Special places are those with a story to tell. The story of Barracuda Resort in Itacaré, in the state of Bahia, Brazil, began over twenty years ago with the meeting of designer Juliana Ghiotto, surfer Daniel Lima, and a group of Swedish entrepreneurs. Today, it is one of the most compelling luxury resorts on the Cocoa Coast: suites and private villas immersed in nature, where Scandinavian minimalism and Bahian culture coexist in perfect balance. A true declaration of love for the local nature and culture.
What makes Barracuda Itacaré one of the most compelling luxury resorts in the world is its ability to combine unspoiled landscapes, creativity, Scandinavian style, and a vision of hospitality far removed from the usual clichés. All of this in Brazil.
It was 2004 when Juliana Ghiotto arrived in Itacaré on holiday, then a little-known destination in the state of Bahia. She fell in love with the place, the beach, the surf waves — and with Daniel — and together they brought the Barracuda project to life: a home that was also a petit hotel, Barracuda Boutique. Over time, and thanks to the involvement of a group of Swedish friends, it was joined by a second property, Barracuda Hotel & Villas. Their guiding principles: to build a bridge with the local community, supporting and involving it in the project, and to create a connection between Brazilian exuberance and Northern European minimalism. The result is a series of elegant spaces crafted from local materials, where Brazilian craftsmanship blends effortlessly with Scandinavian furniture, framed by large windows overlooking the forest and the beach.
The outcome is a five-star resort in Brazil built on the balance of contrasts.
How to get to Barracuda in Itacaré
Reaching Itacaré requires a two-hour flight from São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro to Ilhéus or Salvador de Bahia, followed by a transfer by land — or by helicopter along the coastline. But once there, it is easy to fall in love.
On what locals call the Cocoa Coast, named after the endless plantations stretching as far as the eye can see, this destination in the state of Bahia boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil. It is bordered by the Atlantic Forest — home to one of the highest biodiversities per square meter in the world — and crossed by the Rio de Contas, which Barracuda guests can explore aboard a private boat. A wild and authentic place, once known only to surfers in search of the perfect wave, today it has become a cool destination for a nature-focused escape that embraces local culture without renouncing five-star comfort and luxury.
The origins: Barracuda Boutique
In this authentic and still-untouched Eden, Barracuda Boutique has grown over time into a fully fledged luxury boutique hotel. Today it features one additional floor compared to its early days, with a total of 11 suites inspired by beach life, blending surf influences, Brazilian design, and Bahian culture.
On the ground floor, the living area with its sofas flows into the dining space where breakfast — genuinely local — is served. The pool and terrace enjoy front-row sunset views, while the OITI bar-restaurant (named after the large Oiti tree standing just in front) offers casual Brazilian cuisine, shaped by open-fire cooking and the freshness of the sea. Everything revolves around hospitality, authenticity, and the feeling of being at home.
Barracuda Hotel & Villas: private villas and luxury suites in the Atlantic Forest
More recently, Barracuda Boutique has been complemented by Barracuda Hotel & Villas, featuring seventeen luxury suites — clad in local wood and decorated with natural fibers such as palm straw — along with several private villas. Ideal for groups of friends or families, these villas range from 800 to 1,200 square meters, offer four to eight bedrooms, and are all equipped with kitchens and infinity pools overlooking the forest or the ocean.
Throughout the property, design blends regional textures with minimalist style in a continuous indoor-outdoor dialogue: interiors transition naturally between architecture and landscape, showcasing furniture crafted by local carpenters and refined through Scandinavian minimalism. This is precisely the “secret” of the Barracuda project: merging elegant Swedish essentiality — evident in every design detail — with the region’s natural textures and the authentic, warm hospitality of Bahia, creating one of the most coherent sustainable luxury travel experiences in Brazil today.
A typical day at Barracuda Itacaré: sea, surf and wellness
Surprisingly, there isn’t one. At Barracuda Itacaré, guests are free to shape each moment according to their own rhythm, without schedules or pressure. You can walk through the forest, sunbathe on the beach, surf, practice yoga on the Wellness Deck immersed in nature, play tennis, or go fishing. There are beachside barbecues and meetings with local communities, supported by the Barracuda owners together with the Yandê Institute Itacaré, a non-profit organization promoting educational initiatives and social entrepreneurship.
Most of the Barracuda team is also made up of local residents — proof of an authentic commitment to sustainable community development, an increasingly central aspect for those choosing a luxury resort, especially in a country like Brazil.
Barracuda according to Exclusive
The travel designers at Exclusive by ACI blueteam can arrange all-inclusive journeys to this uniquely atmospheric resort, which also features a helipad for guests arriving by panoramic flight along the coastline and the Atlantic Forest.
Our expertise in selecting exclusive destinations worldwide, combined with our ability to listen carefully to every client request, offers added value that goes beyond the exclusivity of the vacation itself. It is no coincidence that we are part of the Virtuoso network, whose membership is reserved for the world’s leading travel agencies.
