Maloquinha The most charming house in Itamambuca

Considering this is a beach rental, the house was clean when we arrived. Bathrooms were a little tired, but the showers all produced nice hot water. The map location on homeaway is pretty accurate. The owner was very responsive to questions via email. I liked the layout of the house- all 4 bedrooms connect to the main hallway. One bedroom has en suite bathroom, and two other bathrooms. Also a bonus bathroom sink in the hallway. Upstairs loft has sleeping for up to another 4-5 persons. However, I blocked the stairs up to the loft bc it would be very easy for young children playing on the couch to topple over the rail and fall 13 feet onto a hard floor. We enjoyed the outdoor space. The pool was bigger than we expected with one deep side (5 feet) and shallow side with bench seats. The pool is not heated. The large covered area was perfect for adults to relax and watch the kids in the pool, even when raining. The outside bathroom was handy given the amount of time we spent in the pool. The outdoor shower also was handy after trips to the beach. Pool table and hammock were additional bonuses. I did a lot of research, and I feel like the house offers a lot for the price. Here are some things you should know... the neighborhood has a guard post at the entrance, but access is not controlled (any vehicle can enter the neighborhood). Securing the house when we went out was a challenge, as some of the shutter doors can easily be pulled open even when locked. The beach is beautiful and uncrowded, but has no services (no kiosks offering food drink, chairs, umbrellas, etc). The waves are rough, but similar to many other popular beaches in the area. There is no WiFi and no AC, but all sleeping areas have a ceiling fan (fan in one room not functioning). Owner provides sheets and towels, but no toilet paper. Kitchen has all the tools needed, an oven, and a 5 or 6 burner cooktop. There is a small supermarket, as well as a handful of small shops and restaurants. Beyond that, the next closest options require a 20 min drive to Ubatuba. There are large cockroaches that come out at night, including the bedrooms... we bought poison spray and went hunting on the second night. Lastly, I was quite surprised to see that mosquitos were not a problem at all.