I couldn't agree more. If you open a good pousada in the north east of Brazil you may well be able to attract visitors from the northern hemisphere,tropical climate,great beaches ,year round sun ,relatively short and sometimes direct flights etc.The south is a different proposition.If I had a pound for every time I had heard plans of attracting travelers from Europe or the States down here, that didn't work out I would have at least 3 pounds!
I'm not trying to say it wold be impossible , but it would be a big risk. A risk,if I were bringing up a family, I would be reluctant to take.

Gringo.Floripa .... Not bad for a boy from small town Georgia.

Originally posted by praia gato Gringo.Floripa .... Not bad for a boy from small town Georgia.

Who you callin' "boy"?!? 


@Scott:  I would be leery of any pousadas you find on-line for sale!  There's been discussion in other threads how in addition to the normal concerns one would have pertaining to documentation of the actual property, you'd also need to research (well!) the labor history of the establishment.  As the new owner, you could find yourself liable for pending labor disputes.  IMO, best to set up your own pousada from scratch....

EDIT:  Regarding health and safety laws, they obviously apply.  However, some localities/regions might be more 'to the letter of the law' than others.  I think another consideration is to be aware of the political bent of where you intend to set up residence.  The present party in power, the PT has very little sway and influence in the south, yet they rule with an iron fist in the NE and in Rio.  Just sayin'....





Edited by Gringo.Floripa - 20 April 2012 at 15:48

You want some real advice? Don't come.

Originally posted by sb8enzo8 I am really grateful for the responses I have received. Thanks you. Do any of you know "legit" sites that sell pousadas. I have had a look on-line but to be honest I am still seeing the same ones on the site I have seen a year ago. So not 100% they get updated. How is Health & Safety laws there? If it is anything like here in the UK then it will be a nightmare. I read today that they had to break down a sandcastle (big one, 4days to build, professionally done) on the beach because if it toppled on a child they would die and they didn't want to spend money on a 24hr security guard :/

Scott - How's the plans coming along?

I found the same thing when buying Sitios, thinking 'surely this cannot still be for sale?' and the answer was generally that they were. The Sitio I bought had been on the market for 4 years, and finally sold at less than half of what they were originally asking. Plenty of Sitio's I was looking at 2 years ago are still on the market, and others, when you come to ask the agent about them have been withdrawn from the market, or might not sell - often because of lack of paperwork, or some family dispute or other.

Have a look here for some ready made Pousadas in Paraty for example Paraty Imoveisand this one here Estancia Imoveiswhich always has a large list - I did cross reference one or two a year or so ago, and found some of the properties for sale with other agents, suggesting they are genuine. I never looked into this much more than browsing, as being from a hotel background, it idled away some time on the internet.

BTW - Marriott is opening some of their Autograph Collection hotels in the South of Brazil next year, and has one already in RS, near to Caxias do Sul. Other than that, I haven't heard of any full-service MI properties opening, and I suspect they wont - it's just too complex here, as hotels are often owned by groups of investors rather than one owner, so managing franchises and maintaining brand standards is a nightmare.

Health & Safety? It's not that high on most people's agenda here from what I see, although we do have an appointed H&S person in our office which is a requirement, who is supposed to do Risk Analysis reports etc, but it seems much more of a box ticking exercise than something encouraged and actively used.