Latest Reviews for Praia Do Forte

what can i say had a great time hotel brilliant,weather first week on off rain, second week a lot better, staff really friendly the hotel reps dan and kelly were terrific nothing to much bother,we went to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary arrived at room there was a bottle of champagne and a bowl of fruit with a note to go to customer service desk where we were given a iberostar t-shirt each.would recommend this hotel excellent, rooms big and spacious,food to suit everyone

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The holiday overall was lovely. But why are tour operators going in their autumn. We had 2 weeks but had 3 full days of rain from morning til night, several days of overcast but warm and sorry to break the bad news its only going to get worse over the next couple of month. The trips are expensive and only a few available we got there on the thursday and people who landed on saturday had very little left. Tropicana adventure excellant a full fun packed day. the guides are really good. Salvador really interesting and another packed day.Bahia by night another excellant trip with good entertainment shame about the food. We did not go to Rio it was over £800 for 2 nights bed and breakfast for 2. and we thought that money could go towards another hol, Brazil is a fantastic place and the people are friendly and dont pester when your out and about but disappointing as far as trips out. We enjoyed the experience but would not go back. Praia do forte is a lovely fishing village mainly cheap shops with tacky souvenirs

Stayed at this hotel May 2008. this hotel is first class the staff are friendly and helpful, the only downside I would say is there is a language barrier but we have been told English lessons are being given,but afterall we were in Brazil. but the staff do try to be as helpful as possible. The food is first rate in the buffet and 4 al a carte restaurants. Entertainment the first week brilliant cabaret shows the second more fun, even when we had rain the entertainment staff excelled themselves singing dancing and playing music.

Went on the Rio/Iguassu Falls/Bahia package with First Choice for a 60th birthday celebration.
Superbly organised package. Excellent flight from Manchester to Salvador, plenty of legroom in economy class. Fifteen people doing the tour from this flight.
Spent first night in Salvador. Flew to Rio on second morning, Rio is amazing, no troubles with crime etc. Stayed on Copacabana beach at the Luxor Regente Hotel. Did Sugar Loaf Mountain ourselves on the first day. Christ the Redeemer was included in package on second day, Sugar Loaf and city tour paid for extra if done with First Choice. As we had done this ourselves, we got dropped off at the Maracana Stadium and did the stadium tour.
Very cheap in Rio for drinks and food, views from the mountain and statue are amazing.
Thursday flight to Iguassu was cancelled due to bad weather at Iguassu airport, spent all day at Rio airport before being taken back for another night in Rio.

Flew to Iguassu Friday, went immediately to the Brazilian side of the falls which were in full flow - absolutely stunning, soaked to the skin!
Stayed at the Mercure Hotel in Foz de Iguassu - excellent hotel. Went to the Rafain Culture show Friday night - superb.
Everything well organised by our guide, Rodrigo Mantovani who was brilliant. We wer offered an extra night in Iguassu if we wished - 6 of us took up this offer.
Went to the Argentine side of the falls on Saturday - once again breathtaking views. Some of us went on the boat ride under the falls and got soaked again.
Sunday was a bit disappointing as it rained all day in Iguassu and the helicopter rides over the falla were cancelled, the others who travelled on Saturday managed the rides which are apparently great.
Travelled to Salvador via Rio on Sunday evening, arrived at Iberostar Bahia about 1am Monday morning.
Crashed out for a week all inclusive at this beautiful new hotel, everything included and superb facilities.

A brilliant holiday well organised, having made many good friends. Thanks to all for their company and to my wife for a marvellous birthday present!

Hotel is brand new.The recption areas, restaurants are very spacious and impressive.The staff are excellent-nothing is too much trouble and the maid service was fantastic.Any minor problems with the room were dealt with very quickly by reception and the maintenance team.The bar staff work very hard abd even though they do not speak very much english they are trying to learn.They was rarely a wait for drinks either at the bar or with waiter service.The grounds are fabulous with the main pool having daily entertainment and the quieter pool for relaxation.For anybody considering a holiday to Brazil this is a thouroughly recommended Hotel in a peaceful area.Praia de Forte is a 10 minute taxi journey away and here you will find plenty of shops bars and restaurants, although you probably wont want to eat out as the food in the Hotel is fantastic.
The one word of warning is the airport.
Once yo have gone into the departure lounge there are 2 shops, no bars and no smoking areas.They request that you go through 2 hours before your flight, but I would advise that you leave it as long as possible before going through.

