Le Canton Resort Turns 40 with New Attractions

One of Rio de Janeiro’s most iconic mountain resorts marks four decades with a yearlong celebration, awards, and an upcoming indoor water park.

Forty Years of Mountain Hospitality

Le Canton Resort, located in Teresópolis in the Serra dos Órgãos mountain region of Rio de Janeiro state, is celebrating its 40th anniversary throughout 2026. The commemorative campaign includes an exclusive anniversary logo, collectible items available at the resort’s shop, and brand ambassadors sharing their personal experiences at the property.

The special programming revisits some of the most beloved experiences from the resort’s history, deepening its connection with the generations of guests who helped build its legacy over four decades.

From Swiss Inspiration to Resort Empire

In December 1986, entrepreneur João Uchôa Cavalcanti Netto opened the Hotel Village Le Canton, drawing inspiration from the Swiss countryside he frequently visited. It was the first property in Brazil — not just in the region — to feature architecture and décor modeled after Swiss alpine villages. Teresópolis was a natural fit: its Serra dos Órgãos landscape reminded Cavalcanti Netto of European mountain hamlets.

What started with 36 rooms and Swiss cuisine has grown into a complex with three hotels, 287 apartments, and over two million square meters of built area, welcoming families primarily from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais.

Decades of Expansion and Innovation

The resort’s growth has been marked by ambitious launches. In 2011, the Hotel Fazenda Suíça Le Canton opened, featuring an interactive mini-farm with horses, goats, sheep, and ponies, as well as an award-winning artisan cheese production program. Master cheesemaker Jhonny Silveira now produces 11 varieties — including Raclette Le Canton and Canton Noir — and has earned more than 10 national and international awards.

In 2017, the Hotel Magique debuted with the Mont Blanc track — Latin America’s first covered snow tube run — and the Parc Magique, Brazil’s only covered amusement park operating inside a resort, featuring 15 rides and more than 90 electronic games. The following year, Canton Ville added a bike park, fishing lake, golf course, and multi-sport courts to the complex.

Also in 2018, the resort introduced an L’Occitane Spa — the first in Rio de Janeiro’s mountain region — and a 1,500-seat multifunctional arena that has hosted major artists including Lulu Santos, Titãs, Zé Ramalho, Mumuzinho, Ferrugem, Roupa Nova, Nando Reis, and Maiara & Maraisa.

Leadership That Transformed the Resort

In December 2015, Mônica Paixão took over as general manager, and in October 2023 was promoted to CEO — becoming the first woman to hold the position in the resort’s history. Under her leadership, the number of rooms nearly doubled, from 157 to almost 300, and the commercial team grew from 9 to 30 professionals.

Paixão received the National Tourism Award 2023 in the Private Initiative – Medium and Large Entrepreneurs category. Under her management, the resort earned the RCI Gold Crown for the tenth consecutive year in 2024, an accolade granted by RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange, to properties meeting its highest quality standards.

Awards and Global Recognition

The Fazenda Suíça and Village hotels have consistently ranked among the top 10% worldwide on TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice. In 2022, Fazenda Suíça was ranked 14th among the 25 best family accommodations in South America. That same year, the resort won first place in the Entrepreneurship and Green Seal categories at the TOP Hotel Awards, organized by ABIH-RJ and HotéisRIO.

In 2024, Le Canton also received the international My Hotel Awards prize for Best Digitally Operated Hotel in Latin America, recognizing the property’s innovation, service, and operational performance.

What’s New and What’s Next

Recent additions include a sushi bar led by chef Nanci Kawahito, a representative of the Nagoya Sushi School in Rio de Janeiro; a new 230-meter-long swimming pool; an expanded Bar Léman (from 55 to 103 seats); a mobile checkout tool; and a coworking space inside a charming tower-shaped building, designed for remote workers staying at the resort.

The major highlight for 2026 is the upcoming opening of an indoor water park with capacity for up to 370 guests — another milestone in a resort that has spent four decades turning the spirit of welcome into a national benchmark for family hospitality.

Event Info

• Le Canton Resort — Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro mountain region, Brazil
• Three-hotel complex: Village, Fazenda Suíça, and Magique
• 287 apartments across over 2 million sq m of built area
• Reservations and information: www.lecanton.com.br