PESTANA CONVENTO DO CARMO - HISTORIC HOTEL

Despite its problems its still a wonderful place in the middle of mayhem. The court yard with pool is amazing to chill out and take some sun, don't expect much service though. The Hotel seems rather understaffed, and there is a lot of details that a good manager should be able to fix in no time, the spacious rooms could do with a bit of fixing up, especially the bathrooms, there is no reason the glass shower door should bang loudly against marble every time you leave the shower. Some things, like kid size towels feels like you are actually in a convent. With some upgrades this could be perfect, still would not want to stay anywhere else in Salvador.

I stayed in this hotel with my brother for 2 nights at the end of a 3 weeks trip to South America. On arrival I was very impressed with the history of the place, its uniqueness. It is in the historic centre of Salvador and an oasis of peace and tranquility. The service at reception was excellent, they spoke very good English (unfortunately I don't speak Portugese but my broth does). Our room was good, overlooking the central swimming pool but on the small side after other more modern hotels we had stayed in, but given the nature of the building that was to be expected. The breakfast buffet was not as extensive as other places, we did not have any cooked food like eggs but this might be available. The bar and restaurant are run by outside companies and the bill has to be settled directly with them not added to your bill which can be annoying. We wanted to use the sauna but it was not on (you have to tell them in advance, which is not always practical). Overall we really enjoyed staying there and it was a joy to enjoy the sense of history that this place offer.

The hotel is absolutely beautiful. It has a historic charm to it. Our room was very spacious with very comfortable bed and pillow. The staff were all very nice and friendly. The only small thing I can pick on is that the shower didn't have much pressure and the air conditioner didn't work very well. Overall, amazing place to stay.

This hotel used to be one of the best in the historical centre of Salvador but it seems to have gone down a bit. According to locals, the same goes for the restaurant. Having said that, I found the location great.

I reserved this as a "first stop" after a 26-hour flight odyssey from the US. I could not have been more thrilled!. The bed was comfortable, the pillows absolutely divine and the service exquisite. The hotel restaurant is a local institution. Within a few minutes walk to the central historic portion of Salvador - minus the night noise. Highly recommend.