Where to stay in Porto Alegre: best neighborhoods and accommodation tips

Porto Alegre is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul and the second most populous city in southern Brazil. It’s a big city like many others: it has a subway, traffic during peak hours, a busy nightlife, several parks, and many tourist attractions. However, it is not difficult to choose where to stay in Porto Alegre, as most hotels are concentrated in just a few neighborhoods.

The best locations in Porto Alegre are definitely the Moinhos de Vento and Cidade Baixa neighborhoods. Both are busy during the day and at night, which makes them safe. They are also pleasant areas with good attractions nearby, which makes them great options for those wondering where to stay in Porto Alegre.

But there are also other areas you can consider. The Floresta neighborhood, for example, is close to the bus station and has easy access to the Historic Center and neighboring cities such as Canoas, São Leopoldo, and Novo Hamburgo.

The Historic Center can also be an option depending on your profile. Several tourist attractions are concentrated in this region, and it is one of the cheapest neighborhoods in Porto Alegre.

In this article I will explain the advantages and disadvantages of the best places to stay in Porto Alegre and will recommend hotels, inns and hostels that are highly rated by travelers from all over the world.

At the end, I’ll still give you some tips on what to do in Porto Alegre, so you can choose the best place to stay there according to your interests.

You might also like to read:

The best things to do in Porto Alegre
Where to stay in Rio de Janeiro
How to learn Brazilian Portuguese

Where to stay in Porto Alegre, Brazil: best neighborhoods

Moinhos de Vento

Moinhos de Vento (which literally means Windmills) is one of the most upscale neighborhoods in Porto Alegre. This can be seen in the charming, tree-lined streets, sophisticated commerce, and lively nightlife. Furthermore, it’s where you will find the most luxurious hotels in Porto Alegre.

The area around Padre Chagas Street, in Moinhos de Vento, is ideal for those who want to enjoy the nightlife. You can safely walk the streets around there and choose one of the restaurants, bars, and cafes in the area. There are countless options, from pubs that make their own craft beer and bistros with famous chefs to themed bars.

Moinhos Shopping (a shopping mall) and Parque Moinhos (a park that’s also known as Parcão) are also located on the outskirts of Padre Chagas Street. There, you will also find pharmacies, supermarkets, and other shops.

Where to stay in Porto Alegre in the Moinhos de Vento neighborhood

Casa Moinhos de Vento Vintage is a charming ancient house decorated in a vintage style. It is well located in the Moinhos de Vento neighborhood. The house has a shared kitchen, as well as a beautiful garden and a bar where samba presentations take place. It is a more economical accommodation option in Moinhos de Vento, considering it is an upscale neighborhood.

Swan Generation is a very modern hotel, decorated with colorful paintings and lots of plants. It has several types of suites and some shared rooms.

For those who prefer a more “standard” hotel, there is one from the Ibis chain which is less than a 10-minute walk from Parcão and Moinhos Shopping and close to Padre Chagas Street, the trendiest in the neighborhood.

The Quality hotel also has a privileged location, facing Parque da Redenção and close to the neighborhood’s shops.

The Manhattan Porto Alegre by Mercure is a great option for those with family or on business, since apartments there are like flats. They have a kitchenette and an outdoor area with an indoor pool, sauna, gym, children’s playground, meeting room and bar.

Piazza Navona by Intercity is still in the Moinhos neighborhood, but a little closer to the Historic Center of Porto Alegre. The hotel’s most distinguishing feature is the swimming pool on the terrace with panoramic views of the city.

The Hilton Porto Alegre, in turn, offers a heated swimming pool, sauna, massage treatments and a modern gym. It also has direct access to Shopping Moinhos.

Cidade Baixa

Cidade Baixa (Lower City) is another one of the best places to stay in Porto Alegre. It’s relatively close to the Historic Center: about two kilometers, so you can walk there in less than 20 minutes.

It is a very busy neighborhood both during the day and at night. You will find many shops there, such as a supermarket, pharmacy, bakery, and more.

Cidade Baixa is also a bohemian neighborhood. At the end of the afternoon, during the “happy hour”, people start to arrive and the tables on the streets become full. Unlike the Moinhos de Vento neighborhood, in Cidade Baixa there are more varied types of restaurants and bars with more attractive prices.

Farroupilha Park is located in Cidade Baixa; this park is also known as Redenção and gets very busy in the late afternoon and especially on Sundays, when a very traditional market takes place there.

Where to stay in Porto Alegre in the Cidade Baixa neighborhood

POA Eco Hostel is a cheap accommodation option in Porto Alegre, and highly rated by guests. It has suites and shared rooms and is in a great location, close to bars, restaurants, and shops. It’s within walking distance to the Historic Center.

Manhattan Apart Hotel is located between Cidade Baixa and the Historic Center. It’s a good place to stay in if you’ve rented a car because the building has parking. All apartments have a full kitchen and accommodate up to four people.

Master Express is just 550 meters from Parque da Redenção and 1 kilometer from the Historic Center. It is a relatively new and modern hotel, with a self-service snack bar. It is pet friendly.

Century Park by My Way is from one of these modern hotel chains. It has a pool table, laundry room, communal kitchen, shops, and a terrace with a barbecue area.

The Intercity chain is also in Cidade Baixa, close to Redenção Park and with the structure and quality that they offer in all their hotels.

Centro Histórico

The best tourist attractions in Porto Alegre are located in the Centro Histórico (Historic Center), such as Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana, Farol Santander, Mercado Público, Usina do Gasômetro and the busiest part of Guaíba’s waterfront.

The cheapest hotels in Porto Alegre are also in the Historic Center. However, as it is the case in other large Brazilian cities, the disadvantage of staying in the city center is that at night the flow of people decreases significantly, and it ends up becoming a little dangerous to walk on the streets.

