Luca Seixas W.
Google
I will try to keep this review as helpful to other guests as possible. Our experience was a culmination of inattentive customer service and a subtly confusing, abstract website. Room descriptions differ depending on whether you click from the landing page or “more info” during booking. Everything I mention is technically on the website and Google page, but I still felt misled once I arrived.
For starters, the “forest” and “ocean” room categories, branded as view options, are actually separated by size. “Forest” fits two people max; “ocean” fits three. One of the “ocean” rooms does not have the promised ocean view. The website states you cannot select a specific ocean view room and that assignments may change at any moment. Confusingly, the site also displays “room calendars” and specifies dates specific rooms are unavailable, creating an illusion of scarcity. Of the three “ocean rooms,” only room #5 is truly special, private, and secluded. Rooms #2 and #3 are on a walkway between rooms and do not have private decks despite being listed as such. With the AC policy, having windows closed during the day is uncomfortable, but opening them leaves you on display. The forest room (#4) is also on the walkway, though elevated. In practice, only rooms #4 and #5 offer privacy. If privacy matters, book the forest room—it’s the only room you can actually guarantee under their policy.
Now to the reason I am writing this review. I am Brazilian, and this was my wife’s first time in Brazil, for our honeymoon. I booked Atlantica Jungle Lodge in September for a January stay and paid the non-refundable rate. At booking, all rooms were available. I even planned our travel dates around room #5 and emailed explaining I understood the policy while asking if they could guarantee room #5. Rodolfo replied saying the room had been allocated, and I proceeded with the booking after his reply (had he said “no exceptions,” I would have booked the forest room or chosen another pousada). Upon arrival, we were placed in room #3. I spoke to Rodolfo privately and was met with dismissiveness—shrugs and repeated references to policy and a nonsensical explanation about the current party in room #5 having three people, when room #3 also accommodates three people. My wife, who manages a hotel, insisted we speak again together. That conversation confirmed my choice to stay at AJL was a mistake. Rodolfo handled customer service with the empathy and problem-solving skills of an AI chatbot. He lectured us on policy wording, offered nothing to improve our experience, and repeatedly asked what we wanted while shrugging. We suggested a discount, drink or dinner vouchers, a tour, a boat ride—anything. He refused everything and grew increasingly defiant.
After an hour, he begrudgingly offered a refund only if we left. He reframed the situation as our fault, apologizing for our “expectations” and our reaction. When I asked for help with a phone or finding an alternative, he offered nothing, reiterated the contract, yelled at me from the upper deck about needing the room back, and criticized us to other staff. In January, with a September booking, Ilha Grande was obviously full. I felt trapped. (During check out we were offered help finding a boat…not while we were considering leaving due to mistreatment). We nearly left, but after going to the beach and reassessing, we stayed. In the meantime, Rodolfo emailed and WhatsApped me, giving me 77 minutes to confirm our departure to receive a refund for unused nights. I still cannot believe what occurred. I’ve never felt so bamboozled. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, I would not rely on Atlantica Jungle Lodge.
Edit: Notice how their reply once again takes no accountability, acknowledges no shortcomings, and subtly places the blame on us. Absolute rip off. If an ounce of attention had been paid to my email, I could have been communicated with appropriately and made different choices. Then what happened with Rodolfo once an issue existed was simply insane.
