1 / 5

Costão do Santinho Resort

Florianopolis, Brazil

4.8(39,312 reviews)

Family

Costão do Santinho is Brazil's most decorated beach resort and the only all-inclusive resort in the country's south. It has collected the Prêmio Caio's Jacaré de Ouro for best beach resort 13 years running and was named Melhor Resort do Brasil in O Melhor de Viagem e Turismo 2023/2024. The setting does a lot of the work: Praia do Santinho on the northeast corner of Florianópolis island, framed by more than 700,000 square meters of protected Mata Atlântica, with a headland known for its prehistoric rock inscriptions. Nine pools, outdoor hot tubs over the sea, a golf course, an L'Occitane spa and a theatre with nightly shows make it a complete resort world rather than a beach hotel.

Traveler Insights

Pros

+The most decorated beach resort in Brazil: 13 consecutive Jacaré de Ouro awards in the Prêmio Caio beach-resort category and Melhor Resort do Brasil in O Melhor de Viagem e Turismo 2023/2024, and it is the only all-inclusive resort in southern Brazil
+Nine pools, a mix of outdoor pools and indoor heated ones, plus outdoor hot tubs looking over the sea, so a cool Santa Catarina evening or a rainy day never ends the swimming
+Praia do Santinho is one of Florianópolis island's most scenic and least built-up beaches, and the resort has it largely to itself
+Costão Spa runs in partnership with L'Occitane au Brésil, a real brand partnership rather than a name on the door, with the products to match
+The Family Adventure program packs the week with included activities: trails through more than 700,000 square meters of protected Mata Atlântica, an arvorismo treetop course, surfing, a private ecological park, a full sports complex, a golf course and nightly shows at Teatro Fernando Marcondes
+Dining is six restaurants, five of them inside the all-inclusive: the main Nossa Senhora das Ondas buffet reopened on August 7, 2024 after a renovation that added two show-cooking stations and fresh pizza, pasta, grill and à la minute stations, and the Trattoria di Mare pasta-and-pizza rodízio and the Nossa Senhora da Vitória gastronomic restaurant sit alongside the southern Brazilian churrasco of beef ribs and lamb that guests rave about
+Kids get their own world: a children's water park, the Vila Kids play village with monitored games and workshops (added 2025), and the Restaurante Turma do Costão, a child-sized restaurant with its own menu and resort characters so parents can eat elsewhere
+Evenings got a 2025 upgrade too: the Rock Legacy show with the live Costão Band debuted at Teatro Fernando Marcondes in late July 2025, and the new Costão Sports Bar screens major championships with cocktails and an international menu

Cons

−Holiday weeks (Christmas, Réveillon and January) push rates from roughly $280 to $360 a night up to $380 to $480, and that is when the older wings feel least worth the money
−The property is more than 30 years old and it shows in the older blocks: 2026 guests describe small rooms, spring mattresses and dated finishes even while praising the staff
−Reaching Florianópolis from outside Brazil means connecting through São Paulo or another Brazilian hub, a long day of travel compared with direct flights to Caribbean all-inclusives
−Peak Brazilian summer (January and February) fills the resort with domestic families; a January 2026 reviewer found there were not enough pool chairs to go round, and buffet queues lengthen
−This is a Brazilian resort for Brazilians first; English is spoken at reception but not consistently around the property
−Santinho is a quiet corner of the island, so a night out at Lagoa da Conceição or a visit to the Jurerê beaches means a 30 to 45 minute drive each way

The practical experience has improved since 2024. The main buffet restaurant, Nossa Senhora das Ondas, reopened on August 7, 2024 with two show-cooking stations and fresh pizza, pasta, grill and à la minute stations, and July 2026 guests describe the meals and service as excellent. Six restaurants in all, five of them included: the buffet, the Trattoria di Mare pasta-and-pizza rodízio, the Nossa Senhora da Vitória gastronomic restaurant and the southern churrasco of beef ribs and lamb that is the culinary signature. In 2025 the resort added the Vila Kids play village, the Restaurante Turma do Costão for children, the Costão Sports Bar and the Rock Legacy show. The 695 apartments across the Hotel Internacional and 14 Vilas Portuguesas are the weak link: the newer blocks are fine, the older ones are small and dated, and January brings a pool-chair shortage.

It suits families who want a full-service resort in Brazil, couples drawn to the spa and the forest setting, and anyone who wants to eat southern Brazilian food properly. At roughly $280 to $360 a night for two in shoulder season (2026 rates) it undercuts a comparable Punta Cana or Riviera Maya family all-inclusive, and the closest Brazilian comparison is the Praia do Forte all-inclusives in Bahia (Iberostar, Tivoli Ecoresort), which trade Costão's forest trails and cool evenings for warmer sea year-round. Visit in November or March for summer weather without the January crowds. Off property, Barra da Lagoa and its sea-turtle project, the restaurants and nightlife at Lagoa da Conceição, the surf at Praia Mole and the Jurerê Internacional beach scene are all within 45 minutes.

Common Questions

How do you get to Costao do Santinho from major international airports?

Florianópolis (FLN) airport receives direct flights from São Paulo (GRU and CGH), Rio de Janeiro and other major Brazilian cities, so international travelers connect through São Paulo or Rio. The drive from the airport to Praia do Santinho takes about 40 to 50 minutes; the resort is on the northeast of the island, away from the airport and the city center. The resort runs its own internal transport once you arrive, which matters on a property this size.

Is Costao do Santinho good for families with young children?

