Sitio do Lobo

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A dreamy tropical island hideaway south of Rio de Janeiro

Sitio do Lobo enchanted us. Less than a 2-hour drive from Rio and a short speedboat ride, this is a genuine tropical island paradise with soul. Think buzzing hummingbirds, dancing butterflies, exquisite tropical flowers and delicious coco Caipirinhas. The nine bedrooms blend perfectly into the forest shore of Ilha Grande, a mountainous island of 200km² of natural park where no roads are allowed. Only recently opened to paying guests, it's been Jose Serrado’s family retreat for over 20 years. Everything has been touched by years of careful nurturing and the famed influence of Jose’s wife Julinha (she is Ronaldo’s interior designer).

From wooden verandas follow pathways to its pool, massage huts or mountain trails. Rest in the pagoda or pass by scented tangerine trees to visit the thatched play area complete with pool table, sound and vision and sofas built into giant granite boulders. There's even a volleyball pitch hidden up the hillside and kayaks that provide the most enjoyable way of travelling to some of the island's 100 unspoilt beaches. A truly special place.