Where to Stay in Fortaleza: Best Beaches, Hotels and Hostels

Wondering where to stay in Fortaleza, Brazil? In this guide, I’ll help you figure it out! I’ll go over the best beaches in Fortaleza and highlight the main features of some hotels, guesthouses, and hostels that are highly rated by travelers from all over the world.

Fortaleza is the capital of the state of Ceará and the second most populous city in Brazil’s Northeast region, right after Salvador in Bahia. It’s a fairly big city, which can make choosing where to stay in Fortaleza a little confusing at first.

The good news is that the city’s hotel scene is mostly concentrated along Avenida Beira Mar, covering the areas of Iracema, Meireles, Mucuripe, and Praia do Futuro, which are all good areas to stay in.

Another plus is that Fortaleza is one of the most affordable beach destinations in Brazil, so you’ll find plenty of good-value accommodation. Keep reading to learn more about the vibe of each beach and pick the perfect location for your trip.

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Where to Stay in Fortaleza: Best Beaches

Where to Stay in Fortaleza – Iracema Beach

Iracema Beach is the best place to stay in Fortaleza if you want to be close to downtown. This is the central area of the city, where most of its tourist attractions are located, such as the Dragão do Mar Cultural Center, the Central Market, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the José de Alencar Theater, and the Passeio Público square.

Iracema is also the top spot to watch the sunset in Fortaleza, either from the Ponte dos Ingleses or the Ponte Metálica. Every day nature puts on a show here.

Sonho de Iracema Hostel Boutique

The biggest highlight of Sonho de Iracema Hostel Boutique is its location, only a 1-minute walk from Iracema Beach. It also offers excellent value for money. This boutique hostel has both private rooms and shared dorms, some with sea views. There’s a lovely pool facing the Iracema boardwalk, an Instagram-worthy swing, and a super cozy breakfast area.

Maredomus Hotel

For a more comfortable stay at Iracema Beach without losing the good value, Maredomus Hotel is a great choice. It has all the standard hotel amenities, like air conditioning, minibar, and TV in the rooms, plus a generous breakfast included. Its main attraction is the rooftop pool with a panoramic view, where you can see Fortaleza’s entire central coastline and enjoy the famous sunset.

Hotel Sonata de Iracema

If you want something more refined, Hotel Sonata de Iracema is a fantastic option. Located right next to the Japanese Garden, it’s just a 1-minute walk from the beach and 4 minutes from the boardwalk. The hotel has a large leisure area with a pool, bar, restaurant, gym, and bike rentals. Guests often praise the attentive service, cleanliness, and delicious breakfast.

Where to Stay in Fortaleza – Meireles Beach

Meireles Beach is one of the safest areas to stay in Fortaleza. This stretch of the waterfront is where most of the city’s bars and restaurants are concentrated. It’s also where you’ll find the famous handicraft fair, perfect for picking up souvenirs and local crafts.

Nobile Suítes Golden Fortaleza

Nobile Suítes Golden Fortaleza stands out for its spacious rooms, some of which even include a living area and a workspace. The hotel also has meeting rooms for corporate events, making it an excellent choice if you’re traveling to Fortaleza for business. The pool view is stunning, and the in-house restaurant serves delicious dinner options. Overall, the Golden offers plenty of perks at a very reasonable price.

Pauli Boutique Hotel

Pauli Boutique Hotel is a stylish, detail-rich hotel with modern and sophisticated décor. The pool area is pleasant and surrounded by greenery, while the breakfast is varied and complete. With an outstanding average rating of 9 out of 10, it’s among the top-rated hotels in Fortaleza.

Comfort Hotel Fortaleza

The rooms at Comfort Hotel Fortaleza are spacious, modern, and cozy. There are several suite options, ranging from simple to luxurious. Some suites feature a private terrace with panoramic views, jacuzzi, living room, and hot tub. A true dream stay!

Blue Tree Towers Fortaleza Beira Mar

With hotels across Brazil, the Blue Tree chain focuses on guest comfort, leisure, and sophistication. The Blue Tree Towers in Fortaleza is ideally located just a 1-minute walk from Meireles Beach. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a very comfortable place to stay in Fortaleza. Besides rooms with sea views, the hotel also has a swimming pool overlooking the beach.

Where to Stay in Fortaleza – Mucuripe Beach

Mucuripe Beach is the closest one to the Fish Market (Mercado dos Peixes), a must-visit spot in Fortaleza. Ever heard of it? It’s full of stalls selling all kinds of seafood, and the best part is that you can buy it fresh and have it cooked on the spot at the market’s own restaurants. Everything is fresh, tasty, and surprisingly affordable.

Iate Plaza Hotel

Iate Plaza Hotel is just a 1-minute walk from the Fish Market and 4 km from the Iracema boardwalk. It’s a large hotel, great for groups. It offers two-bedroom apartments, a convention center, gym, and a pool with an incredible view of the beach.

