Bella and Edward’s honeymoon hideaway in on “Isle Esme” in Breaking Dawn was a large, secluded beach house.
They filmed the honeymoon scenes at Casa em Paraty, a luxury vacation home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The house was designed by Thiago Bernardes of the architecture firm Bernardes + Jacobsen, and it was featured in the January 2011 issue of Architectural Digest.
AD describes it as “a rustic beach house built for the Fernandes family on the Brazilian fjord of Saco do Mamanguá. The area is so remote that the family can only reach its house by boat or helicopter.”
The Secluded Honeymoon Beach House from “Breaking Dawn”
The film’s Production Designer Richard Sherman talked about the shoot, saying:
A number of the scenes that take place inside the Brazil beach house were actually shot on sets—a bedroom, bathroom, and courtyard—built on a Louisiana soundstage. The production team’s challenge was to create a seamless transition between the house and the sets.
We see Edward and Bella arrive at the house at night. Then she walks through the living room, and the scene cuts to our set. You can’t tell the difference. It looks like a part of that house.
He adds that they even recreated their own version of the exterior of the house with visual effects when they arrive on the boat.
“What you see of the real house is the front door, the steps leading up to it, the veranda, and all those glass doors.”
In the novel, Stephenie Meyer set the honeymoon on an island in the middle of nowhere.
That presented a challenge for location scouts. Hard to find something that remote!
After four weeks of searching, they settled on this house, even though there are views of other tropical islands from here.
In the book, the house is on an island owned by Edward’s “mother,” dubbed Isle Esme.
It was a gift from her husband Carlisle, and it has “the pale-on-pale color scheme preferred by the Cullens.”
You can rent the house, known as Casa em Paraty, assuming you have somewhere between $7,000-$15,000 to live like Bella and Edward for a night.
There are 6 bedrooms, so bring your friends! Another thing to keep in mind when you visit: you can moor your boat right off the beach.
Update: Sorry, but the rental site is no longer active.
For photos and information, check the Casa em Paraty listing
and read the article at Architectural Digest. Top photo by Iain Kemp.
Becky @ Farmgirl Paints says
OOOh great post Julia. Just saw this this weekend and of course fell in love with that honeymoon hide-out! Just swoon worthy.
Luciane at Homebunch.com says
I’m from Brazil and Paraty is a paradise! Loved this post. Sunning home and locations!
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
Junia says
I am originally from Brazil and lived most of my life in Rio de Janeiro.
My biggest problem with the honeymoon as described in the book is that Bella and Edward get married in August, which is Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but Winter in the Southern part of the World. Maybe Stephenie Meyer doesn’t know that, but it is actually a LITTLE cold in Rio during Winter. No wait, I shouldn’t say it is, but it can be. And the waters in the beaches of Rio are always cold during this time of the year. So all that talk of how warm it was during their honeymoon bugged me a little.
hookedonhouses says
Good point! I hadn’t heard anyone mention that.
Christy says
It doesn’t matter if it’s not in Rio anyway. I’m about 99.9% positive that Stephanie Meyer’s has no clue about the difference in weather patterns between the northern and southern hemisperes.
I’m still debating whether to see the movie. I didn’t hate the first book. The same cannot be said about the other 3 books. My feelings actually grew stronger as each book came out.
But the honeymoon house is fabulous. I just need to find $7,000 so I can see it in person 🙂
Christy says
Er, Meyers, not Meyer’s. I’ve been doing that all day. Good thing it’s a short week!
Laura says
What an amazing spot – truely Culleny :-p
That was a high point of how long the honeymoon scenes dragged on…ok, ok, so Bella’s husband won’t have sex with her…..at least she (and the audience) get some amazing scenery to watch! haha
Ami @ parsnipsandpears says
I agree with you about Breaking Dawn being my least favorite of the books… the baby part was just toooooo crazy and drawn out for me.
I too however am excited to see the honeymoon location! I haven`t seen the movie yet, but love this preview… looks amazing!