It is one of Brazil's most complete family resorts. The children's water park, the Vila Kids play village with monitored games and workshops (new in 2025), the Restaurante Turma do Costão children's restaurant and the Family Adventure activity program cover the whole day, and nightly shows at Teatro Fernando Marcondes cover the evening. Brazilian families consistently rate it at the top of the domestic market, and the kids' infrastructure goes beyond what most Caribbean all-inclusives offer.

What's the best time of year to visit Costao do Santinho?

November and March give you summer beach weather without the January and February domestic peak, when the resort runs at capacity and pool chairs and buffet seating get tight. Christmas, Réveillon and January also carry the highest rates. Winter (June to August) is cool in southern Brazil, which is when the indoor heated pools and the spa earn their keep.

Is the food safe to eat at Costao do Santinho?

Yes. The renovated Nossa Senhora das Ondas buffet, the grill stations and the churrasco get strong marks, and July 2026 guests singled out the meals and the service. One January 2026 guest reported illness after a shrimp pasta; that is a single report rather than a pattern, and later reviews do not repeat it. Anyone cautious about shellfish can stick to the grilled and cooked stations without running short of choice.

What has changed at Costao do Santinho recently?

The main buffet restaurant, Nossa Senhora das Ondas, reopened on August 7, 2024 after a renovation that added two show-cooking stations, a new layout, and fresh pizza, pasta, grill and à la minute stations. In 2025 the resort opened the Vila Kids play village, the Restaurante Turma do Costão for children and the Costão Sports Bar, and launched the Rock Legacy show at Teatro Fernando Marcondes in late July. The accommodation blocks have not had the same treatment, and the older wings still show their age.

How does Costao do Santinho compare to Caribbean all-inclusives?

They serve different trips. Costão is the best expression of Brazilian resort hospitality, with regional food, Atlantic Forest trails and a cooler southern climate, while Caribbean all-inclusives offer more polished international service and direct flights from North America. For a South American itinerary or a Brazilian domestic holiday, Costão leads its market clearly. For a traveler choosing between Brazil and the Caribbean purely on logistics and service consistency, the Caribbean wins.

Restaurants (6)

Type	Restaurants
Buffet	Nossa Senhora das Ondas
Italian	Trattoria
Asian	Kaigan
Seafood	Rancho do Pescador (extra charge)
Brazilian churrascaria	Espaço Gastronômico Sambaqui
International & fusion	Nossa Senhora da Vitória

From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. Venues marked "extra charge" are not covered by the all-inclusive rate; the others are, per the resort.

What's nearby

Costão do Santinho rock carvings
6 min walk · 0.3 mi
Praia do Santinho
2 min drive · 0.6 mi
Praia dos Ingleses
6 min drive · 2.8 mi
Santo Antônio de Lisboa
25 min drive · 13 mi
Mirante da Lagoa da Conceição
40 min drive · 20 mi
Mercado Público de Florianópolis
40 min drive · 22 mi

More things to do (23)

Água Show Park · water park10 min drive · 5.4 mi
Praia de Canasvieiras · beach20 min drive · 8.9 mi
Praia Brava · beach25 min drive · 9.5 mi
Praia da Lagoinha · beach25 min drive · 9.4 mi
Praia do Moçambique · beach25 min drive · 11 mi
Jurerê Internacional · beach25 min drive · 13 mi
Projeto TAMAR Florianópolis · wildlife25 min drive · 14 mi
Barra da Lagoa · beach25 min drive · 14 mi
Praia da Daniela · beach30 min drive · 15 mi
Fortaleza de São José da Ponta Grossa · historic site30 min drive · 15 mi
Praia Mole · beach30 min drive · 16 mi
Lagoa da Conceição · town35 min drive · 18 mi
Boat to Costa da Lagoa · excursion35 min drive · 18 mi
Jardim Botânico de Florianópolis · nature35 min drive · 19 mi
Catedral Metropolitana de Florianópolis · historic site40 min drive · 22 mi
Museu Histórico de Santa Catarina (Palácio Cruz e Sousa) · museum40 min drive · 22 mi
Florianópolis Historic Center (Praça XV) · town40 min drive · 22 mi
Ponte Hercílio Luz · historic site40 min drive · 22 mi
Praia da Joaquina and dunes · beach50 min drive · 21 mi
Praia do Campeche · beach50 min drive · 24 mi
Ribeirão da Ilha · town55 min drive · 29 mi
Praia da Armação · beach55 min drive · 29 mi
Boat to Ilha do Campeche · excursion55 min drive · 29 mi

Amenities

Golf Course

Heated Swimming Pool

Waterpark

Hiking

Babysitting

Yoga Classes

Tennis

Kids Club

Show 6 more amenities

Swim-Up Bar

Nightly Entertainment

Buffet Dining

Spa

Gym

Beach

Style & Rooms

Atmosphere

GreenFamily Resort

Room upgrades

2 Bedroom SuitesVillas

Seaweed & sargassum

Brazil gets sargassum, typically worst March through June on the far north coast (Pará, Maranhão), where strandings have occurred; the northeast resort coast has no regular season.See the month-by-month guide →

Every all-inclusive in Brazil →

Google Reviews★ 4.8 · 39,312 reviews

Matt Y.

a month ago

“The location is great, with green hills above and wide beach below the property. The international hotel had views of the ocean with a pool and paths directly below. The basic room was large, this one had a jacuzzi in the bathroom, and a living room...”

Heather M.

2 months ago

“Viviane was our server this evening and we have been blessed with her grace, beauty and hospitality. She made our experience wonderful. Thank you!”

Frenk B.

2 months ago

“Vivianne was very polite and the food was very very delicious ! For us it's one of the best Sushi in the World. Even better than in Japan ;)”