Where to Stay in Fortaleza – Praia do Futuro

Staying at Praia do Futuro is a good choice if you love spending the day at beachfront bars. In fact, calling them just “bars” doesn’t do them justice, since many of the kiosks here feel more like beach clubs. Along this stretch of sand, you’ll find dozens of options side by side, ranging from sophisticated spots with pools, saunas, DJs, and live music, to simpler ones.

Praia do Futuro is considered the best beach in Fortaleza for swimming. Since it’s further from the city center, it’s also the cleanest. With emerald-green waters, soft white sand, and lots of palm trees, the scenery is truly paradise-like. That said, some people find the area less safe for walking around at night.

Crocobeach Hotel

Crocobeach Hotel is part of a massive complex that includes a beachfront bar with comedy shows, live bands, pools, lounges, and even a mini water park. The lounges are perfect for couples, while the Aquacroco water park is a kids’ favorite. This place offers entertainment for the whole family, along with services such as a beauty salon, convenience store, boutique, sauna, and ATM.

Where to Stay in Fortaleza to Visit Beach Park

The famous Beach Park water park is located at Porto das Dunas Beach, about 25 km from downtown Fortaleza. Some travel agencies offer round-trip transport from the city center, but you can also grab a taxi or Uber and buy your ticket on your own.

Want comfort and convenience? Click here to book a tour package that includes transportation and entry to Beach Park.

If you’d like to spend more than one day enjoying the park, the best place to stay near Beach Park is in Porto das Dunas Beach, a much less crowded area compared to Fortaleza’s urban beaches. I’ve selected the best hotels in the area.

Planet Dunas Residence

Located just five blocks from Porto das Dunas Beach and Beach Park, Planet Dunas Residence offers excellent value compared to other nearby hotels. Guests highlight the tasty breakfast and the pizza served at dinner. The property has a bar with cocktails and a wine list, a pool, and private parking. It also offers fully equipped apartments with kitchens, which is super practical for families.

G2 Beach Hotel

G2 Beach Hotel is right on Porto das Dunas Beach, a little over a 10-minute walk from Beach Park. The outdoor area has a pool, lounge chairs, and hammocks, all facing the sea. The hotel serves meals throughout the day, which is especially convenient for families who don’t want to leave the property.

Porto das Dunas Praia Hotel

Among the hotels near Beach Park, Porto das Dunas Boutique Praia Hotel is the best rated, with a 9.5 score. This is a sophisticated hotel with an on-site spa offering massages, hot stone therapy, and bamboo therapy treatments, which can be enjoyed either in the spa or on your suite’s balcony. Outdoors, there’s a pool, a beautiful garden, bar, and restaurant, all highly praised by guests.

Free Accommodation in Fortaleza

If you want to have a more immersive experience in Fortaleza while saving money on your trip, one great option is to volunteer through Worldpackers. This platform gathers several opportunities to exchange a few hours of work per week for accommodation and other benefits, such as meals and tours.

Besides cutting accommodation costs, you’ll have the chance to learn new skills, enjoy the city at a slower pace, learn Portuguese, and meet interesting people from all over Brazil and the world.

There are some cool volunteering opportunities in Fortaleza and across the beautiful state of Ceará, with roles ranging from hostel reception and social media content creation to agroforestry projects and animal care.

You can browse through the openings for free, and if you want to apply for one or more of them you only need to pay a one-time fee that allows you to volunteer as much as you want for a whole year. When signing up, use the promo code JANELASABERTAS to get 10 USD off. To learn more, check out our complete guide on work exchange.

The Best Things to Do in Fortaleza

Now that you know where to stay in Fortaleza, I’ll share some tips on what to do there as a tourist. The most popular attractions in the city are definitely the beaches.

The Avenida Beira Mar boardwalk is always lively, with plenty of people exercising, rollerblading, biking, or skating (you can rent equipment from local stands). Along the way, you’ll also find stalls selling snacks, coconut water, and other drinks at affordable prices. In Meireles, you can also browse the famous handicraft fair.

Most tourists spend at least one day at one of the big beach clubs at Praia do Futuro, which is perfect for swimming and has excellent infrastructure with massive restaurants.

Beyond the city, the most popular day trips are to Beach Park, Canoa Quebrada, Cumbuco, and Morro Branco. But there are other great options for tours around Fortaleza, and I’ll wrap up this article with a special tip.

Few people know about Sabiaguaba Beach, located at the far end of Praia do Futuro, where the Cocó River meets the sea. It’s a beach mostly frequented by locals. If you like experiences off the typical tourist trail, Sabiaguaba is a fantastic option. I love when rivers meet the ocean—the scenery gets even more breathtaking!

Do you still have questions about where to stay in Fortaleza? Leave them in the comments! Have a great trip.

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

Photo credits: Unsplash and Pexels (Creative Commons – free use rights) and Luísa Ferreira/Janelas Abertas.

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