Lisa says
It’s my favorite book, mostly for the bloody gorey birth scene and Bella’s transformation.
As for the Honeymoon spot, nope, it doesn’t look anything as it described in the book. Beautiful house though but so much more larger than how it’s described and the colors were off.
Carrie says
So, I did not wait in line to see Breaking Dawn because I was at the theater at 4:30 to watch a Twilight marathon. Yes, I am one of those crazy Twi-Hards!!! The honeymoon house is amazing. There is one scene at night when Bella is in the bedroom and the doors are opened to the beach. Fabulous!!! This is also my least favorite book, however, I think the movie is excellent. For a Twilight movie. I might be a little biased though!!! Great post!
Suzette says
I saw BD this weekend and loved it – even though it was my least favorite of the books. Love the honeymoon house. I would gladly spend some time there!
Ricki Jill Treleaven says
Love the post, Julia, thanks so much for putting it together for us! I did not wait in line for the midnight premier, and it is the first time I have not because my older daughter is away at school, and I was usually taking her and her high school friends to the movies. She went to the midnight movie with her sorority sisters. They rented an entire theater for themselves and their dates!
I want to see it this week at some point. Maybe on Black Friday because I will not be shopping on that day!
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
~Ricki Jill
Deb says
I was hooked until the end of the third book, then it just got silly. And I saw the first movie, but it was so corny it turned me off from the series forever – ha! But I’ll look at houses anytime so I love this post 🙂
[email protected] says
I’m no Twi-hard, but I could very much handle vacationing in a home like this! Apparently vampires have no honeymoon budget?! 😉
Lorna says
Love the post, but what happened to Bella’s other leg in the close up of Edward carrying her?!!!
Peggy says
I wondered the same thing, Lorna!
hookedonhouses says
Good question! Movie magic? Ha.
T. says
Hilarious! I didn’t notice until you mentioned it, but you’re right–it’s missing!
I read all four books and saw the first two movies, but I have no desire to to see any more.
HollyM says
Beautiful house. But Twilight?? I caught a few minutes of the first movie this fall on some cable channel. I thought the glimpse I got was laughable, it was so badly acted. I’m completely flumoxed over the hype and hysteria.
Bre says
I <3 this post Julia! I am a crazy Twihard fan, and I went to the midnight showing with friends as it is our tradition. I have to say I adored the movie, it had romance, action, and the wolves never disappoint. I loved their wedding and their honeymoon hideaway was absolutely gorgeous, just what I pictured from the books. This house is incredible! I love the glass doors, the house is so bright and spacious. Love the behind the scenes information regarding this house and the sets they had to build, it transitioned seamlessly from scene to scene. You're so lucky your husband has watched the movies with you, my boyfriend would never! Thank for this and all of your Twilight posts 🙂
Please promise me you will go see it! I want to see it again actually, with my mom and my recently engaged friend, she needs to see it for wedding inspiration! 🙂
Kim says
What a relaxing vacation spot. The home and everything is built around the view and I love that. This would be a great place to spend sometime.
Sorry to say, but I am not a Twilight fan at all and I think the movies are over hyped. I’ve watched a couple minutes of the first movie and it was bad. Plus I don’t like the Twilight vampires. They aren’t the true ones you see in other movies and tv shows.
Amanda @ Serenity Now says
Oh, you’re killin’ me! I’m holding out b/c my sis promised she’d go with me to see it, but I guess we have to wait until I get back into town from our Thanksgiving trip…and that means before she leaves to go home to Tennessee! The house looks like it’s worth the ticket price just to see. 😉
Jared says
Why isn’t he glowing?
hookedonhouses says
He only glows in direct sunlight. It must’ve been a cloudy day. 😉
Juju at Tales of Whimsy... says
Wow. Totally gorgeous. Excellent location/house.
