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Staying in Ecuador
Listed below are a few
of the places you can stay in Ecuador. There are some stunning
examples. In Quito choose hotels
according to your budget, but of course apartments
are cheaper for long stays. Our own apartment
in Quito is available for short lets.
If you aim to undertake a Spanish
language course, then a popular way to do it, is to stay with
a family as part of your course. If you like your home comforts,
then there are a good range of 4 star hotels
offering top quality service and international cuisine. One of
our favourites is Hotel
Quito with its stunning rooftop restaurant, but you might
also consider the Hotel Patio Andaluz in the heart of Colonial
Quito. There is also a good choice of smaller hotels, such as
the Café Cultura, often located in colonial houses and
offering a much more personal service.
 Outside
Quito things really come into their own. The countryside is sprinkled
with haciendas
that can provide outstanding accommodation and quality cuisine
at reasonable prices. It can be an absolute delight to discover
an historic hacienda in the mountains with your own individual
chalet and terrace to watch the sunset before dining in the beamed
restaurant in front of an open fire Two we like are La Mirage in Cotocachi,
and Chorlavi near
San Antonio de Ibarra.
If you are travelling off the
beaten track to the cloud forest or jungle for example, then
there are a great range of jungle
lodges available -many of these offer activities related
to their location -climbing, pony trekking, nature watching and
so on. These are generally located off the beaten track so plan
ahead and do not expect to just stumble on them.
For the budget traveller, there
are numerous hostels to be
found in the larger towns, but choose them because they are interesting
and a good place to meet fellow travellers rather than because
they are cheap. And look after your wallet!
Finally if you are intending
to visit the Galapagos, then the best way to do things may be
to stay on one of the boats or
yachts based on the islands -this way you combine your transport
with your accommodation, but better still, you travel from island
to island at nght. Choose your boat according to your own needs
-if our are a keen sailor then a yacht is perfect; if you want
to be adventurous but dislike crowds then a small boat is best;
alternatively if you are unsure of how you may like being at
sea but like socialising, then choose one of the larger and more
stable cruise ships. There are only a limited number of boats
allowed to work on the islands, so most tour operators will be
offering the same choice -choose according to price and degree
of luxury -the boats are classified as luxury, first class, tourist
superior, tourist and economy.
Accommodation is cheap, but remember,
tax and service is added on to any hotel or restaurant bill at
a rate of 22% -this can be an unwelcome surprise if you are not
expecting it.
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