UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa, Trancoso, Bahia, Brazil

WHEN Dutch designer Wilbert Das first arrived in Trancoso, back in 2004, he was desperate to find some time out from the rat race. He found it in Trancoso, a fisherman’s village on the edge of an impossibly pretty section of Atlantic coastline.

Mr Das soon wanted to share his love of Trancoso with other travellers. In 2006, UXUA Casa Hotel opened, occupying 11 of the village’s original candy-coloured fisherman’s houses.

Life at UXUA revolves around the sparkling swimming pool. It’s lined with thousands of aventurine quartz stones, framed by swaying banana trees and lilac orchids and home to flame-hued birds of paradise. Going for a swim is like cooling off in a natural rainforest pond.

The nearby spa shares this tropical vibe and the tree-house treatment room uses locally sourced cacao, fresh coconut oil and restorative almescar oils. The Casas— some dotted around the pool—have alfresco showers, constructed out of hollow tree trunks, reclaimed-wood furniture and vibrant folk art. One-off pieces—including hand-woven rugs and lampshades—are strewn throughout the hotel and the result of collaborations with local artists.

The best bit? If you fall in love with the indigo throw on the end of your bed, it’s most likely a part of the UXUA Casa collection, a selection of homeware items available to buy and take home.

Brazil was ‘officially discovered’ in 1500, by Portuguese explorers, who landed on the neighbouring beach. It’s still gloriously unspoiled, but the UXUA Praia bar probably wasn’t around all those years ago. Made out of a repurposed fishing boat, the bar serves the best passion-fruit caipirinhas in town.

There’s horse-riding, surfing, yoga or capoeira, a Brazilian martial art, to try, but the charm here is just how laid back it all is. At night, the quadrado (square) comes alive with visitors and locals alike strutting their stuff. Don’t be surprised if you spot Leonardo Dicaprio or Naomi Campbell, both fans, sitting at one of the alfresco tables.

Soak up the magic at UXUA’S Quadrado restaurant. Sit under a lantern-strewn jackfruit tree and order a traditional moqueca baiana fish stew. It’s fantastically rustic and there’s nowhere else quite like it. Angelina Villa Rates from US$410 (about £315) per night, based on two people sharing, including breakfast, taxes and fees (00 55 73 3668 2277; www.uxua.com). TAP Portugal flies daily from London City, Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester to Salvador, via Lisbon, from £665 for a return flight, including all taxes (0345 601 0932; www.flytap.com)