Residence Inn Paramaribo: Riverside Calm a Short Ride from the Old Town
A locally run 39-room retreat on leafy Anton Dragtenweg with a pool, a poolside bar, and unmistakably Surinamese hospitality.
Why Go
Paramaribo has plenty of business hotels downtown, but Residence Inn sits about 4 km north of the center on Anton Dragtenweg, the shady residential road that hugs a bend in the Suriname River. That distance is the point: you swap tuk-tuk horns and dust for palm trees, birdsong at breakfast, and staff who remember your name by day two.
The Experience
Pull through the gate and the compound opens onto a low-slung, tile-roofed building wrapped around a courtyard pool. Rooms are unfussy but well-kept: crisp AC, cable TV, reliable Wi-Fi, and the kind of firm mattress that saves you after a long day upriver or in Commewijne. Mornings start with a generous breakfast (Surinamese bread rolls, fresh fruit, eggs to order) served by a team that treats returning guests like family. By late afternoon the pool bar fills up with a mix of NGO workers, Dutch expats, and Guyanese business travelers trading gossip over Parbo beers, while the on-site Matutu Restaurant handles dinner without you needing to hail a taxi. The vibe is unmistakably local, not corporate polish and despite the name, there is no Marriott connection whatsoever.
What to Try
Order dinner at Matutu Restaurant on-site the kitchen leans into Surinamese-Creole classics like moksi alesi and pom alongside continental dishes, and the pool-bar setting under the palms beats eating in your room. Ask the front desk to arrange a sunrise dolphin-spotting boat trip on the Suriname River; guides launch from jetties within walking distance of the hotel.
Insider Tip
Request a room on the quieter garden-facing side rather than one closer to Anton Dragtenweg, and specifically ask for a recently refreshed room the property has 39 keys of varying vintages, so a polite request at booking makes a real difference. Cash (SRD or USD) is smoother than cards for incidentals, and the taxi drivers who wait at the gate know the fair fare to the historic wooden-city center (roughly 10 minutes without traffic).
The Practical Stuff
Address: Anton Dragtenweg 7, Paramaribo, Suriname. Phone: +597 473-802 / +597 888-9700. Email: frontdesk@residenceinn.sr. Roughly 4 km / 10-15 minutes by taxi from the UNESCO-listed inner city and Fort Zeelandia; about 50 km from Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport (allow 60-75 minutes). On-site: outdoor pool, poolside bar, Matutu Restaurant, meeting room for up to ~80, 24-hour parking, free Wi-Fi, air-con, breakfast included on most rates. Reception operates 24 hours; card payment accepted but keep some SRD on hand.
Pair It With
- 't Vat Sidewalk Cafe Guide — The city's classic expat-and-locals hangout for a cold Parbo and grilled bites a 5-minute ride south along the river, ideal after a pool afternoon.
- 168 Restaurant Guide — Nearby go-to for well-priced Chinese-Surinamese cooking when you want a change from the hotel kitchen without going all the way downtown.
- Suriname River dolphin tour — Boats depart from jetties on Anton Dragtenweg within walking distance sunrise or late-afternoon trips are the most reliable for spotting Guiana dolphins.
- Fort Zeelandia & the historic inner city — A quick 10-minute taxi ride delivers you to the UNESCO wooden colonial core for museums, markets, and dinner, then you retreat back to the calm of Dragtenweg.