Our last trip to Brazil this season from Dec23/Jan24 was to Búzios, in the Lakes Region of Rio de Janeiro State. We managed to get Celo's family to go en masse and also my best friend to go with her family, so it was a very special trip!
The year before we went to Búzios with our families, but we stayed on Ferradura beach in a very nice resort – read about that trip here. This year it was our turn to rent a house and spend more time together. Yeyyy!
Hosting
I booked a house in Booking many months in advance with the possibility of free cancellation, because you never know what tomorrow will bring, right? Fortunately, everyone who was invited was able to go and we ended up making a delicious mess during the week we were together.
The house I chose was G´Alvês Residence, because it looks very welcoming in the photos without being stuck up, you know? Click here for more details. The price was OK for 6 days in January (16 thousand reais) and it had everything I wanted for this stay: pool, garden, barbecue, 7 bedrooms/bathrooms and it was within walking distance to an excellent beach (Geribá) with the kids. What could be better?
We hired the maid and chambermaid recommended by the owner of the house, and we had a great time without having to worry too much about cooking or washing dishes. We enjoyed the beach, the pool and the barbecue so much that at night we didn't have much energy to walk around the famous Rua das Pedras. We went there one night just for the record and had dinner at Chez Michou, but otherwise it was beach-home & home-beach.
We had some issues with our stay and I explained everything to the owner via WhatsApp and Booking as well, but overall, I recommend the house to families and friends. I think it’s important to point out that it’s not a luxurious house and that it’s just starting out as a vacation home, so you may also find some details that might bother you. Still, believe me, it’s worth it…
Location of the house
The house is very well located on Geribá beach, which is one of the most famous beaches in Búzios and, in my humble opinion, one of the best too. The beach is quite spacious, has several stalls that offer snacks and drinks, and the waves are good-sized, even for those with small children. It has a considerable amount of sand, which is ideal for those who like to go for walks or play beach tennis, altinha or build a little castle with the kids.
We stayed in a different tent each day, and on the days we ate food, we didn’t have to pay for chairs and umbrellas. On the days we only had drinks, we paid approximately 10 euros per chair and 30 euros for each umbrella. It’s expensive when we have to pay every day, but our cars were so full from Rio to Búzios that no one could bring enough big umbrellas for everyone. There was no way around it…
Making market
If I could go back in time and change a few things in our planning, I would definitely do the whole grocery shopping in Búzios and not bring anything from Rio so that I could travel more comfortably in the car. The city is full of good grocery options and boutique meat shops, so I think it would be pretty hard not to find something there.
Restaurants visited
As I said above, we spent most of our time at the house and on the beach, and since we had a maid, we didn't eat out at restaurants very often. The only exceptions were a dinner at At Michou, a super famous and delicious creperie that has always been the young people's hangout on Rua das Pedras, and our farewell lunch on the day we returned to Rio at the traditional, delicious and expensive Gisele. Be prepared for a shrimp moqueca for 2 people for 270 reais! lol!
Our (few) photos