Where to stay in Porto Alegre in the Historic Center

Hotel Erechim is very well located, close to several tourist attractions in Porto Alegre. The rooms are spacious, and the breakfast is well served. Some rooms can accommodate up to four people.

Eko Residence Hotel is located in the Historic Center but is also very close to Cidade Baixa. Its décor is beautiful, colorful, and modern. It also has a small pool on the terrace, a gym, and a large and cozy living area. Rooms have a kitchenette with a microwave and minibar.

Letto Hotel is less than 1 kilometer from the Guaíba waterfront and the tourist attractions of the Historic Center. The rooms are spacious, and all have air conditioning, television, telephone, minibar, and seating area.

Hotel Express Savoy is next to Avenida Borges de Medeiros, Santa Casa Hospital, and the Metropolitan Cathedral. The entire hotel was recently renovated.

Hotel Praça da Matriz is next to the Governor’s Palace and the São Pedro Theater. It is an old and charming building. Despite being in the city center it is considered quiet and peaceful.

Hotel Plaza São Rafael is 650 meters from the Public Market. The rooms are large and very comfortable and there you will find a gym, indoor pool, sauna, restaurant, and bar.

Floresta

The Floresta neighborhood is close to the bus station and relatively close to Moinhos de Vento and Centro Histórico. It’s a good choice for those looking for a cheap place to stay in Porto Alegre without the hustle and bustle of the center.

From the Floresta neighborhood you can take the subway to cities in the metropolitan area and to the Centro Histórico. There are no major attractions in the neighborhood; the advantage there is the geographic location, as it has easy access to all the interesting points of the city.

Where to stay in Porto Alegre in the Floresta neighborhood

Hotel Farrapos offers great value for money in a good location, less than 3 kilometers from the bus station. It’s a simple but cozy hotel. All rooms have air conditioning, TV, and a minibar.

Hotel Moov Porto Alegre is another cheap accommodation option in Porto Alegre with good reviews, and it’s quite modern.

Trip Adventure POA is a hostel with private and shared rooms 2 kilometers away from the bus station. The hostel has a barbecue area and a shared kitchen.

Hostel do Lucca, former Hostel Rock POA, is another cheap choice for staying in the Floresta neighborhood and is closer to the Historic Center.

Açores Premium Hotel is 50 meters away from Total shopping mall and despite being located in the Floresta neighborhood it is close to Moinhos de Vento Park. The rooms are spacious and modernly decorated and include a minibar, TV, air conditioning, hairdryer, safe and desk.

Hotel Express is in the same style and also has a gym, meeting room and children area.

Garibaldi Business Hotel is 500 meters from the bus station, so you can walk there in less than 10 minutes. It is a small and simple hotel, but very cozy and clean.

Best things to do in Porto Alegre

Now that you know the best neighborhoods to stay in Porto Alegre, check out a summary of the best attractions of the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. Make sure you also read our full article about the best things to do in Porto Alegre, which includes a 3-day itinerary.

Orla do Guaíba: in the same day you can see all the tourist attractions of the Gaíba waterfront. Starting with the Cais Embarcadero, Usina do Gasômetro, Elis Regina Statue, Kiosks, Bars, Sports courts, Skate park, Prainha do Iberê and Fundação Iberê.

Centro Histórico: the Historic Center of Porto Alegre is rich in culture, history, gastronomy, and bohemia. I suggest taking at least two days to visit the main attractions there, which are Praça da Matriz, Metropolitan Cathedral, Teatro São Pedro, Viaduto da Borges, Santander Cultural, Human Rights Museum, Rio Grande do Sul Arts Museum, Casa da Cultura Mário Quintana, Public Market, Érico Verissimo Cultural Center, Júlio de Castilhos Museum and Basilica Nossa Senhora das Dores.

Cidade Baixa: Farroupilha (Redenção) Park, Brique da Redenção, Casa Baka Arte e Cultura, MEME Santo de Casa Estação Cultural, Museu Joaquim José Felizardo, Praça Professor Saint Pastous and Travessa dos Venezianos. The best day to enjoy Cidade Baixa during the day is on Sunday, when the famous Redenção Market takes place.

Moinhos de Vento: Moinhos de Vento Park (Parcão) and Rua Padre Chagas (the trendiest street in the neighborhood).

Porto Alegre attractions in other neighborhoods: Science and Technology Museum, Grêmio Arena, Beira Rio Stadium, and bars in 4º distrito (a neighborhood that is growing a lot due to the number of bars that have been opening in recent years).

Volunteering in Porto Alegre

If you want to have a more immersive experience in Porto Alegre and save a lot of money on your trip, consider applying for a volunteering (work exchange) opportunity through Worldpackers. Through this platform you exchange a few hours of work for free accommodation and other benefits, such as meals and tours.

In addition to not spending on accommodation, you have the chance to learn new things, enjoy the destination more calmly and meet interesting people from different parts of Brazil and the world.

There are volunteer vacancies in Porto Alegre and other cities in Rio Grande do Sul with very varied functions, from hostel reception to agroecology, and you can do as many as you want during one year for a one-time fee of 49 USD.

When registering, click here or use the coupon JANELASABERTAS and get a 20% discount (10 USD). To find out more, check out our complete guide on how to do a work exchange.

So, have you already decided where to stay in Porto Alegre? Bon voyage!

Article written by Bárbara Nicoli, experienced traveler and contributor to the Janelas Abertas blog.

Photos: Unsplash/Creative Commons; Bárbara Nicoli/Provided for publication in Janelas Abertas; Luísa Ferreira/Janelas Abertas.

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