Those with children already know or dream of visiting a resort with the Clara brand, one of the best in Brazil, with a unit more related to extreme sports in nature in Dorado, 275 km from São Paulo, and one on the edge of the Itabararanga Dam, in Ibiona, 86 km from the capital, with water skiing.
In both cases, the quality of all services provided is excellent, whether at meal times or entertainment for children with screens or frills that every mother dreams of. From massages to hair styling, manicures, soft towels, made bed, nice sheets and everything, absolutely everything, is done with the utmost care, and by someone else.
After motherhood, Desire usually changes her name. Absolute luxury, which was called “child-free”, that is, forbidden to children, and therefore without screaming, without anyone splashing water on the edge of the pool, hours of reading in the shade, drinks from early in the morning and the possibility of going out the window the possibility of unplanned sex.
The dream of “kids free” turns into an all-inclusive system, i.e. everything is paid in advance, buffets are plentiful, and so there are no tantrums from children who don’t like anything on the menu and other adults responsible for entertaining the little ones (and then, yes, the possibility of sex – with planning, but better than nothing).
Thus, the experience of visiting Inhotim and staying at Clara Arte, a resort with the added attraction of being inside the farm, has been transformed into an open-air museum in Brumadinho.
And the trick: On Mondays and Tuesdays, when the Inhotim Museum is closed for maintenance, only Clara Arte guests can take a guided tour, with well-trained local guides who are knowledgeable about the history of the museum and each artist whose work is on display there.
These guided tours take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. You don’t need to register, there are no limited places, just wake up, have a great breakfast and head to reception. Those who want to go, and those who do not want to stay by the infinity pool, in an enchanting place that was built as an extension of Inhotim, both in the architecture of the chalets and in the outdoor area.
Being treated well in this way, in an environment surrounded by art and nature, is a unique experience, difficult to put into words. Because there is another difficulty in a mother’s life, which is combining contemporary art and school vacations.
Clara Arte makes it possible and very enjoyable to combine these two aspects of adult life: a family trip with a museum visit without a crisis. If only one member of the family wants to see the stunning glass gallery where Tonga’s works are housed, those who prefer to stay behind should stay behind. They will lose a lot, but they will still have the experience of slowing down their inner rhythm, and breathing in the fresh air of the preserved Atlantic Forest, with complete safety and support.
The resort features contemporary art, as well as Inhotim’s beautiful gardens and live artwork, as inspiration. Everything there is designed to take guests into a meditative state. It is designed to welcome families, but it is entirely possible to stay here without disturbing them. There’s more silence, without the omnipresent soundtrack that can irritate more sensitive ears in the other units (Dorado and Ebiona).
There are also games for children with screens but everything is with less effort so to speak. While open to culture, the element in the other two units leaves something to be desired.
If you don’t take a book to one of Clara’s resorts, you won’t have the option to read, for example. It has no bookshop, and the books for sale at Clara Arte – the only bookstore with books for sale – are exclusively about art.
But Inhotim’s impressive contemporary art collection is the big draw in this case. After all, even if art has no other function in existence, it makes us think.
And to think, with free time and good food, plus a good night’s sleep and a massage at the end of the day, it becomes even more enjoyable. We become more creative after two or three days in this climate, we forgive our enemies, we see problems through a magnifying glass in reverse, and we leave feeling lighter than when we arrived.
The journalist traveled at the invitation of Clara Arte Resort