Brazil Hotels and Hostels

Brazil has a large supply of hotels and hostels throughout most of the country. While generally the availability is good, during the peak months of December and January, which is summer there, you may be hard pressed to find a place without a reservation. During the popular Carnival festival, which falls between February and March every year, you will also find accommodations are hard to come by. You have to book well in advance, particularly in the larger cities, and you are usually required to stay for at least three days at prices that are heavily marked up. If you're traveling during the low season, you will save a lot of money and can be more flexible in your bookings as accommodation will not be in as high demand.

Finding the Best Prices

Brazil is one of the more expensive countries to visit in South America. Don't be surprised if hotel prices are comparable to European prices, particularly in the larger cities. The best way to avoid the heavy expense is to travel during the low season. Research the holiday schedule in Brazil as the holidays directly correlate to peak season in the country. In addition to holidays, the summer months of December and January are highly popular as well.
Another trick to saving money in the expensive country is to travel to the rural areas. Cities in Brazil, particularly along the coast are notoriously expensive. Do some research before you leave and choose some places that are off the beaten path. It will give you more insight into the true culture of this country, and you'll do it without the extravagant expenses of some of the most popular cities.

Types of Accommodation

Because Brazil is such a popular tourist destination, it has many different types of accommodation. The Brazilian tourism regulation board rates each hotel, but the star rating are rarely enforced or kept up to date. For this reason it is best to confirm in advance that the hotel has the amenities that you are looking for. Pousadas are guesthouses and are actually more common than hotels. They are simpler, with fewer services and amenities, and for this reason are often cheaper. If you're on an even tighter budget, youth hostels are growing in popularity and are more common now than they once were. In wilderness areas such as Pantanal, you can stay in fazendas. These are ranches that have guest facilities. In rural areas and small towns you can stay in farm hotels known as hoteis-fazendas. These facilities have many different activities ranging from swimming to camping and are often quite scenic. A fun addition to any trip is to stay on a boat hotel which will give you access to some areas you would not reach without being on the water. They're fun for fishing trips or for wildlife watching.