriously. Its own description promises suites that are refined, cozy and a little lavish and the color-themed rooms give each stay its own personality. It is a place to come back to in the afternoon, swim, nap and head out again for dinner.
Suites to Book
The house groups its suites into three categories, each named by color.
- Suíte Luxo: Turquesa, Amarela, Pink and Verde. The entry suites, comfortable for a few nights.
- Suíte Master: Vermelha, Marrom and a Verde Master with two bathrooms. More space for a longer stay.
- Suíte Master with jetted tub: Branca and Royal. The top suites and the pick for a honeymoon.
For a special occasion, book Branca or Royal and ask which has the best light or outlook on your dates. The Verde Master with two bathrooms is a practical choice if you both like to get ready at the same time.
With so few suites, the best ones go early for long weekends, the July school holidays, the New Year and festival dates such as the literary festival. Book direct through the house or its booking engine and ask about any honeymoon touches.
Food, Drink and Downtime
Breakfast is served at the house and you will want a slow one before a day on the water. The courtyard pool is small but welcome on hot afternoons and the house is set up for lounging rather than for big dinners.
That is the right balance in Paraty, where the restaurants are part of the reason to come. Within a few minutes' walk you have seafood places, contemporary Brazilian kitchens and bars serving the local cachaça, which has been distilled in the hills behind town for centuries. A tasting at one of the nearby distilleries makes a good half-day.
The house can recommend and book tables and its team keeps track of the town's cultural calendar, which includes jazz, literature and photography festivals through the year. On festival nights the streets fill with music, so plan dinner reservations early.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
The bay is the main event. Casa Turquesa offers trips on traditional baleeiras, the colorful wooden boats used by local fishermen and on faster speedboats for longer runs between islands and beaches. A private boat day lets you swim off quiet beaches and eat lunch with your toes in the water.
The Saco do Mamanguá is the outing couples talk about afterward: a long fjord-like inlet lined with mangroves and some 33 beaches, best explored by canoe or kayak. Stand-up paddleboarding and diving are also on the menu.
On land, walk the historic center early in the morning before day-trippers arrive, visit the churches and galleries and head to Trindade for its beaches and natural rock pool. The waterfalls in the hills toward Cunha make a good cool-off on hot days. Wear flat shoes with grip; the cobblestones are uneven and slick when wet.
Getting There
Paraty is about 250 kilometers from Rio de Janeiro along the Rio–Santos highway (BR-101), a drive of roughly 4 to 5 hours from Rio de Janeiro/Galeão (GIG) depending on traffic. From São Paulo it is similar, via Cunha or along the coast.
The house has no parking and the historic center is closed to cars, so a transfer is the easiest choice. Casa Turquesa can arrange one; ask when you book. If you rent a car, use a paid lot at the edge of the old town and walk in with your bags, which is easier with soft luggage than with hard cases on cobblestones.
Paraty is humid and rainy at times. Mosquitoes are present, especially near the mangroves, so bring repellent. Dengue occurs in this region, so if you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices.
Is It Worth It?
For a town-based honeymoon, yes. Rates for two typically start around $390 a night and rise for the Master suites and on festival and holiday dates. That buys a calm, small house in the best possible location, with staff who can organize the bay days that make Paraty memorable.
The limits are worth stating. There is no beach at the door, the pool is a courtyard pool rather than a resort pool and there is no parking. If you want to wake up beside the sea and see few people, look at the boat-access pousadas on the bay or in Mamanguá and consider splitting your stay: a few nights in town, then a few by the water.
Couples who love walking out to dinner, browsing galleries and spending days on a boat will find Casa Turquesa an easy choice.
Insider tips
- Book Branca or Royal for the jetted tub; they are the top suites.
- Pack soft luggage, since the house has no parking and the old streets are car-free.
- Ask the team to book a private baleeira early in your stay so you can repeat it if the weather turns.
- Check the town's festival calendar before you book; it changes both the mood and the prices.
