Accommodation in Brazil can now officially be called ‘boutique’ with the introduction of the new classification to the Brazil Accommodation Rating System, which had previously been limited to seven categories.

Across the country there are 35 hotels already signed up to be listed in the category.

Boutique hotels typically accommodate between three to 60 guests and are generally associated with luxury living, quality service and quaint experiences.

The move to make the category official in Brazil coincides with a booming luxury goods sector where sales increased year on year by 33 per cent in 2011 as well as a rise in international visitors to Brazil of four per cent in the same period.

Marcelo Pedroso, director of international markets for the Brazilian Tourist Board (Embratur), said: “We are seeing a growing appetite from international visitors for boutique hotels in Brazil and several cities are competing to be the new luxury boutique hot spot.”

Research from the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) names Florianópolis (Santa Catarina State), Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco State) and Trancoso (Bahia State) as the vibrant Brazilian destinations to watch for a rise in luxury boutique hotels. 
Flavio Dino concluded: “Recognising boutique hotels means Brazil is better equipped to offer guests more tailored choices and relevant information in the run up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

“We hope that this new classification will help visitors make informed decisions about where they stay to help enhance their experience of Brazil, its culture and its people.”

For more information on tourism in Brazil visit the official website.