Picolo recommends · Hotel in Iguaçu, Brazil
Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel
A pink colonial building in the rainforest, with the roar of Iguaçu Falls audible from the terrace and the trails starting at the front door.
You step out of the front door, and a few minutes later the mist from the falls is on your face. Hotel das Cataratas, run by Belmond, is the only place to sleep inside the park on the Brazilian side, in a pink building with white arches.
That location changes the visit. Day visitors arrive by bus once the gates open and leave before they close. Staying here, you have the walkways before and after them, when the light is soft and the coatis have the paths to themselves.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel
We chose it for the access. Seeing the falls with almost nobody else around is the reason to come to Iguaçu, and this is the only hotel on the Brazilian side that lets you do it at sunrise and again at dusk.
It is expensive, and in the evening you are tied to the hotel's own restaurants, since there is nothing else within the park. If you want variety at dinner, or a lower bill, stay in Foz do Iguaçu and accept the queue at the gate.
What you get
- Access to the falls outside park opening hours
- Rainforest grounds inside the national park
- Outdoor pool
- Restaurants on site
- Belmond service
A day at Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel
- Morning
- A walk to the falls at first light, before the gates open to day visitors.
- Midday
- Breakfast on the veranda, still damp from the spray.
- Afternoon
- A siesta and a swim while the tour groups crowd the walkways.
- Evening
- The trails again at dusk, then dinner at the hotel.
Location
Iguaçu National Park, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Open in MapsQuestions about Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel
Is Hotel das Cataratas inside Iguaçu National Park?
Yes. It is the only hotel within the park on the Brazilian side, right beside the walking trails that lead to the falls.
Can guests at Hotel das Cataratas see the falls outside park hours?
Yes. Guests can walk to the falls before the park opens to day visitors and after it closes, which is the main reason to stay here.
Where do you eat at Hotel das Cataratas?
In the hotel's own restaurants. There is nowhere else to eat inside the park in the evening, so expect to have dinner on site every night.
Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
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