Latin America hotel roundup

This week, a look at the most popular hotels in five South American cities - Buenos Aires, Rio de Janiero, Santiago, São Paulo and Bogotá.

Next week, thousands of revelers will flock to Rio de Janeiro's famous Copacabana beach to celebrate the Rio Carnival, one of the most famous shows on the planet. Throughout February, special activities and parades pack the beach including the Samba School Parade, a collection of the best Samba schools in the world.

Tourism in Latin America overall is booming. Between 1995 and 2007, the area experienced a rise in arrivals from a rise in tourist arrivals from 14.3 million to 27.9 million (about 49 % growth), and even throughout the recession, Latin America has fared fairly well by global standards. According to the UN, visitor numbers fell by 3 percent between 2008-2009, considerably less than the percentages for North America (6 percent) or Northern Europe (8 percent). This year, the UN World Tourism Organisation expects even more of a boost.

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