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Brasília's hotels cater primarily to business executives and government officials. Most hotels, from the upscale resorts to the budget inns, are found in the Hotel Sectors and along Lago Paranoá. For ease in exploring the city, try to stay in Plano Piloto, close to most architectural landmarks, shopping malls, and a number of good restaurants.
West of Brasília, deluxe accommodations are scarcer. In the Pantanal, the fazendas (farms) are quite spartan, but there are a few extremely comfortable jungle lodges with nearly everything you could need.
When you book a room, note that a 10% service charge will be added.
Large, luxurious, and expertly designed and landscaped, the Wetiga Hotel is the best in downtown Bonito. Rooms are large, with tile floors, and decor inspired by indigenous peoples. Most rooms have small living rooms, and some have verandas. The design is dramatic, with rustic elements like log beams and rough-cut rocks interspersed with modern lighting. The hotel opened a sauna, heated pool, and steam room in 2010 and installed new air-conditioning in 2014.
This is your chance to stay in an effortless modernist masterpiece, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, which reopened in 2006 after a top-to-bottom renovation supervised by Niemeyer himself. The first hotel built in Brasília, this simple rectangular structure exudes tranquillity and seems to shimmer in its lakeside setting. Two wall-size panels by Athos Bulcão adorn the lobby. The common areas are the epitome of 1960s chic. In 2014, the Palace hosted the Brazilian soccer team during their ill-fated World Cup campaign.
Campo Grande's most modern and sophisticated hotel, the Grand Park is helpfully located just across from Shopping Campo Grande. Rooms are large by local standards and there's a refreshing sense of space in the corridors and common areas. The breakfast alone is reason to stay.
A sober granite lobby with wood paneling and sophisticated lighting welcomes you to this modern hotel,with spacious, well-appointed suites filled with amenities like plush carpeting, king-size beds, kitchenettes, and oversize bathtubs. The on-site restaurant, Pitanga, is popular for its Brazilian fare.
The best budget option in town, this family-run pousada opened in 2012 and has become a favorite with young travelers. The breakfast goes way beyond what you would expect at this price range.
This hotel has a lot to offer, including large rooms attractively decorated with pictures of birds from the Pantanal. Ventanas restaurant offers international fare and is popular with businesspeople. World Cup teams stayed here in 2014.
One of Brasília's older hotels, the Nacional is still fondly regarded. The building reflects the modernist design principles of the city planners, but is now in need of a makeover, and the start of renovations is being held up by its status as a historic building. In the early days of the capital, the Nacional welcomed many distinguished guests, including Queen Elizabeth.
This family-run hotel celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2013 and continues to combine a convenient location with a high caliber of service. The hotel is just off the main square and a short walk from the bus station. The family are of German origin, and home-baked breads are the highlight of breakfast.
This is one of Cuiabá's most popular hotels for both business travelers and tourists, mainly because of its location near the City Center next to a cluster of restaurants. Rooms are also spacious by Brazilian standards, and staff are very attentive. It's worth asking about discounts.
Once the leading hotel in town, the Jandaia has lost its former glory and needs some renovation. The central location and ample lobby remain appealing, but the rooms are now looking old and unloved. The swimming pool retains its charm. The upscale Imperium restaurant, on the second floor, serves international fare with Brazilian options.
Originally owned by descendants of Brasília's founding father, Juscelino Kubistchek, this hotel is decorated with some of his own antiques. Rooms have modern decor, with pastel color schemes and wood accents. The Diamantina restaurant has a varied menu that includes some of the President's favorite dishes from Minas Gerais State.
The modern design of this hotel contrasts with others in town, which lean toward rustic looks. The cream-color rooms are basic but comfortably furnished. The more expansive ones have verandas and face the impressive tropical gardens surrounding the pool. The restaurant serves regional fare for dinner.
This property, with an enviable location on the Eixo Monumental, is adjacent to the Brasil XXI convention center and just steps from the Parque da Cidade, so you often see guests heading out to enjoy the park. Catering to business travelers, the hotel has sleek rooms that are comfortable enough for longer stays, and some rooms have excellent views. The hotel has made a commitment to going green, and one floor is made entirely of wood from sustainable forestry, although these rooms cost more.
