Where to stay in Paramaribo

Paramaribo, locally nicknamed Foto, is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on the banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 252,581 people as of the 2025 estimate, almost half of Suriname's population.

The name Paramaribo is probably a corruption of the name of an Indian village called Parmirbo (or Parmurbo or Parmarbo). The Dutch settled a trading post in 1631 which fell into English hands when the Dutch abandoned it. The British built a fort called Fort Willoughby. In 1667 the area was conquered by a Zeeland expedition. They called the fort Zeelandia and re-named Paramaribo to New Middelburg, a name that never caught on. Paramaribo grew after the abolition of slavery in 1863 as it attracted many former slaves to the city.

As Paramaribo's tourist economy develops, hotels and guesthouses are popping up while older ones get restyled. There's plenty of choice now to fit your budget, from €15 single rooms in a basic guesthouse to €100 and more for a stay in one of the upmarket resorts. If you're travelling with a family or group, apartments are a good option and often cheaper while more convenient than multiple rooms. VAT and service charges are typically included in hotel prices and almost all of them can arrange tours to other towns or the country's tight jungle backlands. Note that many hotels charge their prices in either US dollars or euros. Usually they will accept Surinamese dollars, but check in advance.

Getting around

The old colonial centre mostly lies directly behind the Waterkant and most of the main sights, including the fort, the palm garden, colonial officers' houses and the central market are easily explored on foot. There are several car hire services based in Paramaribo. Because of its neighbours and the historical accident of the first imported vehicles being from Britain, Suriname drives on the left with steering wheels on the right.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.