Ponta dos Ganchos : a treat in heaven
exclusive resort Ponta dos Ganchos relais et chateaux santa catarina Virtuoso
by Antonella KannYou would need to split your day hourly in 24 and keep a watch on time if you´d have to linger over every little bit of Ponta dos Ganchos. And I am serious: this hotel, tucked high up at the far end of a fisherman village called Ganchos, less than an hour from Florianópolis´airport, is a tiny sample of what paradise should look like. Even more: it´s how you´d probably expect to be treated once in heaven.
Besides being a rich relaxation experience, you´ll feel impossibly pampered from the moment you set foot in this gorgeous setting, surrounded by private luxurious suites which feature… – don´t try to guess, as I´ll tell you soon enough. With a tag of Relais & Chateaux, and a Virtuoso label, nothing is best than the best for the guest.
So, the Ponta dos Ganchos was the place I elected as the best to celebrate, erh, our 32 years of togetherness. It really deserved to be special. But nothing could prepare us for being treated like celebrities in this stylish environment .
The place is, you´ve guessed right, an exclusive retreat, with a dashing assemblage of scenic views – our suite had the most amazing one cascading into the sea, dotted with colored fishermen´s personal nets – high end gastronomy – Chef Laurent Suadeau is one of the consultants - and the best equipped accommodations ever.
We had, in approximately 230sq meters, nothing less than a king size bed, a private sauna, a Jacuzzi, two showers, two bathrooms with l´Occitanne amenities, a terrace with a couch, a small infinite pool (heated, if you´d just turn on the button) and lounging chairs. We were surrounded by dozens of towels, robes, a nespresso machine, a mini bar free of charge for non-alcoholic beverages plus snacks, a fireplace (the State of Santa Catarina can easily offer alpine temperatures in winter months) a comfy couch to watch movies or tv on a 50” flat screen… everything spread around strategically, not to mention the bottle of Imperial Brut in a bucket full of ice, offered on our arrival.
To stroll around the resort, we either walked the pathways or called the golf cart to pick us up. It happened twice as summer storms caught us by surprise right after lunch on one day and right before the siesta on the small private beach, the next afternoon. Yet barely a stone´s throw from our bungalow, someone quickly appeared to rescue us back to number 23 of the new wing of luxurious accommodations.
We sure missed a couple of sunset, unfortunately. Dark clouds didn´t seem to leave the area, and although we had a glimpse of white sand while chasing some beams of sun on the following morning, the weather wasn´t terrific. But, as you may conclude, the Ponta dos Ganchos isn´t the sort of hotel where you get bored if you are “ stuck” in your room. And also, there´s a Dior Spa to invigorate your spirit on a rainy afternoon. Massages, treatments…Oh, well, I know, tell me, it´s tiring to live like royalty.
But I could easily get used - or should I say addicted? - to it. Needless to say that we did manage to combine several activities with this romantic escapade. A nice guided walk to a nearby deserted beach, a boat ride on an authentic fisherman´s boat to explore the region and observe the oysters and clam´s local breeding, as well as kayaking, all organized within the premises.
Check this out: miniature benedict egg for breakfast, followed, combined or along with a choice of nine other little dishes among bread, hot and cold sandwiches, yogurts...Sophistication and presentation are present in every meal, besides surprising guests by "engraving" their names with chocolate on the coffee. Causing emotion is a key factor in the immaculate service.
Maybe in the near future the Ponta dos Ganchos will be the destination on everybody´s lips – though I would prefer to keep this gem to myself – but right now it´s an ideal and year-round serene destination, a stylish paradise with perfect service, known to those people who have the talent to concoct all these ingredients of hospitality with the art of choosing well.
