Essenza

Overlooking Ceará’s beautiful white sand coastline and surrounded by palm trees, Essenza’s location is almost stereotypical of tropical paradise. Jericoacoara Beach is renowned as one of the most beautiful in the world, and when you first set eyes on it, you’ll understand why.

The chic aesthetic of the hotel’s exterior, all panelled wood and glass, is reflected in the contemporary look of the hotel’s luxurious rooms and suites. Essenza Lounge suites have direct access to the hotel pool from the large veranda, while the upstairs Essenza Cult suites have their private pools, sunken into outdoor balconies. All suites overlook the ocean and the huge sand dune ‘Por do Sol’, which as the name suggests is a beautiful spot to watch the sun go down.

Essenza's offshoot, Essenza Dunes, is nearby, and all of its 14 chic rooms have a private deck and pool. 

Essenza Bistro and Osteria serves up local specialities and international favourites at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with an extensive selection of wines to choose from and a beautiful beachfront setting. There’s a swim-up bar in the pool area, so you can satisfy your craving for a caipirinha without having to set foot on terra firma, and dinner can be enjoyed in a beautiful candlelit atmosphere in the garden.

Essenza features a beautiful large outdoor swimming pool with a waterfall feature, as well as a rooftop Jacuzzi. At the Aram Spa, a range of rejuvenating treatments are on offer, and the hotel features both a Turkish bath and a Finnish bath. There’s also a reading area and a terrace with board and card games.

Jericoacoara – mercifully known simply as Jeri – is the kind of place that makes visitors fall in love with it instantly. Home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (by the reckoning of the Washington Post), it plays host to some truly incredible sunsets, which often feature a green flash: a rare optical phenomenon that sees the sun flare an emerald green just before it sinks beneath the horizon. It’s a great spot for outdoor activities, from surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing in the ocean to sandboarding and buggy tours in the dunes, and its remote location gives the sense that once you’re there, you’re in on a secret. Once the sun goes down, head to the village itself to experience the buzzing nightlife.