Cachoeira do Macuco Boutique Hotel

A Private Waterfall in the Hills of the Mar de Minas

Minas Gerais has no coastline, so its people gave the name Mar de Minas, the sea of Minas, to the vast reservoir of Lake Furnas and the green hills that fold around it. Cachoeira do Macuco sits in that landscape, 12.5 kilometres outside the small town of Guapé on the road to Passos, on a 33-hectare estate that includes the waterfall the hotel is named after. It is a boutique hotel in the Brazilian countryside sense: eight rooms, a pool, a restaurant and a great deal of land, run as an ecotourism address rather than a resort. The pace is set by the water and the light.

Why It Works

We selected Cachoeira do Macuco because it gives travellers with a dog what city hotels rarely can: room to roam. Pets are allowed, the estate is large and open, and the activities on offer, from walking trails to fishing and horse riding, are the kind you can share with an animal. The small scale keeps the welcome personal, and consistently high guest ratings suggest the team delivers on it. The restaurant cooks the regional food of Minas Gerais, one of Brazil's great home-cooking traditions, which alone justifies choosing a place like this over a generic chain on the highway.

Why This Location

The Parque Ecológico do Paredão, with its canyon walls and views over the reservoir, lies about a kilometre away, close enough to reach on foot. Guapé, the nearest town, is a short drive back along the Guapé to Passos road, and Lake Furnas, with its beaches, boat trips and fishing, is the region's main draw. This is car country: the hotel sits on the rodovia, parking is free and private, and the reward for the drive is a landscape of hills, water and very little traffic. Plan it as part of a road trip through the lakes and mountains of southern Minas.

Fast Facts

• Price: Mid-range

• Vibe: Rural, green, relaxed, family-friendly

• Rooms: 8 rooms: Standard Suites, Deluxe King Suites and Deluxe Triple Rooms, with patios or terraces over the garden

• Best For: Couples and families travelling with a dog; nature and hiking lovers; road trips around Lake Furnas

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: Having a waterfall on the property, a short walk from your room

• Dining: À la carte restaurant serving regional Minas Gerais cuisine, buffet breakfast included, bar and lounge

• Amenities: Pets allowed, heated outdoor pool with a view, children's pool, game room with billiards and table tennis, garden, free private parking, family rooms

• Attractions: Estate waterfall; Parque Ecológico do Paredão (about 1 km); Lake Furnas; the town of Guapé

Suites With a Terrace on the Garden

Rooms come in three categories, from Standard Suites to Deluxe King Suites and Deluxe Triple Rooms, the latter useful for families or friends sharing. Every room opens onto a patio or terrace facing the garden, which is exactly what you want with a dog: a door that leads straight outside for the early morning walk. Family rooms are available, and facilities for guests with reduced mobility are listed by the hotel.

Minas on the Plate, Water All Around

Breakfast is a buffet, as it should be in Minas Gerais, where the morning table is a point of regional pride. Later in the day the à la carte restaurant serves local dishes, and the bar takes over as the evening cools. Between meals, the heated outdoor pool looks across the countryside, with a separate pool for children. Fishing, hiking, bike and walking tours and horse riding fill the days, and a game room with billiards and table tennis is there for rainy afternoons. Check-in runs from 2 pm to 10 pm, which suits a long drive in.