Matueté Blog

Archive for July de 2012

Private Villa Holidays
25 de July de 2012

:: *Beach @en | By Matueté @en

Brazil is home to some of the most spectacular beaches in the world. Some of them have good hotels around, but others are so exclusive that have only private properties. We have specialized ourselves in producing seamless experiences in the most spectacular privately owned villas located in different areas of the country´s 7.000 kilometre coastline.

Very often the villas are owned by clients of ours, so you will be guests at our friends´ homes. To guarantee your comfort, every villa has a host that acts as a personal concierge during your stay, supervising the staff, coordinating shopping, planning day trips and nights in town for you, minimizing the frustrations you could have in places where you do not know the region and cannot communicate fully in Portuguese.

Angra dos Reis is one of the regions where we have the most amazing villas, and its proximity to Rio makes it an ideal destination for quick escapades from the city. It is a haven for sea-lovers who appreciate privacy and boats, with its bay of emerald-green waters that clad with islands surrounded by rainforest-covered hills. Angra is definitely one of the trendiest and most striking spots on the southeast coast of Brazil, and your experience here can be as intense or laid back as you choose it to be. Also the setting for memorable summer parties in private homes, quaint island restaurants and bars, it represents the perfect balance between a happening destination and a private hideaway.

We have many villas in the region, but there is a special one on Gipóia Island that we love – it spent some time out of our portfolio, but it is back, completely redecorated and with an excellent staff. The house has 6 bedrooms apart from the master suite and sleeps up to 16 guests and has many charming indoor and outdoor social areas, what makes it an excellent option for a family or a group of friend holidays. In addition to the villa, guests will have kayaks, a banana boat and small boats with its crew available for use. To have a better idea, take a look at these pictures.

Our private villas can also be rented for New Year’s, but their minimum stay goes up from one week to 10 days. If you wish for a shorter rental, a good idea is to rent it a little before Christmas, so minimum stay is shorter and prices aren´t as inflated also.

For more information about our Villas, contact us or check our website!

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The Tapajós Experience

:: Brazil - North Region @en | By Matueté @en | Nature @en

One of the most desired destinations in Brazil, the Amazon, is entering its prime season as of August until the beginning of January. It is unveiling its white sandy beaches that were submerged by the large amount of rain that caused some trouble in the region this year during the months of May and June with records of high water level and flooded lands.

Of course there are many ways to discover the jungle, but one of our favourites is navigating through the blue waters of the Tapajós River that was once described by the French explorer Jaques Cousteau as the Caribbean of the Amazon, due to its amazing beaches and rare crystal clear waters.

We love this destination not only for its natural beauty, but also because it is still undiscovered by mass tourism and we have a very charming regional boat that gives the travelers the opportunity to reach distant and secluded places. The boat is equipped with a professional crew, cooking and cleaning staff, a local guide and a host that will be at your disposal to guarantee the perfect travel experience. A private chef that knows all about the Amazon cuisine can also be included to complete your cultural experience.

The Amazon is not known to be a new year’s destination, what makes it an excellent cost-benefit at that time of the year, since prices are not inflated as in other Brazilian destinations.

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1st Call for New Years
23 de July de 2012

:: *Beach @en | Culture & History @en

Time has come to start planning your New Year’s holidays, and Brazil holds the reputation of being one of the greatest places in the world to celebrate it! And that is because this is not only one of our main holidays but it has a mystic symbolism that is contagious. And of course, it is undeniably an unforgettable party time in the country!

Brazilian New Year is characterized as the icon of new hope, fresh beginning and total renewal. Traditions are to everybody dress in white, the color of peace, and by the sea people give offerings, like flowers, to honor the Queen of the Sea Yemanja. And that is why for this date you must choose a beach destination. Rio is a must for anyone who wants to start the forthcoming year with style and company, but for those willing to a more relaxed environment, there are some great beach hotels in the northeast region that can be a good choice.

