Belmond Hotel das Cataratas

A unique hotel in a stunning part of the world. The Iguassu Falls are magnificent and the whole experience was made even better by this wonderful hotel.

The real value of staying at Belmond Hotel das Cataratas is the exclusive access to the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls outside of national park hours. Being able to experience the falls in near solitude is special. The other standout feature is the breakfast buffet, which rivals the variety you’d expect on a cruise ship. The hotel itself is comfortable, clean, and luxurious, but honestly not much more impressive than several places we stayed in Argentine cities at a fraction of the cost—some of which even offered better amenities. Service here was excellent, though we found equally wonderful (and perhaps slightly warmer) hospitality at those Argentine hotels. Dining options are limited unless you take a shuttle into the city, which can take an hour or more each way. On-site, you’ll find only three choices: • An expensive fine-dining restaurant • A less formal but still pricey option • The bar, which unfortunately is overshadowed by loud, contemporary U.S. pop music that feels geared toward the young staff rather than the guests, making it hard to enjoy. After one meal there, we avoided the place. For most travelers (and if we could do it over), we recommend staying on the Argentine side, where you’ll find a wide range of hotels (from budget to luxury) and far more variety of restaurants and cafés—including plenty of breakfast options if your hotel doesn't include one already. Then plan a day trip to the Brazilian side to see the falls, which are absolutely worth it. Yes, you’ll be sharing the view with crowds of tourists, but you won’t be paying $1,000 per night just to avoid them.

Hotel das Cataratas at Iguazu Falls is great way to experience the Falls. Its location within the park allows guests to experience the falls both before the day visitors arrive and after they have left. The hotel provides everything you’d expect of a 5 star hotel and there are bikes for a ride through the forest.

I’ll start with the positives! It’s a lovely historic property, with extremely friendly and helpful staff. The food was also excellent. However, the package as a whole was really disappointing. Our room was really musty, it had a musty smell and upon getting into bed the sheets were very damp!! Further to this, although we didn’t pay for a room with a view, I also didn’t expect a concrete wall!! As we were only staying a night we didn’t make a fuss, but for £650 a night I expected an awful lot better. I wish I’d have stayed an extra night at the Gran Melia and just come into the National Park for the day. Gran Melia got my vote!

I have stayed on both sides of the falls. Having access to the park made the difference. Older hotel, but beautiful inside and out. Great staff and food. Walking out of the hotel and across to the falls to watch the sunsets was amazing.