Iberostar Selection Praia do Forte
Iberostar Selection Praia Do Forte sits on the north coast of Bahia, about an hour and a half by road from Salvador, and it is the upper half of a two-hotel Iberostar complex on the same stretch of sand as Iberostar Waves Bahia. The draw is that it is Brazil rather than the Caribbean: Bahian cooking in the Pelo buffet alongside the usual themed a la carte nights, a reef-sheltered beach, and Praia do Forte village within walking distance with the Projeto TAMAR turtle base at its heart.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Bahia instead of the Caribbean: warm Atlantic water, Brazilian and Bahian cooking in the main Pelo buffet, nightly themed dinners, and a Star Cafe that stays open around the clock
- +Praia do Forte village is a short walk up the beach, with its own restaurants, craft shops and the Projeto TAMAR sea turtle base that has worked this stretch of coast since 1982
- +Star Camp, the complex kids and teens club, opened 3 November 2023 after roughly R$10 million of investment and covers ages four to 15 in age-grouped bands, with a water play area, playground, trampoline circuit and meals served in the club off a weekly children's menu
- +Star Camp was built with accessibility in mind: wheelchair-accessible play equipment, a communication panel for neurodivergent children and staff trained to support them
- +The complex's own 18-hole, par-72 golf course designed by P.B. Dye runs through coastal dunes and woodland with three oceanside holes, plus a clubhouse, driving range and rental clubs
- +Star Prestige is a genuine step up rather than a badge: a private lounge and beach club with concierge service, its own pool, Balinese beds, a snack table and premium bar, adults-only access to the spa wet areas and priority specialty restaurant bookings
- +Far fewer tourists per square metre than Cancun or Punta Cana, and the resort sits on a protected turtle-nesting coast rather than a hotel strip
Cons
- −US, Canadian and Australian passport holders have needed a Brazilian eVisa since 10 April 2025, at US$80.90 with two to five business days of processing, so this is no longer a book-and-fly destination for North Americans
- −Long haul for most North American travelers, usually via Sao Paulo, Rio or a European connection, with a road transfer of roughly an hour to an hour and a half from Salvador airport on top
- −Overwhelmingly a Brazilian-family resort: management has said about 60 percent of guests travel with children, rising to around 90 percent in January, July and December, when Star Camp expects on the order of 300 children a day
- −The kids complex, the golf course and several facilities are shared with the neighbouring Iberostar Waves Bahia, so peak-season queues reflect two hotels, not one
- −The hotel takes an annual low-season maintenance closure: it was shut 3 to 26 June 2026 with guests redirected to Iberostar Waves Bahia, so check which of the two is open before booking May or June
- −Portuguese is the working language and English is thinner than at a Caribbean Iberostar, which matters at reception and in the a la carte restaurants
- −Excursion infrastructure is less packaged than Riviera Maya: the good trips, from whale watching to Imbassai and Mangue Seco, are local operators rather than a resort tour desk menu
Families are the engine here, and the resort has built for them. Star Camp opened on 3 November 2023 after about R$10 million of investment, covers ages four to 15 in age-grouped bands and serves meals in the club off a weekly children's menu, with a water play area, playground and trampoline circuit, plus wheelchair-accessible equipment and staff trained to support neurodivergent children. It is shared with the sister hotel, which is the catch: management has put family occupancy at roughly 60 percent of guests year round and around 90 percent in January, July and December, with Star Camp planning for about 300 children a day at peak. The complex also has the only real golf on this coast, an 18-hole par-72 P.B. Dye layout through the dunes with three oceanside holes, and the Star Prestige tier adds a private lounge and beach club with concierge service, its own pool, Balinese beds and adults-only access to the spa wet areas.
This suits travelers who have done the Caribbean circuit and want a genuinely different all-inclusive, families who want serious kids infrastructure outside Mexico and the Dominican Republic, and golfers. The friction is real and worth pricing in: US, Canadian and Australian passports have needed a Brazilian eVisa since 10 April 2025 at US$80.90, the flights are long, Portuguese is the default language, and the hotel takes a short maintenance closure in the low season, 3 to 26 June in 2026, with guests pushed next door. Go between September and March if the turtles are the point, and expect to book excursions with local operators rather than off a tour desk board.
Common Questions
Do I need a visa for Brazil?
Is the resort good for families with young kids?
What's the sea turtle experience like?
When is the best time to visit, and does the resort ever close?
Is Star Prestige worth paying for?
How far is the airport?
Restaurants (12)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | Pelô International buffet, Meu Rei Buffet (at Iberostar Waves Bahia) |
| Mexican | Maresia Mexican Restaurant |
| Italian | Novecento Italian Restaurant, Coqueiro (at Iberostar Waves Bahia) |
| Teppanyaki / hibachi | Sakura Teppanyaki (at Iberostar Waves Bahia) |
| Asian | Mai Tai Asian Restaurant |
| French | Do Lago Bistró Restaurant, El Colonial French Restaurant (at Iberostar Waves Bahia) |
| Mediterranean & Spanish | Mare Nostrum Mediterranean Restaurant (at Iberostar Waves Bahia) |
| Brazilian churrascaria | Odoiá Bahian restaurant, Bahian Restaurant (at Iberostar Waves Bahia) |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
Imbassaí14 min drive · 5.9 mi
Praia do Forte village20 min drive · 6.6 mi
Projeto TAMAR Praia do Forte20 min drive · 7.0 mi
Castelo Garcia d'Ávila20 min drive · 6.3 mi
Praia de Guarajuba30 min drive · 14 mi
More things to do (11)
- Mirante de Imbassaí · viewpoint11 min drive · 3.6 mi
- Reserva Sapiranga · nature14 min drive · 5.1 mi
- Instituto Baleia Jubarte visitor centre · museum20 min drive · 6.5 mi
- Papa-Gente natural pool snorkel (Praia do Forte) · excursion20 min drive · 6.6 mi
- Whale watching from Praia do Forte (July to October) · excursion20 min drive · 6.6 mi
- Itacimirim · beach25 min drive · 8.5 mi
- Praia de Santo Antônio (Vila do Diogo) · beach30 min drive · 12 mi
- Praia do Jacuípe · beach40 min drive · 19 mi
- Projeto TAMAR Arembepe · wildlife50 min drive · 25 mi
- Arembepe Hippie Village · town50 min drive · 25 mi
- Praia de Jauá · beach55 min drive · 30 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Google Reviews★ 4.8 · 12,927 reviews
“we were extremely happy to be here. the place is beautiful, the rooms are very nice and well cleaned, the staff was super helpful and friendly. a special thanks to abby who has been an amazing help!”
“Great place to stay. Excellent staff always helpful and pleasant to deal with. Will come again.”
“Amazing 9 days spent here relaxing. All the pools were really clean and refreshing (not too cold). Staff were amazing and looked after us really well. We had access to the Star Presige areas as we are members and this was perfect. Will definitely re...”
