Parque Nacional del Iguazù Hotel Tips by Bwana_Brown Top 5 Page for this destination

Hotel Esturion Iguazu: Nice Digs in Puerto Iguazu

The 118-room, 4-star Esturion Hotel was selected for us by our internet tour organizer, Ripio Turismo, so we were picked up from the airport by our local tour operator, Cuenca del Plata, and promptly delivered to our accommodations. The hotel is located almost at the end of the streets in Puerto Iguazu, on the point of land where the Iguazu and Parana Rivers meet.

Unique Qualities: We liked the looks of the place as soon as we drove in through their big gate in the fenced-off hotel grounds. Nicely manicured grounds, clay tennis courts off to the side and a beautiful swimming pool at a lower elevation with colourful bougainvillea vines climbing the walls. It was looking good already!

Since we were pre-paid as part of the package deal, we never actually paid a room rate, but an internet site (details below) quotes their single and double rooms at about US$70. After a hot day walking around the national park at Iguazu Falls, we really enjoyed the pleasures of this hotel swimming pool!

Address: Av. Tres Fronteras 650, Puerto Iguazu

Comparison: about average

Directions: At the far end of Puerto Iguazu, almost where the Rio Iguazu meets the Rio Parana

Other Contact: information@hotelesturion.com

Phone: 30 2842 090 300

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.dilos.com/hotel

Balcony

The 2nd floor bedroom was spacious enough for our needs and also had a nice balcony with table and chair, giving us a view out to the Iguazu River. The bathroom was also adequate and, although all water was not working once when we returned from a trip, a call to maintenance had it flowing again in no time.

The air conditioning unit was just barely able to hold it's own in the summer heat, but it was enough to do the job. The mini-bar located in the fridge did not see much use. However, because the bar did not sell wine by the glass for our evening meals, it came in handy to keep our bottle of left-over white wine cold! The price of a whole bottle was A$20 (US$7) so in reality, about the same as a glass of wine in a fancy restaurant back home!

Unique Qualities: The hotel breakfast, also part of our package deal, was excellent with a great choice of fruits, pastries, cereals and so on. This room also served as their high quality restaurant for evening meals or you could order something at their lobby bar area which overlooked the swimming pool.

Located along a beautifully treed street, the hotel is only about a 10-15 minute walk from the heart of Puerto Iguazu. Staying in PI instead of at the posh Sheraton 20-km away at Iguazu Falls gives you more flexibility during the evenings to enjoy the nightlife of this friendly city.

Theme: Hotel

The Old Hotel at Iguazu: Empty Verandahs

We detoured through the Old Hotel as we continued on our walk from the cataracts back to the Visitor Centre of the Parque Nacional, where we were to meet our taxi at a pre-arranged time.

It was nice to wander the empty verandahs and corridors of this now abandoned building, especially for the shade from the hot afternoon sun! We did not see anyone else there as we peered into rooms and explored the old building. I think some of the rooms may still be occasionally used for small meetings of groups of naturalists or the like, but I am not sure. One thing the tourist literature does mention is that, if you have an unfortunate encounter with a spider or snake, you should head to the First Aid Centre located in this old building as fast as you can!

We liked the old hotel - it reminded us of our long-past days in Africa. I hope that this amazing structure is preserved as part of Argentina's history. So far, it still seems to be in good shape.

Theme: Hotel

The Old Hotel at the Cataracts: No Longer Needed

On our final day in Parque Nacional del Iguazu, when we were on our own to wander at our leisure, we walked back uphill from the Lower Circuit to the area of the new Sheraton hotel, the only accommodations actually located inside the National Park. Just a few hundred feet away from the modern Sheraton stands the original old hotel used by tourists when visiting this amazing display of cataracts.

There does not seem to be much information available on the history of this old colonial-style building, but it seems to be quite empty these days. The 2nd photo gives a closer view of the architecture that so appealed to us.

Directions: Close to the Sheraton Hotel in the Parque Nacional

Theme: Hotel