Accommodations

Be prepared for the fact that Manaus [1] doesn’t have a lot of great accommodation options. Budget hotels in Centro are pretty basic, and will cost more than what they would in other Brazilian cities. Meanwhile, if you choose a so-called three-star downtown, you’ll be sorely disappointed by inferior quality, shabby furnishings, and rates that will leave you feeling ripped off.

Located not too far from the Teatro Amazonas [2], Hotel Dez de Julho (Rua Dez de Julho 679, Centro, tel. 92/3232-6280, www.hoteldezdejulho.com [3], R$65–80) is the safest, cleanest, and cheapest hotel you’ll find in Manaus. The fair-sized air-conditioned rooms are comfortable enough, though quite spartan and a little noisy. The staff is friendly and breakfasts are quite decent.

Also good value is the Central Hotel Manaus (Rua Dr. Moreira 202, Centro, tel. 92/3622-2600, www.hotelcentralmanaus.com.br [4], R$130 d). The air-conditioned rooms won’t win any style awards, but high ceilings, cool tile floors, and solid wood furnishings are pleasant. There is a decent on-site restaurant with 24-hour room service.

Right across from the Teatro Amazonas [2], Hotel Manaós (Av. Eduardo Ribeiro 881, Centro, tel. 92/3633-5744, www.hotelmanaos.com.br [5], R$150–180 d) is a modern and efficiently run hotel. Air-conditioned rooms are standard and smallish, but quite comfortable and nicely finished. The best ones are those on the second and third floors that have terrific views of the Teatro Amazonas. Although the price is more than what it’s worth, this hotel is one of Manaus’s best values.

An alternative to Manaus [1]’s desultory upscale hotels is playing house at the Saint-Paul (Rua Ramos Ferreira 1115, Centro, tel. 92/2101-3800, www.manaushoteis.bur.br [6], R$220–270d), a centrally located apart-hotel complex that’s a favorite with business execs on extended trips. The spacious and spotless one and two-bedroom suites have living areas and small “American kitchens.” They are quite comfortable, even if the only thing alleviating the sterile atmosphere is large blown-up photos of Amazonian flora. Conveniences include a pool, sauna, fitness center, and restaurant.

Ever since it first opened in the mid-1970s, the legendary Tropical Manaus Eco Resort Experience (Av. Coronel Teixeira 1320, Ponta Negra, tel. 92/2123-5000, www.tropicalhotel.com.br [7], R$330–475 d) has been whetting appetites of travelers whose dreams of “roughing it” in the Amazon [8] include living it up in high style. Set amidst a patch of jungle, spanning the banks of Rio Negro, this sprawling and very scenic resort is neither luxurious nor stylish, but it has managed to retain some grandeur. Rooms are very comfortable, if somewhat dated—those in the “colonial” wing, outfitted with hardwood floors and dark wood furnishings, have more personality. Bathrooms, however, are gleamingly modern.

The amenities are endless, and include various bars, shops, restaurants, swimming pools, and a spa as well as tennis courts, a playground, an archery range, an orchid hothouse, and a (rather sad) zoo housing Amazonian animals. There is even a jungle survival course. While you’re 20 kilometers (12 miles) from downtown Manaus [1], you’re only a quick walk from Ponta Negra’s river beaches and nightlife. This is an ideal choice if you’re traveling as a family.