Wish Foz do Iguaçu

The location makes a four-star rating seem fair to me, especially since there are other five-star options, though they cost more. Hotel Belmond is the best choice if you want to stay right by the waterfalls on the Brazilian side, inside Foz do Iguaçu National Park, and have a five-star experience. I didn't look into the Argentinian side of Foz do Iguaçu, but I'd recommend checking it before making your plans. You can also fly into Argentina's IGR airport. From America via Buenos Aires, that can be a shorter, cheaper trip from LAX than going through Rio de Janeiro to the Brazilian airport, IGU. If Rio isn't on your itinerary, consider that option or flights through São Paulo, airport code GRU. As for this resort, it hasn't had much renovation in years, at least in the rooms, and I had a few service experiences that didn't meet five-star standards. Given the other choices, I can't rate it five stars.

The breakfast was nice, but the room felt very basic and the shower had soap scum all over it. With a 4.7 Google rating and claims of being a 5-star hotel, I expected more. I agree with other reviews that it feels closer to three stars. I'll stay somewhere else next time.

The food was a highlight: breakfast had lots of fresh, tasty choices, and the buffet lunch and dinner offered good variety and quality. Our room was spacious and very clean, and the staff were consistently friendly and helpful. Wish is a lovely property with greenery and a scenic golf course, well placed between Foz do Iguaçu and the waterfalls. It felt like good value, and we'd happily return. There were a few inconveniences. The room was adapted for guests with disabilities, so the shower was level with the floor and water spread through the bathroom. The electricity meter made a noticeable noise, too. The hotel is fairly isolated, so dinner elsewhere means taking a car or taxi.

The food was tasty and the staff were kind, but the five-star label doesn't seem fair to me. Having lots of amenities doesn't guarantee the service and standards people expect from a 5-star hotel, so I think booking sites should change the rating. Our room was cold when we checked in around midnight in 5C weather, with all the windows left open. It took ages to warm up. There was no complimentary drinking water in the room either, so we had to ask reception or pay for minibar water. When the room was serviced, the towels weren't replaced. Those oversights might be understandable at a two- or three-star place, but not here. The room also smelled musty and mouldy. I saw mould on the lamps, curtains, walls and curtain rails, and included photos. That alone seriously lowered my impression of the room. The hotel isn't bad, but I'd call it a low four-star or high three-star at best.