Stay With A View: The Best Hotels Overlooking Waterfalls

Whether you're planning a honeymoon destination on a budget, a solo escape, or a luxury retreat, these handpicked hotels offer more than just breathtaking views. From heated infinity pools and spa treatments to gourmet dining and exclusive suites, each property combines high-end amenities with front-row seats and some of the world's most stunning waterfalls. And with today's AI travel tools, it's easier than ever to find and book these exceptional stays all in just a few clicks.In this guide, we’ll take you through 10 incredible hotels with direct views of waterfalls, each located in a different country. Get ready to be inspired for your next trip, whether you're scouting the best budget flights or finalizing your hotel of choice. Let’s dive into the best stays where the view is every bit as memorable as the journey.1. Brazil: Belmond Hotel das Cataratas - Guacu FallsTucked behind the lush canopy of Iguaçu National Park, Belmond Hotel das Cataratas feels like a colonial manor transplanted into a living rainforest diorama. Walk through the pastel‑pink archways and you’re greeted by gleaming hardwood floors, period chandeliers, and staff who remember your name after the first “bom dia.” The 187 guest rooms are split between classic and recently refreshed suites, many with Juliet balconies angled toward the spray. Days begin with sunrise yoga on the emerald lawn while toucans swoop overhead; they end with caipirinhas at the poolside bar as the sun ignites the curtain of water in gold. In between, guests drift between the Guerlain‑branded spa, a lagoon‑style pool, and tableside flambé at Ipê Grill. Sustainability touches from refillable amenities to an on‑site wildlife rescue program mean your stay leaves only memories, not footprints.Hotel amenities include:Direct, private access to the waterfalls before the park gates open.Fall-facing rooms and balconies.Full-service spa, tropical pool, and gourmet restaurants.2. Norway: Fossli Hotel - VoringsfossenOpened in 1891 to serve intrepid travellers and composers like Edvard Grieg in search of inspiration, Fossli Hotel perches dramatically on a cliff 650 m above sea level. Inside, heirloom pine panelling, crackling fireplaces, and vintage travel trunks evoke Norway’s golden age of exploration, while new mattresses, rainfall showers, and high‑speed Wi‑Fi keep comfort current.Breakfast is a bounty of locally smoked salmon, brunost, and cloudberry jam, served beside picture windows framing the 182‑metre Voringsfossen drop. After hiking the valley switchbacks or the new suspension footbridge that spans the gorge, guests settle into the salon for waffles and coffee or borrow binoculars from reception to spot golden eagles riding the thermals.Hotel amenities include:Direct view of the 182m Vøringsfossen waterfall.Quiet mountain retreat with vintage Nordic charm.Hiking trails start from the hotel entrance.3.Germany: Romkerhall Hotel - Romkerhall WaterfallBilling itself tongue firmly in cheek as the “Königreich Romkerhall,” this ivy‑draped hunting lodge is equal parts historic curiosity and warm, family‑run inn. A babbling cascade tumbles right past the beer‑garden terrace and is floodlit at night, turning dinner into theatre. Indoors, crimson velvet, crested coat‑of‑arms, and a tiny museum of royal memorabilia maintain the playful pomp. Guest rooms range from turreted suites to snug attic doubles; all share timber beams, brass bedsteads, and the rhythmic hush of water outside. After a day on Harz National Park’s forest trails or sampling the witches’ lore of nearby Brocken Mountain, return for venison ragout, locally brewed bock, and the owner’s stories about micro‑monarchy life.Hotel amenities include:The waterfall is visible from select rooms and the outdoor beer garden.Unique royal-themed decor and historic architecture.On-site restaurant with views of the falls.4.Hungary: Hotel Palota Lillafüred - Lillafüred WaterfallBuilt in the 1930s as a lakeside retreat for Hungarian aristocracy, Hotel Palota rivals any Central‑European castle with its soaring turrets and stained glass. The lobby opens onto arcaded terraces where the Szinva stream plunges 20 metres to form Hungary’s tallest waterfall, a view shared by many of the 133 rooms. Indoors.Guests discover a thermal‑water pool tiled in Zsolnay ceramics, a Moorish‑style Turkish bath, and a vaulted wine cellar featuring Tokaj tastings. Paddleboats bob on Lake Hámori, forest zip‑lines await thrill‑seekers, and the Aggtelek drip‑stone caves lie an easy drive away, but most guests linger in the manicured hanging gardens that cascade, like the falls, down the hillside.Hotel amenities include:Views of both the waterfall and Lake Hámori.Grand interiors, including a spa and wine cellar.Surrounded by gardens, caves, and forest walks.5. Iceland: Fossatún Country Hotel - Troll WaterfallsSet along the Grímsá River roughly an hour from Reykjavík, Fossatún Country Hotel occupies a patch of lava‑fringed pasture where Icelandic folklore says trolls once danced beneath the moon. Owner and rock‑musician Steinar Björnsson weaves that mythology throughout the property: each cottage is named after a saga, and vinyl records line the reception walls.And storyboards mark a riverside trail that leads to the photogenic Troll Waterfalls. Accommodation ranges from en‑suite hotel rooms to self‑catering cabins with outdoor hot tubs perfectly positioned for aurora‑spotting. The restaurant