My wife and I visited the Iberostar Hotel, in Praia do Forte (Bahia, Brazil)last year for my 45th birthday and i have to say it was the best holiday of my life.
The hotel was fantastic, so much more than what i had expected!
The food was amazing in all the different types of restuarants there was to choose from.
The Staff at the hotel were very friendly, although they couldnt speak much english, they tried to be as frendly as possible.
We ventured out into Brazil to explore with some of the best tours and trips i have ever encountered. (the 3 day tour to RIO is a must, must to do....) These were book through our holiday company First Choice. We were told that the hotel reception had tours we could purchase but this IS NOT recommended. They state their trips have:
*Fully insured tours
*English speaking guides
*Esorted Security Guards
Although there trips are slightly cheaper, after speakin to a few other guests within the hotel. We were informed of a couple of horror stories. Issuing the fact of not using non-english company and guides. This infact turned out to be very true and a few accidents took place with other guests from the hotel whom had book through the reception for their trips and it was later revealed that the tours they went on were not insured, no security guards were there and they didnt speak english, so all the information told was in portugese! Their holiday insurance also did not cover any of their costs or accidents because of the local company tours they went with. So its recommended that for the trips BOOK with your holiday company, for a little extra cost your safety is guarenteed and you'll have english guides with you all day.
On the whole my holiday to Brazil was one unforgettable experience!!!! I shall be returning

Spent a great 2 weeks at this hotel. It is small which I liked well maintained and friendly. It was rated a 3 star but felt more of a four star. The rooms were a good size cleaned on a daily basis with fresh linen. There was a mini bar and room to put extra items in the fridge. They provided shampoo and conditioner also. The only thing not all the rooms had balconys. The pool was a nice size with jacuzzi. The breakfast was a great buffet, plenty of fresh food in the form of juices and fruits. Then there were hot and cold food choices which changed. They had some lovelly cakes too.
There was a small selection of books that people had left and also free internet use. The staff were friendly and helpful though there english is limited but they are learning and the guy on reception in the afternoon does have a good understanding.
So I would recommend this hotel even its location is good, 5 min walk into the main pedestrian street where the many restaurants and shops are. There is also a local launderette turn right out of the hotel and then left at the end of the road.

The resort is also recommended its a small fishing village which has been symphathetically improved for tourism. It has a main pedestrainesed main street where there is a variety of restaurants and shops. Restaurants I would recommend are Sabor da Villa, Taverna Paradiso, Terra Brasil,where I had tropical shrimp served in coconut beautiful. O Europeu, Made in Bahia, Bambu, Beach House, and for sandwich in the day time and coffee Tango Cafe, these are on the main street I would also say we never had a bad meal the whole time and there are resaurants on the beach and in the Tamar Project which had lovely views and served good food. We had fish which we watched been caught thats how fresh the food was. I would also say that a lot of the restaurants the meals were for two so just need to be aware, portions were large and prices cheap between £12 and £20 for two with drinks.
The beach is lovely and when the tide went out you were left with a beautiful reef with some colourful marine life, water was warm. Lot of people went snorkling and there was some surfing.

We did My Travel trips into Salvador the night one to see local bands playing in the old quarter with a lovely meal then the day time one which took you around the historic sights of Salvador and had a beautiful meal on the beach front and both were very good with knowledgeable guides.
We were advised not to use the local buses or rent a car by the rep. So most people used taxis to get around taking them to Salvador and local areas but they weren't cheap. We did meet a couple who had hired a car and had no trouble. We used a local tourist information centre at the top of the main street near the bus stop who offered a variety of trips, canoeing, horse riding, boat trips, quad biking. They did have some English speaking people and the Thomas cook guide told us they they were going to start using them for their trips and said there health and safety and insurances were good.

We also walked to the local rain forest Reserva Sapiranga, which took about 45 minutes go past the Eco resort complex across the airfield then when you get to the red road go straight across. If you turned left here you would get to the Castle which is also worth going to see, great views. You could also go by Tutu or taxi. In the rain forest we had a guide take us round explaining explaining about the wildlife and flora, didn't see much wild life because it was daytime but very interesting and for a small amount of reals.

I would also say we took some reals with us then withdrew more using our cards from the cash points which there were several of. Rate was good about 4 reals to the pound because it was based on the US dollar. The only thing is they do seem to run out of money at the weekends so be careful the ATM by the Youth Hostel did have money though but they charge a small fee to use.

I have just spent 2 weeks (15th Oct) at the Iberostar Bahia and it has some very good points, however not 5 star. There are no optics in the room, no fluffy robes and no beach bar. However the food is excellent, rooms spacious and beach is beautiful. George the First Choice rep is there to meet you off the coach and say goodbye and that is the total of his use.

All 3 speciality restaurant were very good however I felt the resort lacked a Brazilian feel and I could have been anywhere. Typical Iberostar hotel e.g. an impressive lobby bar, windy swim up bar and spacious entertainment room. Star friends as always worked extremely hard and although they were not fluent in English they tried very hard and every day you saw improvements. Nivea, a waitress in the buffet always had a smile at morning and night. The towel sculptures were a nice touch and tips were not expected however gratefully received. Remember you are entitled to 3 speciality restaurants a week, however whilst I was there they were trying to limit it to 5 a fortnight!