Nita says
I don’t get the Twilight interest. I have seen two of the movies because my granddaughter is interested in it, but for the life of me, I don’t think I have ever seen any worst movies ever made. I like Taylor Lautner, the other two cannot act their way out of a paper bag. The house was okay. The movie was particularly gross, except for Taylor. 🙂
debbie bailey says
I just finished watching Breaking Dawn this afternoon and felt like coming home and having a good cry just to relieve the tension! Oh…my…goodness! Intense! I loved it!
Joni Webb says
yeah!!! i went to the midnight show and laughed and cried, yes cried!!! but i’m a fanatic. loved the movie, it was so good — of course they played chess! anything not to have sex!!!!! what else would you do?
I did a story on this house when they filmed it. a month later – arch digest shows it and doesn’t mention the movie AT ALL. they finally wised up. all the grass was removed and sand replaced it for the movie. but i don’t think you even see that in the movie – can’t remember now.
GO SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kristen @ More Than Mulberries says
I seriously love this series for what it is – just fun. It’s never going to win Academy Awards, it’s entertainment. We usually rent out a theater and do the midnight showing but we all decided we are too old to stay up that late this year and then get kids off to school a few hours later. It’s campy, it’s not perfect, but there are some great sets to go with the bad make up and I would rather watch this than another boring cop/car chase movie any day. Thanks for showing this house, pretty great honeymoon getaway, vampire or not!!!
Natalie A. says
So who feels like booking the house on “Isle Esme”? How about we get a group of 50 of us and split the ridiculous cost? 😉
Absolutely loved this movie, even though some of the acting is ridiculous.
Thanks for sharing the info re: the houses/sets, always find it fascinating to read.
One TV show Im a huge fan of and would love to know more about the houses/sets is the Vampire Diaries which is filmed in Georgia. Some of the houses are truly gorgeous, and the “Salvatore brothers” have eclectic decorating taste lol
hookedonhouses says
Count me in, Natalie! 🙂
There are great houses in Vampire Diaries. Is it really filmed in Georgia? Didn’t know that!
Jennifer says
I agree that the honeymoon house did not look like it was described in the book; but neither did the Cullen house. In the book it was described as more old fashioned looking. But I absolutely loved both homes in the movies! Gorgeous!
Anne says
I’m pretty sure that my husband and I played a different game on our honeymoon. Good news though, WE BOTH WON EVERYTIME! 😉
Gretta says
Hey! I love this blog sooo much!
I’m only 16, but I love looking at pretty houses on Tv/ Movies.
One set I thought was cute was the house setting in “Son of the Mask”
and you already got the settings of my favourite house setting, Bewitched the movie, Sex and the City, etc!
thanks so much!
NJ Cellulose Insulation Contractor says
Beautiful!
Cindy says
I went to see it on Thankgiving because it was finally free of crowds. I thought the honeymoom location was amazing and to me it was the highlight of the movie. The rest of it I could love without, it was poorly constructed, acting was poor, and sillly compared to the quality of the rest of the movies in the series. I will not bother buying it or watching it again. The house is amazing and worth the price of admission, but the movie was not.
Alex says
Does anybody knows if this house can be rented? how much will be for a week?
Thanks
nicole says
im just saying right off that me and my 4 kids love the twlight movies and we are going to take a trip soon to stay in that home for 3 or 4 days just to see it and live it up for them few days .im just saying i really love it to pay that much./
Lisa says
Would like to see Edward and Bella’s house from Breaking Dawn Part 2, PLEASE!!!!!
Laurie Evans says
Yeah, I played chess on my honeymoon, too. LOL
lollychizzy says
I have never read the novels but I have watched the film from the scratch to the peak,their honeymoon was spectacular,gorgeous,dnt even know how to describe it but the battle between the cullen’s and the volturi is really amazing and I am a twilight freak and I am crazy about it
bieber girl says
I WANT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jacob black`s girl says
i love twilight and hopefully i get to marry taylor lautner and he can take me to that beautiful island