A thousand tropical birds call the colors of the rainbow. Friendly monkeys scamper in ancient trees past low-hanging sloths through farms of butterflies. These are the sights and sounds that greet you as you walk across a jungle catwalk 70 feet high in the Amazon treetops.
You are making your way toward the Tarzan Room, built 110 feet up a mahogany tree. No, this is not the stuff of a Peter Pan adventure. Instead, it is a reality called Ariau Towers.
This boutique hotel is the brain-child of eco-visionary Dr. Francisco Ritta Bernardino and has welcomed luminaries from Bill Gates to Prince Charles. You can canoe through the flooded forest, past pink Dolphins, gasping in wonder at the ancient rainforest you are experiencing on the way.
Cultural tours and night walks let you experience the jungle for yourself. Or perhaps a spot of dangerous piranha fishing is more your thing.
Incredibly, the hotel packs 4-star luxury into this rustic setting. There are two treetop amphitheaters, banqueting facilities, and even a health club.
The hotel's six towers are connected by a five-mile (8 kilometers) long network of jungle pathways.
All 291 rooms have an intimate connection with nature as they are a touch away from the Amazon rainforest's canopies.
Ariau, the Amazon jungle's oldest and largest hotel resort, has two restaurants and three swimming pools.
The iconic green-capped buildings can be identified from afar.
During your stay, you will have plenty of options to go deep inside the rainforest on adventure tours, but some wildlife will find their way to the hotel hoping for some snacks.
The multi-level structures will keep you at a safe distance from the ground and its lively inhabitants. The Tarzan House is the tallest structure. It was built on top of a living mahogany tree and is 72 feet (22 meters) high.
Local artists painted the room's ceilings; some featured the universe and cloudy skies.
The level of comfort is based on your budget. There are rooms with only the essentials to keep you dry and safe, but there are luxurious suites too.
How can you be mad at these cute monkeys taking your hammock?!
Sloths are a common site around Ariaus property too.
When you stay here, canopy walks and boat rides on Rio Negro (a major tributary of the Amazon River), piranha fishing, visiting native houses, and observing nightlife animals are must-try experiences.
Unfortunately, Ariaú closed its doors in 2016 due to significant financial problems, and there are no plans for re-opening it in the near future.
Rua Leonardo Malcher, 699, 69010-170 Manaus, Brazil