Rio is the number 1 choice due to the Copacabana huge party that attracts over 2 million people every year. At midnight, with the turning of the year, the fireworks display begins and lasts for about 20 minutes. Spectators on the beach and in the buildings along the Copacabana ocean avenue have different views to the spectacle, but share the same exciting atmosphere and cheerful spirit that only Rio knows how to provide.

And you are lucky that Brazilians are always late on planning… the best beach front hotel rooms are still available. Just remember that for this period of the year, there is a minimum stay of 4 to 6 nights minimum in all of them and prices are significantly higher than on regular season.

If you want to have a taste of new years in Brazil, but somewhere less busy you can chose between some of the beautiful beach resorts we recommend in the northeast. You will have the same mystic traditions, and will be able to enjoy the perfect weather of the region. Usually they have a longer minimum stay, but trust us – you will want to stay that long anyways.

Wherever you choose to go, this will be a once in a lifetime experience. Count on us to help you organize the perfect experience for you – as it is a busy season with many restrictions imposed by the hotels, it is important to plan smartly!

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Tourism in Brazil: Just a Couple of Lucky Breaks Before the Big Wipe-Out?
11 de July de 2012

:: Hospitality @en

Have you ever thought about coming to Brazil, but went somewhere else because you had safety concerns? Brazilian tourism industry is not yet as developed as the European or North American, but despite some flaws such as deficient services for foreigners and much higher prices than its neighbors, on the past few years security issues have dropped significantly and are no longer a major concern for the tourists.

This article from Marcopolis.net, on which Matueté´s partners Bobby Betenson and Martin Frankenberg participated, gives some insights on what we have improved so far and what needs to be improved to host major events such as The World Cup and the Olympic Games. Read more +

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TOP 5: New generation Brazilian Singers
6 de July de 2012

:: Culture & History @en | Top 5 @en | Uncategorized @en

We are not only known by our beautiful beaches and pristine nature. Brazilian culture is very rich and so is our music. We have many different rhythms, and all around the country you will hear something new.

In the last few years some great female singers emerged in the country influenced by this musical diversity and also by some external references. This top 5 list brings some of the best – their beautiful voices and rhythms will give a Brazilian touch to your playlist.

CÉU – born in São Paulo, she is one of the great breakthrough artists of the decade. Inspired by Samba, Jazz and Hip-Hop, her first CD was launched in 2005 and was a big success. It was a nominee for the 2006 Latin Grammy Awards and was ranked as a “Heatseeker” for Billboard Magazine.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDxTLUmsR-s[/youtube]

ROBERTA SÁ –  born in the Northeast region of the country but moved to Rio when she was still a child. With 5 recorded albums, Roberta is one of the most well-known singers from the new generation, with plenty of great hits. Her sweet voice is influenced by Samba and other Brazilian rhythms.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kv2uX8NSRU[/youtube]

KARINA BUHR – she is not only a great voice but a talented song-writer as well. Born in Bahia but raised in Recife, she lived all the musical effervescence of the region and was highly influenced by the Maracatu and other northeastern rhythms.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozGeZOqSATI[/youtube]

CIBELLE – a multi-media performance artist born in São Paulo and influenced by Bossa Nova, Neofolk and Electronic music. Not only well-known here in Brazil, but all over Europe, where she resides nowadays.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0A73IEtM5I[/youtube]

MART’NALIA – daughter of the great sambista Martinho da Vila, Mart’nália is the new name of Samba. Her father’s musical influence, together with her authentic voice, made her a big success here in Brazil.  [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXd7drlYr-s[/youtube]

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Brazilian athletics jumping up high to the Olympics!
4 de July de 2012

:: Culture & History @en | Insider @en

We can´t wait until the London Olympic Games start! We have plenty of favorites for medals, and Fabiana Murer, Brazil´s greatest pole vaulter ever, is one of our bests! She didn´t have much luck on the last Olympic Games, but since then she has been getting better and better. Fabiana won the gold medal on the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, but even holding the title of best pole vaulter of the world she remains very down to earth when asked about her expectations for London 2012– “I want to get to the finals and work hard for the gold medal, but for me there´s no “gold or nothing”, I want gold, silver, bronze…”

We´ll keep our fingers crossed!

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