Something rather magical happens as you leave Rio de Janeiro’s busy, often chaotic historical centre and begin to ascend towards Santa Teresa. The winding backstreets take on a residential and village-like-feel. Villa Paranaguá is situated at one of these sleepy, steep intersections between Gloria and Santa Teresa, just a ten-minute walk away from the legendary Feira da Glória food market that takes place every Sunday. The hotel is almost totally concealed from the road, hidden behind a large white wall that gives very little away from the outside. Yet once you pass the entrance, a miraculous old house begins to take form.
Set in a restored 1930s mansion, Villa Paranaguá is a proud contender for the most glamorous, most beautifully decorated boutique hotel in Rio. Formerly inhabited by a famous Brazilian actress in the 60s, Maria Antonieta Portocarrero Thedim – known as ” Tônia Carrero” – at the height of the military dictatorship (1964 to 1985), the house previously served as a hilltop escape for the city’s artists and bon viveurs. Tônia Carrero lived at the house for a short but intense period: the actress brought the play “Navalha na Carne,” which was being performed in São Paulo at the time but had been banned by the dictatorship, to Rio, by way of clandestine performances that took place in the house itself.
The renovation and restoration project of Vila Paranaguá, as well as the décor, was carried out by Pierre and Joachim Beuscher, the current owners. A couple from Paris with a penchant for restoring dilapidated homes across France, the Beuschers spent five years transforming the property into the boutique guesthouse it is today, doing much of the design, metal work, landscaping and carpentry themselves. Much of the furniture was made using materials from the old structure, primarily wood and iron; this sustainable approach earned the hotel the 2021 Versailles Prize, an international award for architecture and design supported by UNESCO, as well as an exclusive episode of Hóteis Incríveis (Incredible Hotels). The property is now run by the owners’ son Pierre, and his Rio-born wife, Laís Vertis.
Villa Paranaguá’s interiors feature a captivating blend of antique and contemporary furniture, and include statement pieces by renowned international designers such as Sérgio Rodrigues, Le Corbusier, Philippe Starck, and Fukusawa. The owners’ self-professed obsession with Brazilian furniture from the 1960s was the inspiration behind much of the interior design; in the living room, restored Brazilian design pieces are combined with sofas from B&B Italia, a chaise longue designed by Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand, and chairs by American designer Warren Platner.
Opened shortly before the pandemic, this high-ceilinged stately home boasts ten bedrooms, each with its unique colour scheme and theme. The master bedroom is as airy, light and inviting as can be, with a fantastic balcony that looks over the Gloria marina. Other notable bedroom themes include an African-inspired suite with its own sunken patio.
Mismatched furniture reigns supreme in the dining room: each chair is different to the next, yet this patchwork décor injects a sense of fun and playfulness into the formal setting of the restaurant. When it comes to dinner, house favourites include a customisable caipirinha menu, a paired-back, delicate take on mofongo – a fillet of white fish in a vibrant yellow, rich sauce, served with farofa and coconut rice on the side – and their unctuous chocolate mousse atop a chunky sourdough crumb.
In the spacious outside areas, lush tropical fauna and flora designed in the style of Burle Marx’s tropical landscaping dominates the gardens and surrounds the vast pool. Descending some outdoor stairs, you will find an adorable spa and sauna; this little spa-cabin is largely dominated by a towering tree trunk that sits at its centre, creating a unique sense of cosiness in a tropical setting. Glass windows in the sauna and relaxation area look down onto the blend of jungle and city beneath, characteristic of the Santa Teresa area. By the pool, an outhouse boasts a pool table, bar and all manner of games.
Much like the pool house, the living room at the heart of the hotel is home to an impressive number of board games and books in numerous languages: Vila Paranaguá’s owners were adamant that there be no televisions in any of the bedrooms or communal areas, instead choosing to encourage traditional forms of socialising and entertainment within the walls of the guesthouse. With few nods to the modern world save for its contemporary design, this secluded urban oasis has a timeless quality, and safeguards a sense of privacy that draws its regular guests to Rio time and time again.
R. Visc. de Paranaguá, 71 – Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20241-070, Brazil
