Casa da Bocaina: nature, art and zero-gravity immersion

At 1,600 meters altitude between Rio and São Paulo, Casa da Bocaina blends sensitive architecture, contemporary art and the groundbreaking Acquabox immersion capsule.

A retreat built with time and intention

Casa da Bocaina was never conceived as a hospitality destination. It began as a life project. Entrepreneur and former international model Betty Prado — one of the most sought-after figures on global runways during the 1980s and 1990s — purchased the property at age 23, when the land was nothing but pasture. Thirty years later, the site is fully reforested and home to four houses set across 37 alqueires of native vegetation, sheltered within the highlands of the Serra da Bocaina National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019.

After 16 years abroad — during which she also appeared in a film by Italian director Stefano Benni — Betty returned to Brazil to pursue cinema, starring in films by Walter Salles and Walter Hugo Khoury. Back in the country, she applied her wide-ranging eye to branding projects for names like Phytoervas Fashion and Natura. She also spent three years studying Architecture and Urbanism at Escola da Cidade, skills that proved essential in designing and building the four houses on the property.

Architecture in dialogue with the landscape

When construction began, Betty turned to local knowledge to understand what would work best with the climate, altitude, and terrain. The result is a visual language that combines river stone, burnished concrete, barn-style wooden balcony doors, glass and transparency, creating wide, light-filled spaces. A stone pool fed by a natural spring occupies the main deck majestically — the ideal spot to watch the sun rise behind the mountains of the National Park.

A semi-wet sauna with views of the surrounding nature sits beside the pool. Roughly 15 minutes along a trail, guests reach the Cachoeira das Meninas (Girls’ Waterfall), a private cascade that gives the property one of its most affectionate local nicknames: Casa das Meninas.

Acquabox: floating in zero gravity

Since September 2025, Casa da Bocaina has offered one of the most innovative wellness experiences in Brazil. The Acquabox is an aquatic immersion capsule created by Italian-Swiss multidisciplinary artist Maurizio Mancioli, merging design, technology and wellbeing into a single piece. Submerged in warm, crystal-clear water inside a cylinder, the guest floats in a state of deep relaxation, as if in zero gravity — a sensory journey that aligns perfectly with the property’s ethos of reconnection with nature.

Art that inhabits every corner

A large installation by Felipe Morozini greets visitors at the entrance. Throughout the houses, works by Jurandy Valença, Rafa Silvares, Hildebrando de Castro, the Campana Brothers, Filipe Jardim, Helmut Newton and Rochelle Costi coexist alongside Ceyla Lacerda’s textile textures. The curation was never rigidly planned. “The pieces occupied their spaces as if summoned to do so, but the dynamic actually emerged organically, as if it were an extension of our home,” says Betty Prado.

The Casa Caipira, the most recent addition, was designed in collaboration with Architecture students and features works by Ruy Teixeira, Pier Balestrieri, Jurandy Valença and Humberto Campana, alongside pieces sourced from the Bixiga Antique Fair in São Paulo.

Management with a sustainable vision

For ten years, Thamy Silva has co-stewarded Casa da Bocaina alongside Betty. While Betty leads the creative vision around architecture and décor, Thamy drives sustainable initiatives: partnerships with family farming, organic production, native forest maintenance and socio-environmental education. “The pandemic reinforced the essence of Casa da Bocaina — to welcome people seeking privacy and subtlety, in a way that allows for reconnection with oneself and with nature,” says Thamy.

The hospitality model is unique: roughly 98% of guests arrive through personal recommendations. Casa da Bocaina positions itself neither as a hotel nor a formal guest house — which makes it, paradoxically, one of the most sought-after retreats for those who prize genuine privacy and understated sophistication.

Event Info

• Casa Cristal — 110 m². Betty and Thamy’s private residence, open to close friends.
• Colmeia — 48 m². Creative studio that also operates as a gastronomic space.
• Casa Caipira — 120 m², two suites, featuring artworks and antique-market finds.
• Casa Arco-Íris — 140 m², three suites (one with a private deck at the foot of the mountain), fireplace and wood-burning stove.
• All houses include a wood-burning stove, cooktop and refrigerator. Culinary and housekeeping services must be requested at the time of booking.
• Pets are welcome.
• Altitude: 1,600 meters.
• Distance from São Paulo: approx. 234 km. Distance from Rio de Janeiro: approx. 244 km.
• Experiences: spring-fed stone pool, Acquabox, sauna, private waterfall, horseback riding, ceramics studio, meditative archery, massages and cheese tasting.
• Bookings: www.casadabocaina.com | Instagram: @casadabocaina