Must-see hotels in Ecuador

  • Sacha Lodge

    The Oriente

    Enjoying a spectacular setting on the inland lake of Pilchecocha (Laguna El Pilche), a short hike and canoe ride from the Río Napo, Sacha Lodge is one of…

  • Hostería Mandála

    Puerto López

    Easily the nicest place to stay in town, Mandála has a beachfront location north of the malecón – you can't miss the giant rainbow whale tail beckoning…

  • Lodging House Casa del Lago

    Puerto Ayora

    Ideal for laid-back families or small groups. Choose from several suites with fully stocked kitchens and charming private patios or porches: everything is…

  • Casa Iguana Mar y Sol

    Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)

    Everything in this five-room hotel, only minutes from the malecón toward Playa Mann, is lovingly and painstakingly handcrafted – from the railings to the…

  • Casa Blanca

    Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)

    There’s no better place to base yourself in town: not only does this whitewashed adobe building have charmingly decorated rooms and tile floors, but it…

  • Hacienda Cusín

    Northern Highlands

    This fairy-tale 17th-century hacienda is on the southern outskirts of San Pablo del Lago, 10km from Otavalo. Tall cedar trees shade the garden paths…

  • Tambopaxi

    Central Highlands

    Located within the national-park boundaries, with Cotopaxi looming close by, Tambopaxi is a certified sustainable-tourism project that hires local workers…

  • Hotel Termas de Papallacta

    Papallacta

    Most visitors to Papallacta stay at this supremely comfortable yet totally unpretentious resort – a great way to experience the thermal baths in style…

  • Manso Boutique Hotel

    Guayaquil

    The unrivaled malecón location aside, Manso is both a hostel and boutique hotel, housed in an atmospheric period property. Rooms vary in comfort and style…

  • El Monte Sustainable Lodge

    Mindo

    Run by a warmhearted and knowledgeable American-Ecuadorian couple, El Monte is a lush ecofriendly retreat with six lovely, private riverside cabins. The…

  • Hostería La Mirage

    Northern Highlands

    One of Ecuador's finest hotels lies beyond an unpaved entry road, past iron gates, white cupolas and columned entrances where peacocks stroll the green…

  • Parque Bambú

    Northern Highlands

    Parque Bambú, rechristened from Bosque de Paz to dissociate it from any funereal implications, is run by a friendly Ecuadorian/Belgian couple. Comfortable…

  • Casa Shangri-La

    North Coast & Lowlands

    This fantastic place is owned by a friendly Dutch guy, Jeroen, who has created a chilled-out surfer spot with a big garden, a plunge pool, very nice rooms…

  • Anaconda Lodge

    The Oriente

    Run by the warmly welcoming Chilean-Colombian couple Francisco and Silvia, Anaconda Lodge is their jungle lodge dream come true. Screened wooden cabins on…

  • Casa Upano B&B

    The Oriente

    Perhaps this is an inkling of what Macas' future could hold: a serene retreat for travelers tucked away from the city mayhem. Four balconied rooms look…

  • El Refugio de Intag

    Northern Highlands

    A river runs through this idyllically situated 75-acre property with several comfortably rustic houses. It's a blood-pressure-lowering refuge from the…

  • Copalinga

    Southern Highlands

    Bird-watchers, ahem, flock to this tranquil reserve for sure-thing sightings of exotic avian species. Even nonbirders will love the orchid collection,…

  • Pepe's House Hostal

    Cuenca

    Opened in 2017, superchill and aesthetically appealing Pepe's House is Cuenca's hostel for travelers who've graduated from party mode. With a colorful but…

  • Rumi-Wilco Ecolodge

    Vilcabamba

    A 10-minute walk from the bus station up a track over the river, Rumi-Wilco has a series of remote houses, cabins and camping spaces within the evergreen…

  • Llullu Llama

    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…

  • Casa Divina

    Mindo

    Highly recommended for seclusion and tranquility with a splash of luxury is this small complex of two-story wooden cabins 2km from town. Porches with…

  • Hostal Kundalini

    Montañita

    Sitting on the beach in front of a surf break, Kundalini was once nothing more than a thatch-roofed building set out on a lawn with four rooms. Now it's a…

  • Hacienda Los Mortiños

    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…

  • Hostal Pakay

    Tena

    Ecofriendly Hostal Pakay is surrounded by woodland, and a stay here is more like a jungle lodge experience than a town hostel experience. Wooden rooms are…

  • Casa Mojanda

    Northern Highlands

    On the road to Lagunas de Mojanda is this lovely inn with gorgeous views of steep Andean farmland. Cheerful adobe cottages are equipped with electric…

  • La Luna

    Northern Highlands

    Past rows of cornfields 4.5km south of Otavalo on the long uphill to the Lagunas, La Luna has million-dollar views for budget-minded travelers. Guests…

  • NucaPacha

    Guayaquil

    On a peaceful street in Urdesa, this appealing guesthouse has a pool, patio, and hammocks rimmed by mango and papaya trees and tropical foliage. Some…

  • Hostal Riviera-Sucre

    Otavalo

    The bargain prices have risen some, but we still love Freddy's charming wood-floored, high-ceilinged rooms that surround a delightful inner courtyard with…

  • El Cafecito

    Cuenca

    In a smart and beautifully decorated building on the plaza opposite the market of Mercado 9 de Octubre, flashpackers are catered for as much as…

  • Mansión Alcázar

    Cuenca

    With unrivaled service and rooms decorated with unique themes, the Alcázar is the best high-end offering in Cuenca. A water fountain spills over with…

  • Hotel Bambu

    North Coast & Lowlands

    The nicest hotel in town has a great sand-floored restaurant and bar, cabins with exposed cane roofs, wood-panel windows and mosquito nets, plus delicious…

  • Madre Tierra Resort and Spa

    Vilcabamba

    On a hillside with waterfalls and gardens 2km north of town, Madre Tierra has a strong New Age vibe, replete with candles and healing ions. Rooms are…

  • Mansion del Rio

    Guayaquil

    Housed in a lovingly restored home from the 1920s and hidden down a riverside cobblestone street in Las Peñas, the rooms at Mansion del Rio are handsomely…

  • Hostería Cananvalle

    Northern Highlands

    Literally on the other side of the tracks, 5km from downtown, this family-owned working farm sits on a bucolic property with canyon and mountain views…

  • Chescos

    South Coast

    This funky new hostel on the malecón is where the young people hang out. It has a welcoming atmosphere and a TV lounge with swings as seats, plus games…

  • Hostal Achik Wasi

    Southern Highlands

    A 10-minute walk up and out of town (taxi $1), this large adobe-and-wood hostal is by far the best place to stay. It has comfortable, clean rooms with…

  • Hostal Doña Esther

    Otavalo

    This small, Dutch-owned colonial-style hotel is cozy, with attractive rooms surrounding a courtyard ornamented with ceramics and ferns. The service is…

  • Casa de Laura Hostal

    Isla San Cristóbal (Chatham)

    This friendly, family-owned hideaway is one of the best-value places in town. Located in a two-story adobe building with modern hot-water rooms, it has a…

  • Hamadryade Lodge

    The Oriente

    Perched on a hillside a few kilometers upriver of Misahuallí and accessed by the road along the northern shore, this stylish, ecofriendly French-owned…

  • Inti Sisa

    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…

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