Gran Meliá Iguazú

The Gran Meliá Iguazú Hotel is a truly beautiful and exceptionally located hotel right in the heart of Iguazú National Park. Although the exclusivity of the hotel is reflected in the price of the accommodation, it is definitely worth paying extra here. The level of service is outstanding and the location of the hotel is simply irreplaceable. The hotel’s main advantage is its location. It is situated directly inside the national park. This means you don’t have to wait for the official opening hours to explore the Iguazú Falls. We set out before 8 a.m. and walked for about 30 minutes along the path next to the railway track all the way to Devil’s Throat. We were completely alone there! Nothing can beat this experience. Other tourists started arriving about half an hour later because they had to wait for the park to open and then for the first train that takes visitors to Devil’s Throat. The hotel’s location also allows you to enter the park anytime during your stay, for example in the afternoon when there are generally fewer people. I recommend the Lower Circuit, where you can see almost all of the waterfalls. The hotel itself also offers beautiful views directly toward the section of the falls with Devil’s Throat. The best view is from the rooftop bar. You can also observe a variety of animals. If you look closely at the surrounding trees, you will spot many birds, including the toco toucan. In the afternoon, monkeys—specifically capuchins—often move around the hotel grounds. Sometimes you can watch them picking fruit from the trees and moving around together as a group. However, they also visit hotel balconies and occasionally throw guests’ belongings off them. So it’s important to be careful, not to leave anything on the balcony, and above all to keep the balcony doors closed! The hotel restaurants are excellent. Merkado Restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor section focuses mainly on steaks and also prepares the Argentine specialty asado. When booking dinner, specifically ask for the outdoor seating if you enjoy meat dishes. You won’t find this section listed separately in the restaurant options. Breakfast offers a wide selection, and the staff will also prepare omelets and other dishes on request. Swimmers will certainly appreciate the fantastic 50-meter pool, which is rarely crowded. Usually there are only a few swimmers, so you can enjoy both the swimming and the magnificent views of Iguazú Falls directly from the pool. The poolside service is excellent—hotel staff happily prepare sun loungers, umbrellas, replace towels, and keep the area clean. The pool bar also offers excellent drinks and food (including burgers or delicious pizza). The hotel also includes a spa and a very well-equipped fitness center. Most of the time I had the gym entirely to myself—other guests were probably already exhausted after visiting the waterfalls. Towels, water, and apples are available in the fitness center. And even from the gym there is an amazing view of Iguazú Falls. The hotel staff were extremely kind and helpful. Throughout the entire stay I did not meet anyone who seemed to be in a bad mood. Housekeeping even cleaned the room twice a day, replenishing water and chocolates. It is also worth mentioning the proximity of IGR Airport, which is about a 20-minute drive away. Getting to IGU Airport on the Brazilian side took us about 50 minutes. I recommend arranging transfers directly through the hotel. They were reasonably priced, reliable, and—most importantly—they save a lot of time when crossing the border into Brazil, because authorized drivers can pass through the border faster.

Un lugar soñado. Dentro del parque, haces el paseo de cataratas caminando desde el hotel. Increíble gastronomía. Las habitaciones normales, el resto muy bien. (Translated by Google) A dream location. Inside the park, you can walk to the waterfalls from the hotel. Incredible food. The rooms are standard, but everything else is very good.

Excelente hotel. Hermosas vistas a las Cataratas. Excelencia en la atención. (Translated by Google) Excellent hotel. Beautiful views of the Falls. Excellent service.

Magical experience being right in the national park and looking at the falls from the terrace and pool area. Absolutely beautiful hotel that really enhanced our trip to see the falls.

A fantastic location to enjoy Iguazú. It is a serene and comfortable place to relax in the middle of a jungle! The monkeys visit your balcony in search of food, the toucans appear in the morning and the pool invites you to cool off. We had a beautiful room with falls views (the red level) and it was worth every penny. After all, you’re probably not coming back, so just do it! You also get access to the red level lounge where you can sit and have a quiet drink or a bite away from everyone else! What’s not to love. Special thanks go to Esteban who looked after us royally. He and his colleagues are incredibly professional and kind. With the superb views, incredible levels of service and location at one of the world’s great wonders I’m not sure anything could be better. Just make sure you don’t have a “jungle view” or you risk seeing the car park. Splash out- you won’t regret it!