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To be fair, I was sold on the hotel just with the image of that bed. Yes, there was a pool, and it was in the heart of the Pelourinho, and you could have breakfast at any time. Any time. Four in the afternoon if you so desired. But the bed. There was nowhere else to go. I don't have a bed fetish (well actually I sort of do, is anywhere finer?) but I had slept for two months on the worst mattress, it was as effective as putting a yoga mat on pallets. I'm sure its limp foam still holds the imprint of my discomfort.

Casa do Amarelindo is a French owned boutique hotel, right in the Pelourinho of Salvador. The Pelourinho is the 'old district' of Salvador, now a World Heritage site. It's goes for all your senses - the sounds of samba and bossa nova, the smell of fresh oranges and sandalwood, the coloured colonial houses, the cobbled streets and squares accommodating street peddlers and capoeiristas... it's a fascinating city. You can still breath the dark history of colonial Brazil and its murky past of slavery, but also feel the culture that was ignited as a result of the European and African fusion. The music, dance, religion and food of Salvador are all products of this meeting of cultures.

Casa do Amarelindo is a perfect boutique B&B. It is in keeping with the colonial style, but benefiting from the elegance of it's French owners. It has a fantastic restaurant, two terraces, a small pool (you will need this, even in winter Salvador is hot) and most rooms have a view over the bay. The bay of Salvador is more industrial than the word 'bay' evokes (don't go imagining the Mediterranean riviera) but the view is still impressive.

The rooms are all spacious, not all have the immense bed, you'll have to ask for it! The French owners are delightful, they've really sunk in to Salvador, embracing it, whilst bringing their European standards to the table. They have an instinct for what guests want - hence the all day breakfast offer and the ability to have breakfast wherever you want in the hotel. Also they have double glazing - which you need in the Pelourinho, the music doesn't stop. These touches really make it stand out.

The staff are really wonderful - genuinely kind, always happy to go that little bit further for you. Many of them were involved in the initial construction of the hotel.

Condor Airlines do good cheap rates to Salvador, via Germany, so get onto it. Within hours you could be by the pool, sipping caipirinha, eating gorgonzola and banana toasts, listening to the rhythms of Gilberto Gil. Then you, or two of you, or even three of you, can sleep like octopuses.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23834