Enjoyed a wonderful 8-night stay at the Bourbon Hotel - Batel Express. Batel is an excellent, though somewhat pricey, area in Curitiba. Curitiba is known as the ecological capital of Brazil, very clean & green -- as in recycling, & a paragon for mass transit.

Breakfast is included with the room rate. You eat in a bright, sunny area with pretty orange & green tableclothes. Delicious spread: 3 types of breads that can be toasted, in addition to all types of rolls & sweet things; cheese, ham; scrambled eggs, sausage; fresh fruit -- papaya, pineapple, mango, honeydew; hot water, coffee, warm milk; excellent selection of tea, herbal included. Dinner may be purchased: soups, sandwiches, burgers.

Our room was tiny, but the bathroom was very clean. We had a small balcony, and the windows opened for fresh air. Good ventilation. However, being on the Avenida Visconde de Guarapuava is very noisy when the windows are open. A/C available. Small fridge. Innovative bi-level desk design, so you can put your laptop on 1 level, and books & papers above.

Fitness center was sufficient with access to rooftop balcony. The stationary bike was not working well, but the treadmill was ok. Functional weight machine, and few free weights.

Fast high-speed Internet connection, when there aren't too many guests. Garage available. And the best, friendly staff! Alexandre, Albino, Vesuvius, and a young woman who's name began with Fiorella...

My favorite thing about the hotel is its location. Across the street from a lovely cafe: Saint Germain. Within blocks of tasty restaurants and por-kilo / cafeterias. 1 block from a small park, Praça do Japão. Few blocks from a bus stop. Across the street from a Catholic Church: Santa Terezinha do Menino Jesus.