Book Fasano Salvador with VIP Benefits

The building housed the newspaper for 45 years before A Tarde moved in 1975. It was more than a newsroom: other floors contained professional offices and the Hotel Wagner. Its change into a Fasano hotel continued a hospitality connection already present in the building's history.

Isay Weinfeld designed the hotel conversion around the original architecture. Staircases, windows, chandeliers and plaster ceilings were restored rather than removed. The building is protected by Bahia's heritage institute, IPAC. Its proportions and surviving details distinguish it from a purpose-built contemporary hotel, giving the public rooms a character rooted in the city.

The lobby retains original wall and floor finishes, and Bahian jacarandá wood features in the interiors. Apartment 106 preserves the parquet floor and wood panels of the newspaper president's former office. These details give the history a physical presence: it is there in the surfaces and rooms, as well as in the building's name.

The six accommodation categories share hardwood floors, marble bathrooms and blue accents in textiles, rugs and handmade ceramics. King or twin beds have Egyptian cotton sheets and goose-down pillows. The Superior Apartment measures 322 square feet. Deluxe Apartments add space, while the Deluxe Ocean Front category introduces a direct bay outlook.

The Junior Ocean Front Suite measures 516 square feet and has an integrated living area. Both the Ocean Front Suite and Deluxe Ocean Front Suite measure 807 square feet, with living rooms and bathrooms featuring bathtubs. The Deluxe version also has a dining area seating four.

That dining space is useful for spending time together in the suite, but it does not imply four-person sleeping capacity. Families should confirm the bedding and occupancy of their chosen category. For a longer visit, the separate living area in the larger suites provides somewhere to read or rest between outings without returning straight to the bedroom.

Gero Salvador combines the Fasano family's Italian restaurant tradition with the ingredients and recipes of Bahia. The kitchen serves pasta and risotto alongside local seafood dishes. Spaghettini with shrimp and lemon sauce, ricotta agnolotti with tomato and citrus zest, and veal cutlet with saffron risotto show the Italian side of the menu.

Moqueca brings the region's fish and shrimp stews to the table. Bobó de camarão combines shrimp with cassava, coconut milk and palm oil, while baked cocada gives dessert a coconut focus. These dishes make local cooking a substantial part of the restaurant, beyond an occasional regional garnish.

Lunch and dinner can follow either direction, from Italian classics to Bahian specialties. Staying here therefore allows a meal centered on local flavors without leaving the hotel, as well as opportunities to explore restaurants elsewhere in Salvador.

Breakfast is served at Gero Salvador, with baked goods from the hotel's Panetteria, a buffet and an à la carte menu. Regional recipes include tapioca couscous, cassava and corn cakes, rice pudding and pamonha. The combination gives the morning meal its own Bahian character alongside familiar breakfast choices.

Small gatherings have two distinctive dining settings. The climate-controlled wine cellar accommodates up to six guests for private meals. On the rooftop, a private dinner can be arranged for couples or a group of up to nine. The Italian menu is tailored to the occasion, with wine pairing available. Both require arrangements with the hotel; they are separate experiences rather than meals automatically included in a stay.

A wooden deck surrounds the rooftop pool, whose lining uses Azul Bahia granite. The view reaches across the Bay of All Saints, with the city below. The pool gives an urban stay room for swimming and time outdoors, without placing the hotel on a beachfront. It is particularly useful between a morning's sightseeing and an evening in Salvador.

The Pool Bar serves appetizers, lighter dishes, wines and cocktails. It offers a more informal alternative to Gero, with the bay providing the backdrop to a drink or a poolside meal. The fitness center is also on the rooftop. Private yoga classes can be arranged there, and the hotel offers rooftop sunrise sessions for those who prefer to begin the day outdoors.

Spa Fasano has three massage rooms, with a steam room in the pool area. Treatments are available by appointment to hotel guests and outside visitors. The menu was developed by therapist Fabrícia Nogueira and includes individual massages, facials, body wraps and treatments for two.

The Baía de Todos os Santos Ritual starts with a foot soak using rue, salt, sage and lavender. An exfoliation and herbal wrap follow, before a massage with myrrh oil. Its successive stages combine bathing, body care and massage in a single appointment.

Other choices include deep-tissue and Lomi Lomi massage. The couples' massage takes place in a room with two treatment tables and begins with a foot soak. The Waves Ritual combines a floral foot bath, back massage and Lomi Lomi movements. Guests can choose between a single treatment and a longer sequence, with appointments coordinated around their time in the city.

A guided visit with a historian explores the A Tarde building and its surroundings, including Praça Castro Alves and Rua Chile. It is a natural introduction to the hotel, explaining details that might otherwise pass unnoticed. A separate guided route through the historic center visits landmarks such as the Lacerda Elevator, Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos church, Cidade da Música da Bahia and Casa do Carnaval.

The hotel also arranges practical encounters with Bahian culture. Dance workshops introduce local rhythms, while music sessions use instruments including the berimbau, atabaque and other percussion. Cooking lessons can focus on moqueca or casquinha de siri. For parents and children, Chef Fasano Bambini uses Italian recipes to introduce measurements and kitchen safety. These activities give families an alternative to a schedule made entirely of sightseeing.

The address is Praça Castro Alves 5, Centro Histórico. Arrivals through Salvador Bahia Airport continue to the city by road. Transfer arrangements should allow for the flight time and traffic, and the concierge can advise on guided visits and transport for the rest of the stay.

Business travelers have access to three meeting rooms that can also be arranged for presentations, showrooms or celebrations. Together with the private dining spaces, they allow a meeting or small event to share the same address as the accommodation. Beyond those appointments, the rooftop, restaurant and historic setting give guests several ways to spend time at the hotel itself.