It was my second time at san martin hotel. I loved it twice!! lovely grounds, food and staff. we booked through an argentinian travel agency with excellent prices called ATI. It is only 100m from the brazilian waterfalls park. of course it ia not convenient when you travel to the argentinian side.BUT YOU MUSTsee both sides of the waterfalls. so you will need to deal with the passport control twice or even three times in whole stay in Iguazu falls. try to choose a superior room at the hotel, they are much better in size and furniture. hotel grounds are great as well as hiking paths.if you have the chance do the GRAN AVENTURA, a boat trip in the argentinian side. bring dry clothes as you get soaked wet during the journey. plastic rubber bags are provided for your belongings. a wise idea is to wear (if weather permits)just your swimsuit under the life jacket and after the trip you just only change for dry clothes.

San Martin Hotel is located within a few minutes' walk to the entrance of the Brazil side of the Iguacu Falls park. Although the location was wonderful and the resort grounds look lovely, I would not recommend this place as a base point for travelers who wish to see the falls. Foz do Iguacu is only about a 40 minute bus ride away from the falls and offers more places to stay and also restaurants to choose from also. My husband and I had heard Foz was gritty and not a good place to stay but when we explored it, we found it interesting and relatively safe. San Martin is rather isolated so although the pool and nature trail on the grounds provide some forms of entertainment for daytime activities (when you'd be at the falls anyhow), at night, there is little to see and do and only a restaurant and bar to get food from.

Also, our experience at San Martin was a disappointing one. I booked directly with the hotel via its Web site and was confirmed for a double room. However upon check-in, the rather terse reception lady told me our room had two twin beds, which counted as a "double" and if I wanted a larger bed that could fit two people on it, I would have to pay more. What kind of rip-off is that? My husband and I were there celebrating our first wedding anniversary so did not like the thought of having to sleep in separate beds for such an occasion but the thought of having to pay more when I'd confirmed a room a month earlier did not sit well with us. So we kept the room they gave us, which actually had three twin beds instead of two, so doesn't that constitute as a triple rather than a double? And so one double bed didn't seem like it should have been out of the question. We were only there one night though and decided to just let it be since we were tired and would check out early the next day anyhow. As an aside, we were able to fit on one twin bed just fine so it worked out in the end.

The Brazil side of Iguacu Falls only takes a few hours to experience so ultimately I would advise travelers to base themselves out of Puerto Iguazu in Argentina, which is not quite as bustling as Foz and so a relaxing place to stay. From Puerto Iguazu, you can easily see the Argentine side of the falls one day, stay overnight and then see the Brazil side another day and stay overnight in Argentina again after that.

We chose the hotel for its location- a few minutes from airport, can walk to bird aviary and to visitor center of Brazil side of the Falls national park.

The hotel is one story, but spread out with a few wings. It is older, but the public areas were nicely kept-- the pool area/landscaping was especially nice,(relaxing after a day touring the falls)- and there is a nature trail around the property. The hotel has a restaurant and bar, and game room with ping pong and billiard table (and looks like perhaps they do childrens activities when busier). The included breakfast buffet was similar to our hotel in Rio--- baked goods, juices, coffee, about 3 hot items, fruits, cereals. We ate at the hotel buffet our 2 nights there--- 35R/ per person plus drinks/service---- variety of salads, hot pasta, about 2-3 meat dishes, and nice variety of of desserts. They had an ala carte menu as well. The hotel has a tour desk in the front lobby.

Our room was a standard one ( for extra cost, you can get a superior room, which I think may be more updated)-- ours was fine, clean but with an old feel, the mattress could use replacing. Safe in room at no extra cost to use. Bathroom clean and more updated than the bedroom.

I've stayed at the Hotel San Martin several times when visiting Foz do Iguaçu. I love this place, and that's what keeps me coming back.
The hotel is located only about 200-300 meters from the entrance to the Brazilian park. It's right next to the Bird Park. It's only about 4 kilometers from the airport--very convenient all around.
The hotel itself is situated on a spacious property. The front of the property is very nicely appointed as a welcome area, reception, and the hotel rooms themselves. The whole back end of the property includes a soccer field and nature trails that go back into the jungle. The property actually goes all the way back to the Iguaçu River (considerably downstream from the falls), but while I've strolled the trails back there, I've never gone all the way to the river.
The rooms are very basic--almost rustic in some respects. (They have some newer rooms that have been remodeled more to contemporary standards.) The rooms aren't large at all, but they're kept very clean, and they're very comfortable. The bathroom includes a tub-shower and, in some cases at least, a bidet.
You're not in Foz to stay in your hotel room, though! The hotel is so conveniently situated, you can walk to the Cataratas do Iguaçu national park. A bus stop right across the highway from the hotel entrance is convenient for public transportation to downtown Foz, to Argentina or to Paraguay.
In the hotel lobby you can schedule tours to Itaipú Dam, the Argentine national park, or other sights. Tours offered at the hotel are convenient and are fairly priced for the tourist market, but they are not inexpensive; you may be able to find other more economical alternatives if you're a savvy traveler.
The hotel property itself is fun to roam. Walk the nature trails and enjoy the jungle. The swimming pool is beautiful, clean, and a great way to cool off on a warm Brazilian summer day. The poolside bar and grill will make sure your food and beverage needs are met.
Speaking of food and beverage, the hotel offers complimentary breakfast to all guests. Lunch and supper are available in the restaurant for an additional charge. The food in the hotel restaurant is very good. Evening meals usually include a very well-spread buffet, with a main meal theme (churrasco, etc.). The prices are very reasonable, and the quality of food is excellent. Inquire at the desk, because on some evenings the supper meal affords the option of dining outside on the grassy patio--a delightful experience. Live music is often part of the evening ambience.
In the evenings the lobby often becomes a gathering place for hotel guests, many of them from Argentina. It's a fun way to get to know people and share experiences. There is a game room with a pool table and a ping-pong table. The bar is conveniently located right off the lobby.
I myself have not visited the Hotel San Martin with my family, but I believe the hotel makes an effort to be family-friendly. I've seen a number of families enjoying the place, and the hotel seems to be very accommodating for children.
Enjoy your stay!