A Casa das Portas Velhas

THE HOUSE OF OLD DOORS) has been conceived as a "boutique hotel", a new international idea of a facility with a high-design concept and a unique personality - one that attracts a sophisticated crowd with hipness rather than with grandeur. The ambience is that of a clubby luxury retreat that has been carved from a ruin, the remnants of a corner building in Salvador's historic district that has the architectural characteristics of the early nineteenth century.

Unlike traditional hotels,A Casa das Portas Velhas offers unique lodging and dining facilities in a space that is pleasingly simplistic while, at the same time, being sublimely deluxe. Relaxed and informal, the hotel is situated in one of the most celebrated squares in the historic district - Palm Square, made famous as the site of Dona Flor's home in the first filming of Jorge Amado's " Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands".

Unique to boutique hotels are the themes around which most are decorated. As the name A Casa das Portas Velhas implies - "doors", a symbol of safety, coziness, hospitality, and warmth - is the decorative focus throughout. Doors and/or objects generally associated with them are the center of the décor, as evidenced by the restored old doors that serve as headboards, as well as the old windows which frame the bathroom mirrors. Additionally, artistically interesting doors and photographs of the same are generously displayed throughout the corridors and stairwells as art pieces. The theme is also supported by door paraphernalia, such as old keys, locks, bolts, hinges, knockers, and knobs which are conspicuously exhibited throughout public spaces.

Guests who stay at are assured a uniqueA Casa das Portas Velhas , seductive, and consummate hotel experience because of its location within a rapidly expanding section of Salvador's historic district, its guarded size, its distinctive architectural features and ingenious decorations, its emphatic and unparalleled attention to detail, and its personalized service. At any price, the value of such an experience in Brazil is without parallel.

ACCOMMODATIONS: A Casa das Portas Velhas goes beyond the functional purpose of providing clean beds and baths. On the contrary, it nourishes the aspirations and desired self-image of every guest. Spatial restrictions necessitate that the hotel be small in size - only fourteen rooms or combinations thereof and one Porteiro (Doorman) Suite. Yet each apartment has qualities and amenities like any five-star hotel: centralized air-conditioning, imaginatively stocked fringo-bars, anti-allergic pillows , fire detectors and alarm system, a centralized water heating system, cable television and DVD's, bedside access to the internet, ceiling fans, lush anti-allergic carpets, a centralized sound system, personalized security safes, gratuitous hygienic toiletries, monogrammed robes, slippers, and bed linen, room service, a modern security system - all contributing to the charm of this adorable haven.

RESTAURANT: Accented with a performance space for live music, the hotel's garden restaurant - ALDRAVA (DOORKNOCKER) - is as enticing and alluring as the hotel's overall cachet. The menu, to be sure, is international, and the experience in fine dining is one offered by only a few elite eateries in Salvador.

BAR:   CAPACHINO (an allusion to doormats) is the hotel's charming "watering hole", where guests can enjoy their favorite midday snacks and appease their hankering for libations around the clock. The atmosphere is comfortable and cozy by day and glamorous and whimsical at night.

BUSINESS CENTER: A DOBRADIÇA (THE HINGE) is the cerebral center and international network of the hotel. It is here where most business and communication activities occur, which might include settling accounts, sending and receiving e-mails and faxes, and making photocopies. For those traveling without their personal computers, laptops, or notebooks, free access to the Internet is available from this locale.

RECREATIONAL CENTER: CAIXILHO (DOORFRAME) is the hotel's attempt at keeping its clientele mentally and physically relaxed while they explore the historical and cultural uniqueness of Salvador. We have an eight-person Jacuzzi and a deluxe massage table manned by a formidable international masseur.

GIFT SHOP: A BELA SOLEIRA (A BEAUTIFUL THRESHOLD) is a shopper's dream atelier where one finds some of Brazil's most treasured resources - cut gemstones and natural wooden art objects. The gift shop offers a mélange of special jewelry and art wear, as well as paintings, sculptures, and crafts produced by some of Brazil's most talented designers and artisans.