Our eco-friendly hotel was built in 1987 by Dr. Francisco Ritta Bernardino under the inspiration of oceanographer Jacques Cousteau. Enlightened by Cousteau’s quest to protect the Amazon Jungle, Dr. Ritta built an eco-aware resort that would preserve the fragility of this magical forest. Cousteau's declarations sounded like a premonition: “The war of the future will be between those who defend nature and those who destroy it. The Amazon will be in the eye of the hurricane. Scientists, politicians, and artists will land here to see what is being done to the forest". Taking these words to heart, Dr. Ritta started building Ariau Amazon Towers in 1986 on the banks of the Rio Negro. Utilizing the techniques of native Amazonians, the hotel was built on stilts in the treetops. Originally an intimate jungle hotel with one tower and four suites, Ariau Towers has become the