Must-see hotels in South Coast

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Outside the town center, El Jardín is a peaceful, family-run guesthouse with a pretty courtyard garden and comfortable rooms. It's a short taxi ride ($1…

Owned by a friendly Swedish-Ecuadorian couple, this lovely remote eco-minded beachfront complex has six attractive rooms surrounding a lush garden of…

The owners welcome you on board at this clifftop inn, half whitewashed villa, half imaginary ship. The brainchild of an ex-captain, the place is filled…

A handful of thatch-roofed cabins are tucked away in a lush courtyard at Itapoá, a friendly, family-run operation opposite the beach. Cabins have a…

Overlooking the forest, Samaí Lodge feels like an idyllic oasis. Twelve cabins are scattered throughout the property; many with floor-to-ceiling windows…

Adorned with murals and color-saturated walls, this uberfriendly hostel is good value, with simple rooms surrounding a small garden courtyard. Bathrooms…

The most charming guesthouse in town could have been plucked straight from a Greek island, with its stone brick walls and crisp white and blue accents…

On the beachfront, Nantu has smart recently refurbished rooms with crisp white walls, wooden features, and bright colored accents in the soft furnishings…

Secluded on a hill across from Las Tunas proper are these thatch-roofed bungalows made from bamboo, wood and palm leaves. Each has a mesmerizing view of…

Just out of town on the main road you'll find this tropical hotel with two swimming pools, pretty gardens and nice views. All rooms have TVs, king-sized…

Just past the domed Dharma Beach Hotel, slightly set back from the beach, this distinctive four-story building has cozy wood-accented rooms with fans,…

These peaceful all-wood cabins with thatched roofs and small front decks have lovely views overlooking Montañita and the ocean beyond. Nativa Bambu is…

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…

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…