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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Central Highlands
Located within the national-park boundaries, with Cotopaxi looming close by, Tambopaxi is a certified sustainable-tourism project that hires local workers…
Papallacta
Most visitors to Papallacta stay at this supremely comfortable yet totally unpretentious resort – a great way to experience the thermal baths in style…
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…
Mindo
Run by a warmhearted and knowledgeable American-Ecuadorian couple, El Monte is a lush ecofriendly retreat with six lovely, private riverside cabins. The…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Otavalo
This small, Dutch-owned colonial-style hotel is cozy, with attractive rooms surrounding a courtyard ornamented with ceramics and ferns. The service is…
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…
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…
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…