A red-tile roof gives this hotel a rustic appeal. It opened a new wing at the end of 2014, almost doubling its capacity, with rooms that are more spacious and have a fresher, more sophisticated design than those in the original wing.
The standard rooms at Paiaguás Palace are charmless, but the large and luxuriously furnished suites suit the rather grandiose name. The top-floor restaurant, with its buffet of international fare, has good views—on clear evenings you can see the plains. Location is one of the main draws of this hotel; it's right in the business district.
Rooms here may be sparsely decorated, but they are more than comfortable enough to make your stay pleasant. The hotel arranges fishing expeditions, guided horseback tours and hikes, and visits to the Campo Largo ranch, an adjoining working ranch owned by the hotel.
A great budget choice, this inn renovated in 2012 occupies a historic house with lots of antiques. You'll receive a warm welcome from the friendly staff and the attentive owner, Fátima Cordella, who also runs a travel agency next door. The hearty breakfasts, with several kinds of pastries, are a rarity in a region where buttered bread is the norm.
Rooms are impeccably clean at this eco-lodge, which has comforts unexpected in an area this remote. All have verandas where you can sit, relax, and enjoy the views. The restaurant serves great Pantanal fish. Environmental education and awareness is the motto here: this pousada goes the extra mile to keep the environmental impact of tourism to a minimum and explains why and how they do it. One highlight is the 3,000-foot wooden walkway over the wetlands. There are two observation towers extending well above the treetops. From there you have a bird's-eye view of the surroundings. There's a two-night minimum stay, which provides you time to join the trekking, canoeing, and horseback riding, all included in the price.
Clinging to the mesa's edge, this small resort may be far from the Chapada dos Guimarães, but it has tremendous views of the cerrado. The sunny rooms are in cabins scattered about the grounds. All rooms have access to verandas with great vistas. Hiking tours and rappelling trips are available.
A family-run business, Pousada Rancho Jarinú has friendly owners who go to great lengths to make you feel at home. The brick building helps keep the air cool—a boon in the heat of the tropics—and there's also a well-kept swimming pool. You're just steps from the main business district in Bonito.
Run by the town's former secretary of tourism, this centrally located pousada has bright if small rooms and spacious common areas and a swimming pool, all of which makes for a comfortable stay. Staff are attentive and knowledgeable.
This pousada is nestled on a 2,000-acre island in the Rio Salobra delta. Connected by a bridge to the mainland, it can be reached even during the high waters of the rainy season. The lodge, once a farmhouse, has comfortable apartments with tiled floors and pastel color schemes. Among the activities offered, snorkeling on the river and bird-watching are most popular. Large wildlife (especially mammals) are best seen on an evening or dawn tour in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
President Obama's choice when he came to Brasília in 2011, this swank hotel has a prime location next to the official residence of the president of Brazil, which has made it a firm favorite for visiting politicians and diplomats. Lesser mortals will be wowed by the dramatic lobby and the stunning setting on the edge of Paranoá Lake, although standard rooms do not come with a view and are surprisingly drab, especially given the hotel's gaudy red facade. Golden Tulip took over management in 2009, and some guests prefer the Golden Tulip Brasília Alvorada, on the same site, where rooms are brighter and less expensive.
If you're looking for a low price and a convenient location near the airport, this hotel is a good option. Sleek rooms have laminated wood floors and double beds, the bathrooms are modern and clean, and facilities are up-to-date.
With decorations inspired by the Kadiweu people's traditional crafts, this eco-lodge has an authentic feel. The rooms—in single-story bungalows—are spacious, with colorful furnishings, tile floors, and wood paneling. Some rooms have good views of the extensive gardens and the nearby forest-covered hills. The restaurant serves international fare, but local fish is always available. Tours to the region's attractions can be arranged through the on-site travel agency. The resort also has swimming pools, tennis courts, game rooms, and a lake for fishing. Rates include dinner.
