The BlackCard Selection: UXUA and the Art of Staying in Trancoso
In Bahia, restored houses offer an alternative to conventional luxury hospitality, placing architecture, craftsmanship and a historic village at the centre of the experience.
Some hotels are designed to transport their guests away from the world around them. Others are most interesting because of how closely they connect visitors to a place.
UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa belongs to the second category.
Set around the historic Quadrado in Trancoso, Bahia, the property brings together restored houses, contemporary design and a strong sense of local identity.
A Hotel Built Around a Village
Trancoso’s Quadrado is among the most recognisable settings on the Bahian coast. Its grassy central square, historic houses and distinctive pace of life have long attracted travellers seeking something beyond the conventional resort experience.
Several of UXUA’s houses date back generations and were restored rather than replaced. Traditional construction techniques, reclaimed materials and locally sourced objects give the interiors a character that would be difficult to reproduce elsewhere.
The project was developed under the creative direction of Wilbert Das, who made Trancoso his home after a career in international fashion.
The Luxury of Individuality
Instead of identical suites arranged around a conventional hotel layout, guests encounter houses with different histories, proportions and relationships to their surroundings.
Some open onto tropical gardens. Others retain a close connection to the Quadrado.
The interiors combine natural materials, handmade furnishings, antiques and contemporary interventions. There is a sense of design throughout, but not the polished uniformity that often defines international luxury hotels.
Craftsmanship as Part of the Experience
Artisans have contributed to the restoration of the houses and the creation of furnishings and decorative elements, using traditional techniques alongside contemporary design ideas.
As destinations become more accessible and hotel aesthetics increasingly circulate across social media, a convincing sense of place is difficult to replicate.
A carefully designed room may be beautiful anywhere. A room that belongs unmistakably to its surroundings offers something different.
Why UXUA Belongs in The Collection
UXUA represents a form of hospitality that feels increasingly relevant to discerning international travellers.
Its appeal lies in the relationship between architecture, landscape, local knowledge and the experience of living, however briefly, within a distinctive cultural setting.
For travellers interested in design-led hospitality and a more personal understanding of Bahia, UXUA is a name worth knowing.
BLACKCARD INTERNATIONAL \| A Curated View of Brasil
BLACKCARD INTERNATIONAL | A Curated View of Brasil