Fera Palace Hotel | 7th Place
Brazil’s first street, Rua Chile in Salvador, has another claim to fame: it is home to the city’s first luxury hotel. Opened in 2017, the Fera Palace Hotel occupies the building where, in 1934, Commander Martins Catharino opened the Palace Hotel. Carmen Miranda, Grande Otelo, Pablo Neruda, and Orson Welles were among the establishment’s distinguished guests, with architecture inspired by the Flatiron Building in New York.
Under the restoration led by Danish architect Adam Kurdahl, the interior design of Fera preserved Art Deco elements and local touches, such as the black-and-white mosaic floor and sculptures made from conch shells, straw, beads, coconut shavings, gold, silver, and figs by Bahian artist Nádia Taquary.
“Fera isn’t just a place to stay; it’s an environment where visitors can immerse themselves in the history of Brazil and Bahia,” says CEO Antonio Mazzafera. This year, the 81-room hotel launched a new culinary chapter with the appointment of chef Peu Mesquita. “I want to bring something light and elegant, heavily influenced by the Bahia coast, such as seafood and fish. Fera is already a place with a very impressive history, and we want to highlight that through our cuisine as well,” says the chef.
