The House History

The MANGA ROSA mansion was built in the late 1860’s for the governor of Bahia State.

In the 1890’s it was sold to a Cocoa Baron from Ilheus Province, Southern Bahia.

After the first World War, the Cravo family, immigrants from Portugal, purchased it. One of their children, Mario Cravo Jr., who was born in the house, became a famous and prolific sculptor whose works are found all over Salvador. During their ownership, another Governor of Bahia, Otavio Mangabeira, lived in the house when he ran for the presidency of Brazil in 1945. He was trying to succeed the dictator Getulio Vargas, who had earlier changed the constitution in order to stay in power for a total of 15 years. Mangabeira, however, lost the election to Gaspar Dutra, an ally of the United States.

The Cravo family then sold the property to the Maias, who were also entrepreneurs from Portugal. They started what became one of the most successful department-store chains of Bahia. The Maia family owned the mansion until the late 1990’s, renting it during the last decade to a Swiss gentleman who started a restaurant downstairs and a bordello upstairs.

In 1998, the Federal Police closed both establishments and the Swiss gentleman was deported. The house was abandoned in a state of disrepair and continuing decay.

It was purchased and rescued in 1999 by Alain Guy Garcia and his children, a French family from Bordeaux, who started a renovation process. The property stayed in their hands until December, 2001, when it was acquired by its present owner Joseph Santini, a Brazilian-American from Berkeley, California. While installing the modern amenities, he has preserved the original style and ambiance. A third floor with a master suite and terrace was added in 2003; the Pousada Manga Rosa - in English ‘The Pink Mangoes Inn’ was born.

Warm welcome and Sejam Benvindos!!!