Fortaleza Accommodations

Fortaleza has a large variety of hotels, what follows is a selection of these hotels, if you want to add some yourself feel free.

The growth of tourism in Fortaleza is fairly recent. Until the 1970s, Fortaleza had few hotels, mostly concentrated in the central area, near the bus station; in the 1980s and 1990s, when the Governments realized that the tourism sector had an enormous economic potential, all the infrastructure which supports tourism had a fast growth, with investments from the Government and private businesses.
That means that the network of hotels in Fortaleza is one of the most modern in Brazil. There are several new hotels in the city, which were planned and built to satisfy the needs of modern tourism.

Today, the hotels are concentrated in a strip near the beach.
In Iracema beach, which is the one nearest the old downtown, there are more options of economic hotels and pousadas (pousadas are smaller hotels, with basic services - often only bed and breakfast -, usually large houses adapted to become a hotel); Iracema has an active nightlife, and is preferred bohemians, partiers and backpackers (there are two youth hostels in Iracema).
Meireles and Mucuripe is where most new hotels have been built. The avenue by the sea and the two or three parallel streets are lined with hotels, restaurants, shops and other businesses catering for tourism. There are several grades of hotel (from five to no star, economic, furbished flats, pousadas, etc); the competition among hotels can result in bargain prices, particularly during low season.
Praia do Futuro is preferred by swimmers and surfers (actually, it is the only urban beach in Fortaleza approved for bathing by the Sanitary Authorities). The high salinity, however, makes it difficult for hotels to establish and flourish here; the fewer hotels and pousadas in Praia do Futuro are less well maintained than those in Meireles, but prices tend to be lower.

A warning: even though there are many hotels in the city, there may be seasons when all of them seem to be full. Visitors coming to Fortaleza in July (spring break in Brazil) or from January until the end of carnival should make a booking in advance.