plates hearty lamb soup and locally caught Arctic char, best followed by a soak as the waterfalls murmur below.Hotel amenities include:Private access to the waterfalls and a folklore-themed trail.Hot tubs overlooking the water.Family-run with a cozy, homey vibe.6. United States: Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa - Wah Gwin Gwin FallsThe Columbia Gorge Hotel, a white‑stucco grand dame from 1921, sits atop basalt cliffs where the private 207‑foot Wah Gwin Gwin Falls drops into the Columbia River. Gatsby‑era glamour persists in the marbled lobby and the mahogany‑panelled Valentino Lounge, while updated guest rooms feature plush pillow‑top beds and river‑view Juliet balconies. The Waterleaf Spa offers lavender‑salt scrubs using herbs grown in the gardens, and the Simon’s Cliff House restaurant sources berries and pears from the surrounding Hood River orchards. Afternoons bring complimentary tea in the rose garden; evenings, a crackling fire and maybe a glimpse of kite‑surfers riding the river gusts below.Hotel amenities include:Falls are visible from many rooms and the lush back gardens.Riverside dining and full-service spa.Proximity to the Columbia River Gorge hiking.7. Canada: Niagara Falls Marriott Fallsview Hotel & Spa - Niagara FallsSoaring 23 storeys above the gorge, the Marriott Fallsview is engineered for maximum “wow.” Floor‑to‑ceiling glass dominates every falls‑facing room category, even the elevators boast clear panels so the spectacle never disappears. Inside, rooms are dressed in calming neutrals to let the view take centre stage, while high‑thread‑count linens, smart TVs, and in‑room Starbucks coffee tick modern‑comfort boxes. Serenity Spa by the Falls pairs eucalyptus steam with binocular views, and the Fireworks Fallsview Dining Room times its prix‑fixe seatings with the nightly illumination show. A covered walkway links the hotel to the incline railway, whisking guests to the promenade in 90 seconds flat.Hotel amenities include:Floor-to-ceiling windows directly facing the falls.Rooftop dining, indoor pool, and luxury spa.Steps from the Falls Promenade and Skylon Tower.8. Zambia: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara - Victoria FallsApproached via a tree‑lined driveway where zebras often graze, The Royal Livingstone delivers Edwardian‑era elegance on the very edge of the Zambezi. White‑gloved porters usher guests onto a teak veranda for welcome cocktails, the spray from Victoria Falls drifting like smoke in the distance. Each veranda‑fronted room features hand‑carved Zambian furniture, canopied beds draped in mosquito netting, and butler service on call. Between sunrise river safaris and heart‑pounding swims in Devil’s Pool, guests unwind in an acacia‑shaded infinity pool or over gin & tonics at the sundeck bar, timed to the thunder of the falls.Hotel amenities include:Private access to Victoria Falls’ edge via a footpath.Sunset river cruises and colonial-style luxury.Zebras and giraffes roam freely on the grounds.9. Italy: Hotel Del Lago - Marmore FallsOverlooking the mirror‑calm Lake Piediluco with Marmore Falls roaring in the near distance, Hotel Del Lago merges rustic Umbrian charm with lakeside leisure. Rooms are breezy and bright, outfitted with wrought‑iron beds and hand‑painted ceramics; many open onto terraces where you can sip a glass of Sagrantino while waiting for the engineered waterfall’s dramatic release. The kitchen serves truffle‑laden pasta and lake‑caught perch, while staff can arrange kayak rentals, vineyard tours, or tickets for the underground walk that passes behind the falls’ thundering curtain.Guests often rise early to catch the morning mist drifting over the lake, best enjoyed from the sun-drenched terrace with a cappuccino in hand. As evening falls, lanterns flicker across the garden paths, and the soft hum of cicadas gives way to laughter from the outdoor dining patio. Whether you're here for a romantic weekend or a base to explore Umbria’s natural marvels, Hotel Del Lago wraps you in a sense of slow, timeless escape.Hotel amenities include:Short walk to Marmore Falls viewing platforms.Peaceful lakeside setting with a waterfall roaring in the distance.Restaurant and balconies overlooking the falls and Lake Piediluco.10. Japan: Asaba Ryokan - Private Waterfall In IzuFounded in 1489, Asaba Ryokan embodies the elegance of classical Japan: paper‑screen doors, cedar‑scented corridors, and a koi‑filled pond framed by bamboo. A slender waterfall tumbles into the garden lagoon, providing a gentle soundtrack to tea ceremonies in the riverside pavilion. Guests soak in rotenburo baths of mineral‑rich spring water while mist rises from the cascade. Seasonal kaiseki dinners showcase matsutake, wagyu, and freshly netted ayu, served in kimono‑draped rooms that overlook the water. Nightly Noh performances on a floating stage deepen the sense of time travel.By day, the ryokan’s forested paths invite quiet strolls beneath maple and pine, with temple bells echoing faintly in the distance. At dusk, lanterns flicker across the pond’s surface, and the air fills with the fragrance of incense and cedar smoke. Every detail, from the calligraphy scrolls in the alcoves to the sound of wooden sandals on stone, evokes a world shaped by centuries of ritual and refinement.Hotel amenities include:Waterfall-facing open-air onsen baths.Kaiseki cuisine and historic tatami-mat rooms.Cultural performances on a floating Noh stage by the waterfall.