The first week the hotel was quite quiet however the second week there were far more Brazilians holidaying in the hotel. This sometimes made you feel like you were wearing ";invisible powder"; as they always got served before you, although you were at the bar first.

We did the 2 day /1 night trip to Rio and were fortunate to travel we an extremely friendly group of ";Macs";. I would recommend to anyone visiting the hotel to visit Rio the statue of Christ the Redeemer is worth the early morning flight. Book with hotel and not First Choice as it is much cheaper. If you can get on the Wednesday trip this will give you the opportunity of attending a football match Wednesday evening and more time for shopping. The Saturday trip is okay but he shops do not open until 2pm on the Sunday and the Amsterdam Gem stores are not open on the Sunday. Be prepared for the weather to be changeable in Rio but don't let it spoil your stay. Beaches in Rio are just like the postcards.

The Turtle sanctuary in Praia is a must as the village offers an insight into the real Brazil. Havianas are excellent value and a must for everyone's suitcase. I was part of a group where over 50 pairs were brought back by 5 ladies, whose age ranged from 30-60, as one said ";it does matter if you are having a fat day your Havianas will always fit";.

Downside of the hotel is there is only a swim up pool bar to get a drink from and nowhere you can sit outside and have a drink. The entertainment in the evening was the same as all other Iberostar hotels and the disco is often taken over by Spanish/Brazilian and star friends playing House music, and children were allowed in the disco. This I felt was unsuitable as it didn't open to 11pm and I feel there should always be one place in the hotel that adults can let their hard down without thinking of offending children.

Don't try to compare Brazil with Cuba, Mexico, Dom Rep as it is a new tourist area and the others have been open for years. I am sure anyone who chooses it in 2007 will not be disappointed and will get excellent value for money. Expect 5 star and you may be disappointed but you will get 4*+, and who knows by 2007 it may have achieved 5*s

Finally I would like to say Hello to Vanessa, Sam, Leanne, Rob, Connor, Ann, Les, Derek and Marlene and thank them for their company and the laughs we shared between 30th Sept and 14th October. I think I speak for us all when I say ";We had a ball";. and I brought the ";bronze Adonis"; home with me (joke)

We stayed at the Iberostar Bahia for 2 weeks in August! We had an absolutely fantastic holiday!

The hotel was clean and friendly, with all the facilities you would expect to find in a 5 star hotel! The swimming pool is excellent with plenty of sunbeds. The entertainment was great, there was always something going on! You could never get board! The rooms were more like superior suites then hotel rooms! All balconys have an excellent view, and your mini bar is re stocked daily!

The food in the hotel was outstanding! They serve food contantly, you would never go hungry in this hotel, the food is served to the highest standard as well! There are an array of restaurants to choice from:-

Breakfast
* Main buffet restaurant
* Beach Snack Bar

Lunch
* Main Buffet restaurant
* Beach Snack Bar
* Steak House

Dinner
Main Buffet Restaurant
Japanese
Mediterean
Steak House

Ice cream and snacks are served all day!

Snack are served all night at the main buffet restaurant

There a great variety of food to choose from including fresh fish, salads, pizzas, pastas, steaks, chicken, pork, vegatables, fruit, cheese, you name it the hotel does it! My husband came back a stone heavier.

The bars are also fantastic, they are many bars, so getting a drink of your choice is never a problem.

The beach was absolutely breath taking it can only be described in one word 'Paradise'.

The town of Praia do forte in beautiful, with an array of shops, bars and restaurants, it also has a turtle sanctary which makes a great day out!

Brazil it self is a beatiful country filled with colour and full of culture! There is so much to do and see, two weeks isn't long enough!

The only downside is that you come home longing to go back

Although officially only a 2* hotel, the small Vila dos Corais (50 rooms) is more like a 4* boutique hotel. Furnishings are of a rustic theme with much use of local materials (";driftwood"; used for door handles etc).
The variety of food available for the breakfast buffet was truly amazing, and was continually being checked and replaced by the waiters. As this part of Brazil is relatively new to foreign tourism the knowledge of English by the hotel staff was rather hit and miss - virtually none by the waiters, but this didn't seem to matter as you could usually make yourself understood quite easily with sign language and a smile.

The hotel is situated about 2 minutes away from the main street of the village where there is a good selection of restaurants and shops selling seemingly almost nothing but T-shirts and flip-flops.
Good restaurants include the Terra Brazil, O Europeu and The Beach House, the latter two being situated opposite each other on the busiest stretch of the street (which is pedestrianised), so you can sit at your table and watch the world go by.A local speciality is a moqueca -a coconut-based ";stew"; containing prawns, crab, fish or chicken; the best prawn moqueca can be found at the Terra Brazil.
The beaches are good and relatively quiet, although at high tide can virtually disappear. Parts of the beach are particularly popular with surf-boarders.

It would, however, be a pity to come all this way and not take advantage of some of the excursions available. Not to be missed is a trip to the local capital of Salvador with a walking tour of the historical old centre and visit to a market.