Pousada Guata Porã

The Agoda photos didn’t show the property’s actual condition. We booked four days and three nights to be closer to the falls, but on the first evening it was clear that cleanliness was a serious problem. There was hair in the sink, visible mould in the toilet, dead flies in the shower, and insects crawling over our belongings. The whole place made us extremely uncomfortable. The water pressure was almost nonexistent, so even a quick shower was stressful. The kitchen was just as disappointing, with dirty, poorly maintained appliances and an old, unhygienic coffee maker that seemed unusable. Staying even one night felt unbearable, and spending the whole booking there was out of the question, so we urgently found somewhere else that evening. The spotless place we found was just 10 minutes away. Being near a park or natural area is no excuse for poor hygiene or maintenance. We’ve stayed near parks and even in safari areas that were impeccably clean. We tried to resolve things privately with the accommodation, but were met with promises that weren’t kept. We explained what happened and asked for what we felt was fair: payment for the first night only and a refund for the remaining nights. They said Agoda would process it. After several days of waiting, we were told there would be no refund. Basic cleanliness is a fundamental expectation, and this stay fell far below it. The lack of accountability afterward made the disappointment even worse.

Cleanliness was one of several problems with the room, which wasn’t up to standard and affected my stay. I brought the issues up while I was there, but they weren’t properly resolved. I’m disappointed with the experience.

You’re basically in a forest, and the hotel is very boutique. It’s close to the falls, though a long way from restaurants. Breakfast starts a little late in the morning.

This place deserves six stars. Guata Porã has the best parts of farm life, along with beautiful, spacious, sparkling clean rooms and the comfort of a fancier hotel. My kids loved seeing the animals, we really enjoyed the locally grown food, and the staff were wonderful. It’s quite isolated, which is the one small drawback. We had food delivered because we wanted to enjoy the grounds, though taking a taxi into town is another option. For sightseeing, the location is great: it’s a 10 minute walk to the Parque das Aves and falls entrance.