Central Highlands
Located within the national-park boundaries, with Cotopaxi looming close by, Tambopaxi is a certified sustainable-tourism project that hires local workers…
Must-see hotels in Central Highlands
The Quilotoa Loop
Two blocks west of the plaza, Llullu Llama is an enchanting old farmhouse with thick adobe walls, colorful rooms and a woodburning stove. The biggest…
Central Highlands
A wonderful place to stay not far from Control Norte on the north side of the park, this modern adobe dwelling (not an old hacienda, but newly constructed…
Central Highlands
Part of a community tourism project, Inti Sisa (the Kichwa words for sunflower) is a welcoming spot that's tastefully decorated and filled with local…
Baños
Perched at the top of a cliff (2260m), gazing down over Baños and up to the Tungurahua summit, Luna Runtún is a luxurious hotel in a fabulous location…
Baños
This exquisite little guesthouse has colorful, comfortable rooms, wood floors, gigantic breakfasts and art all around. Several rooms have waterfall views,…
The Quilotoa Loop
This wonderfully rustic community-operated property sits above the valley, 100m north of Chugchilán, and offers spectacular views. Rooms have a cozy cabin…
Central Highlands
Housed in an old casona (large colonial-era house), this tasty boutique hotel has the nicest rooms in the city center. There are only seven of them, so…
Riobamba
When it comes to friendliness, value and down-home cutesiness, this guesthouse is hard to beat. Rooms and apartments are grouped around a garden patrolled…
Central Highlands
This lovely rustic property on the way to the northern entrance of Parque Nacional Cotopaxi has superb views and loads of activities: hiking, horseback…
Central Highlands
Just 4km from the north entrance to the park, El Porvenir mixes the rustic comfort of an authentic hacienda experience with a strong ecological slant. Up…
Central Highlands
This 400-year-old hacienda has hosted some illustrious guests, including the French Geodesic Mission, Alexander von Humboldt and Ecuadorian Presidents. A…
Central Highlands
The distinctive, mortarless Incan stonework that forms many of the walls makes this hotel unique and mysterious. Surrounded by luscious gardens in a…
Central Highlands
This rustic, friendly place in a peaceful setting is run by the indigenous Pilla family. There are wonderful views from the gardens; on a clear day it's…
Baños
Surrounded by lush mountains and with green walls inside and out, La Casa Verde lives up to its name. The best rooms at the back of the house have wrap…
The Quilotoa Loop
La Posada de Tigua is part of a working dairy ranch. The farmhouse dates to the 1890s and is now a rustic and delightfully cozy guesthouse. The rooms,…
Riobamba
A recent opportunity in community tourism, here you can learn about how the villagers harvest various crops (and their traditional uses), weave beautiful…
Baños
A bit disco in the common areas, the clean and eternally popular ‘Plants and White’ (you figure it out) scores big points for its rooftop terrace/common…
Central Highlands
Hacienda Manteles, about 12km down the Ruta Ecológica, is a beautiful, upscale, rustically styled resort engaged in certified ecotourism practices. Among…
Central Highlands
This 150-year-old converted hacienda is a convenient base for playing around Ilinizas, Corazón and Cotopaxi. Dorm beds and cozy private rooms, some with…
Baños
From the rather dark reception area, you wouldn’t know that this hostel is the best budget offering in town. The bright and clean rooms and dorms come…
Riobamba
A gorgeously appointed courtyard with a fountain and plants is the centerpiece of this boutique hotel in a historic mansion. The vaulted-ceiling rooms in…
Central Highlands
The volcano views more than make up for the bumpy drive out to this charming, well-run mountain lodge near the northern entrance to Cotopaxi National Park…
Central Highlands
Popular with the tour groups but still down-home enough to attend to independent travelers, the Rodelu (named by its proud Uruguayan owner, Republica…
Central Highlands
The ‘Neck of the Moon’ is a fun midrange option, located 1.5km down a turnoff across from the south entrance of Parque Nacional Cotopaxi. A gang of…
Central Highlands
The only high-end option for miles, this remote lodge sits right below Chimborazo in a pretty, grass-filled valley. The main lodge has a cozy dining room,…
Central Highlands
This hacienda-style lodge, 1km west of the Panamericana at the entrance to town, has a room for everybody. There are dorm rooms with fluffy bed covers and…
The Quilotoa Loop
The nicest spot on the lake, 7km north of Quilotoa road, this community-run ecolodge has just three cabins, beautifully appointed with travertine tiles…
Central Highlands
This enchanting place has a great spa with a sauna, Jacuzzi and baños de cajón (steam boxes). The wonderfully rustic rooms are accented in wood and earthy…
Central Highlands
This 40-acre dairy farm and lodge is located high up in the park, 4km west of El Chaupi. A central cafe provides a fun spot to share stories, and the cozy…
Baños
Tarzan meets Jane at this idyllic German-run lodge perched high in a canyon 1km south of the village of Ulba. It's just 10 minutes to Baños, but you are a…
The Quilotoa Loop
This rambling place in the town center has brick-walled rooms with lofts and spotless bathrooms. You could spend an entire afternoon lounging in a hammock…
The Quilotoa Loop
This budget option one block east of the church has great views from its spotless rooms, which spread over two floors and all look out to the valley below…
Baños
This art lover’s paradise houses one of the town’s best galley/museum ($2 nonguests) and has a large open-air common room with art, antiques, a cozy…
Central Highlands
This good-vibes place has everything a top-notch hostel should: common areas to swap tales, a kitchen, free internet, book exchange, clean rooms and…
Alausí
Just 300m uphill from the train station, this 120-year-old family home has beautiful wooden beams and even better views. Much of the furniture is original…
The Quilotoa Loop
Located right across from the lake viewpoint, bright and welcoming Hostal Chukirawa is one of Quilotoa's more appealing accommodations. Rooms are arranged…
Baños
This comfortable inn situated around a pretty interior garden with plenty of hangout areas offers a quiet retreat. The staff here are friendly, and the…
Central Highlands
A good option for discerning travelers, the rooms here are welcoming and clean – though slightly dated save for the flat-screen TVs (some rooms don't even…
Riobamba
The Montecarlo occupies an attractively restored, turn-of-the-20th-century house. The use of blue (blue couches, blue carpet, blue trim and blue-plaid…
