The Oriente
The most obvious bunking-down option hereabouts is this pleasant roadside place, a friendly and recently renovated lodge by San Rafael Falls. Rooms are…
Must-see hotels in Ecuador
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,…
Ruta Spondylus
Surrounded by rainforest, this idyllic place feels like an end-of-the-road hideout. The high-ceilinged main house's bamboo bedrooms, as well as the…
The Oriente
Most visitors come to stay at the Swiss-owned La Casa del Suizo, a walled fortress on the Río Napo that offers a pampered glimpse of the jungle. A maze of…
Mindo
Over a small footbridge, up a dirt drive is this long, narrow property lined with small stone and wood-paneled cabins. The camping area, which has…
Cuenca
The colonial-style Hostal Macondo has spotless, slightly dark, palatial rooms in the front, older section, and small, but cozy, rooms situated around a…
Puyo
This big yellow colonial place is aimed at an upmarket backpacking crowd. It features attractive gardens, chattering parrots, statues of rainforest…
Montañita
Latin America's ever-expanding boutique hostal empire has arrived in Ecuador (with Quito, Cuenca and Banos locales), and that's a good thing. Setting a…
Mindo
A-frame cabins set among a lush property feature huge windows opening to the surrounding Mariposario and gardens. There's a convenient deck and comfy…
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…
Big Ralph's Hostal & Restaurant
South Coast
Located about 10-minutes' walk from the malecón, English/Ecuadorian-owned Big Ralph's earns high marks from homesick Europeans. It's decorated with…
Puerto López
Good value for money, a couple of minutes from the beach. The handful of fan-cooled rooms (some have air-con) have hot water, (some) TVs and are simple…
Guayaquil
In a quiet residential street, not far from the action in Urdesa, this welcoming gated villa has immaculately finished rooms and a relaxing garden that…
Cuenca
This is supposedly where former president Rafael Correa likes staying when he's in Cuenca. It's true that Hotel Santa Lucia wows when you walk into the…
Quito
A good choice for those seeking hostel prices with a family-run-guesthouse vibe, this large converted colonial home in the San Blas neighborhood has…
North Coast & Lowlands
This newish entry on the Mompiche scene is run by a friendly American expat couple and has both private rooms and dorms, the nicest of which have outdoor…
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…
Northern Highlands
Ex-Buenos Aires and New York resident Jimena Larreguí has changed the former Tierra Sol into a fashionable option along the banks of the Intag. Comfy beds…
The Oriente
Located just outside of town on the lip of the river, shady thatched huts surround a sparkling pool and sandy fire pit. Rooms are sizeable and pleasantly…
Quito
A no-brainer for those looking for low-key, low-budget nonhostel accommodations in the Old Town. It's even within stumbling distance of La Ronda. The…
The Oriente
Established in 1999, Tapir Lodge features multitiered tower lodgings that get guests into the trees. Simple but comfortable rooms come fitted out with…
Quito
Inside a remodeled 16th-century home, the plush rooms of this elegant hotel have interior balconies and thick walls. Beautiful woodwork fills the rooms…
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…
Mindo
A handful of well-built cabins surround a pavilion-style bar and restaurant at this place ('Flowers' in Kichwa) a short uphill walk from town toward the…
South Coast
The largest hotel in town is the most luxurious option. It has the facilities of a resort complex: a pool, gym, sauna, three restaurants (meals and…
The Oriente
Situated on a 2500-acre nature reserve, Yachana Lodge is the newer iteration of a long-running lodge along the Río Napo. A training center educates local…
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…
Montañita
The spacious, fan-cooled rooms at this bright and sunny guesthouse are beautifully designed, from the polished-wood floors and rustic wood furniture to…
The Oriente
The best local accommodations, this friendly hotel occupies its own sprawling grounds just outside town on the Tena road. There's a huge pool, a spacious…
Northern Highlands
Remodeled and refurbished recently, there are beautiful lagoon and mountain views from three of the six rooms in this brick complex, which also houses a…
Ruta Spondylus
Cabañas La Tortuga's beachside thatch-roofed cabins are well maintained with fans, mosquito nets and hot water. Guests can make use of a swimming pool,…
North Coast & Lowlands
This bamboo structure along the malecón has a karaoke veranda and clean rooms with nice sea breezes and little 'attic' spaces. Cable TV and a Jacuzzi add…
Puyo
If you don't have a well-to-do Ecuadorian grandmother to visit in Puyo, staying in this immaculately kept locale is the next best thing. Only two blocks…
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…
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…
Cuenca
In a restored colonial-style house, 10 rooms with hand-painted murals surround a central courtyard full of wood and iron. It’s not quite fit for a king,…
Cuenca
We still like this converted colonial-era home with a remarkable chandelier in the central courtyard. Small but well-appointed rooms have hand-painted…
Quito
This beautifully restored colonial mansion has 10 rooms replete with antique furnishings, 18th- and 19th-century oil paintings and luxurious fittings. The…
Montañita
Tiki Limbo outdoes its competitors in terms of in-town location and decor: the stylish pastel-colored rooms have beds made of bamboo, and zebra-print…
