Breezes Resort & Spa in Búzios, Brazil

A three-hour-drive from Rio de Janeiro, Búzios was once a sleepy peninsular fishing village. But after Brigitte Bardot came in the mid-sixties to frolic on its white-sand beaches, the town never looked back (a bronze statue of the diva sits on the promenade). For their latest all-inclusive property, Breezes resort group has found a pristine oceanfront spot with a scenic mountain backdrop. The lobby invites from the get go, with oversized wicker chairs, a massive rough-hewn wooden picnic table, and décor that includes an indigenous dugout canoe (it helps having one of the resort’s six open bars there as well).

With 329 rooms spread over an immense campus, the walk to your room can be long. But golf cart pick-up is a call away. For canoodling couples the bungalows at the secluded far end are the best choice. Each has its own deck with chaise and umbrella, and the enormous infinity pool is adjacent. Beds are king-size and comfy and showers are couple-friendly with double sunflower-sized heads. Many deluxe rooms and suites (350 to 400 square feet) have sliding doors that lead to semi-private pools, whose space is broken up by small islands with flowers and palm tree. Second-floor units have good-sized balconies.

All day long passion fruit and other exotic mixed fruit smoothies go down nice, while enough caipirinhas get poured in the bars to fill a bathtub. In the afternoon the poolside Tropical Grill serves as samba drummers get the party started. While most hot dishes in Jimmy’s Buffet come from the chafing dish, the salmon is tender and juicy. The shrimp-and-fish rice combo that is somewhere between paella and stew has a nice kick. To go with its teppanyaki grill, the property’s signature restaurant Munasan serves sushi combos that rival those of São Paulo’s renowned Japanese eateries (reservations required).

With a compound this big, couples have their pick of ceremony spots, from a thatched canopy on the beach at sunset, to the poolside dining arena. On rainy days the broad and sheltered lobby stairs get used, as do the 550-capacity conference rooms that can be divided as needed. The property’s seven-night wedding package includes a thirty-minute massage, bouquet and boutonniere, music selection, cake and sparkling wine for ten guests. There is a candlelight dinner for the bride and groom as well, and breakfast in bed the morning after the wedding. The property handles all Brazilian legal documents for marrying guests.

Champagne and a fruit tray, a 30-minute couples massage, and a photo album are among the goodies in Breezes' Sweet Dream romance package. The property's Sunset Dream package adds his and her robes you can snuggle in during breakfast in bed. You can book a private driver to take you to Rio and straight up to the famous Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado mountain. Also ride the cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain for the most stunning city views on earth. Wrap up your excursion around the peninsula with a private candlelit dinner. And to relive it all, come back for a free three-day anniversary stay.

Breezes Búzios boasts of having the largest water surface in Latin America, and with a main pool that snakes its way through the property it'’s likely true. Couples who can’t sit still can hit one of three bowling lanes or the truly gutsy can join a futebol (soccer) match in the land of the game’s greatest stars. A round of archery or trapeze lessons will work off all the food and drink that lurks around every corner. The Hara Spa is a branch of its São Paulo namesake. Its lymphatic drainage treatment doesn’t sound too sexy, but it does relieve the stress of a ten-hour flight to reach the property from North America.

The main bay at Búzios is filled with excursion schooners that will take couples reef snorkeling or to secluded spots like Lover’s Beach. In the village itself, high-fashion boutiques line the celebrated, nearly-mile-long Rua das Pedras (Stone Street), where you can pick up a bikini by Rosa Cha or other top Brazilian designers. Cafés abound as do live music venues like the Patio Havana where Brazil’s young and beautiful frolic. The waterfront Thai restaurant Sawasdee is a popular place to kick off an evening.

In 2010 as a new property, there were still some small kinks to work out. It would be nice if the personal whirlpool on decks off rooms were heated. Breezes’ spacious bathrooms lack dedicated mirror lighting that is essential for anyone preparing for their big day or night out. The soaps and lotions are as generically lacking in inspiration as they are in packaging. Common amenities such as a box of tissue are missing.

In the evening young lawyers from São Paulo mingle on the “main street” with software professionals on retreat from the United States to hear live bands play popular Brazilian hits. Guests of all ages enjoy the property’s near-empty beach for evening walks. The far-end bungalows are the most private area of the resort. Those who prefer a more adult environment should book during weeks school is in session and during May and September.

Breezes Resort & Spa, Búzios
Avenida Tucuns
Praia de Tucuns
Armação dos Búzios, Brazil
877-273-3937
Hotel Web Site

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