Quito & Guayaquil Galapagos Travel Package

Situated in the heart of the historic center of Quito, Ecuador, Hotel Patio Andaluz is just a few minutes’ walk to the Plaza de la Independencia and the surrounding churches, museums and national monuments. Hotel Patio Andaluz dates to the colonial 16th century, offering the experience of stepping back in time. Enjoy the enchantment and comforts that this boutique hotel offers, with large arches, balconies, interior patios and towering attics. Book Hotel Patio Andaluz in conjunction with our Galapagos tours, Galapagos cruises and/or other Ecuador vacations. Our travel specialists can help you compare this hotel to others in Quito.

History at Hotel Patio Andaluz

Hotel Patio Andaluz is an official national treasure as one of the original building sites of the City of San Francisco of Quito. Since then, notable Ecuadorians have passed through the building’s patios and corridors: players of revolutions like that of the Alcabalas, the War of Independence and the birth of the Republic.

Common Areas at Hotel Patio Andaluz

Beautiful gardens, open patios and a relaxing sun terrace offer places to rest after daily explorations of local treasures. Hotel Patio Andaluz’s restaurant, El Rincon de Cantuna, offers typical Ecuadorian and Spanish cuisine, as well as international food. Enjoy tapas, wine and cocktails in the bar, Cava Marquez de Jerez.

Activities at Hotel Patio Andaluz

Hotel Patio Andaluz offers cooking classes for guests wanting to learn to prepare traditional cuisine. Guests may enjoy the Solarium resting place, as well as the reading room "Guayasamín, La Tienda del Patio." Explore the many historical sites just minutes from the hotel. Visit Plaza de la Independencia; the Government Palace; the many churches; the Alberto Mena Caamaño Museum; the Numismatic Museum; the Sucre Theater and more all within blocks.

Accommodations at Hotel Patio Andaluz

This colonial-era hotel offers 32 rooms: 12 suites and 20 Standard Rooms. Options include duplex suites with a living room adjoining a bedroom with either one extra-large double bed or two double beds. Also available are double rooms without a living room. All rooms have cable TV, AC, laundry that can be arranged, safe deposit box, phone and a hairdryer. Wifi available in common areas.

Casa Gangotena is situated in a newly restored historic mansion overlooking Plaza San Francisco in the heart of the Old Town of Quito, Ecuador. The three-story hotel harbors 31 rooms in a showcase of eye-catching style, contemporary design, antiques, furnishings, fine dining, modern technologies and quintessential comforts. A former family home, the renovated space retains its intimate “casa” stately elegance.

Casa Gangotena Earns Prestigious Spot on 2024 Travel + Leisure World's Top 500 Hotels List. The award-winning hotel invites its guests to explore and to relax, whether in the dining room, glassed-in patio, garden redolent with the perfume of native flowers, wood-paneled library or atop its panoramic third-floor terrace. Casa Gangotena enjoys an incredible location right across from central Plaza San Francisco, just a few blocks from the gold-laden Jesuit church of La Compañía de Jesús, the City Museum, the Plaza Santo Domingo, the Presidential Palace, cultural centers and the bustle of Quito’s Old Town and historic quarters.

Casa Gangotena Review

AdventureSmith Explorations’ Casa Gangotena review includes a detailed description and photo gallery. Our Ecuador experts have stayed at Casa Gangotena firsthand. Please read our Casa Gangotena review below then contact our experts to compare Casa Gangotena with other adventure lodging.

Choose Casa Gangotena for its pedigree as the first hotel in Quito to join the prestigious Relais & Châteaux association, a network which comprises the most outstanding, inspiring, and one-of-a-kind hotels and restaurants in the world. Casa Gangotena was awarded this distinction in 2019 per its commitment to preserving rich and diverse cuisines; a passion for exhibiting Ecuador's beauty; and an emphasis on creating a more humane world.

Book Casa Gangotena hotel in conjunction with our Galapagos tours, Galapagos cruises and/or other Ecuador vacations. This property is a popular pairing with our luxury Galapagos tours. Our travel specialists can help you compare this hotel to others in Quito.

Casa Gangotena History

Casa Gangotena occupies a pivotal place in Quito’s historic heart: the southwest corner of Plaza San Francisco. Its history stretches back to the time of the Incas. According to the early Spanish chroniclers, in the 15th century the square featured several Inca temples, one of them situated at the site of the present house. The large Plaza was used for centuries as a giant open-air market or “Tianguiz” for indigenous traders from several regions.

In 1534, once the Spanish conquistadors arrived into Quito, the Incas’ northern capital, their religious orders soon set out to convert the hearts and minds of the local population. The Franciscan order occupied the whole western hillside of the ample square.

Due to the importance of Plaza San Francisco, throughout the Colonial period and the following centuries, several wealthy families built their homes around it. The mansion that occupied the hotel’s present site later became the residence of several Republican-era presidents. Unfortunately, in 1914 a calamitous fire destroyed much of the house.

The historic mansion was completely rebuilt in 1924 by its owners, the Gangotenas, one of the capital’s leading families, whose members have included important industrialists, politicians, landowners, academics and even poets. The Gangotena family owned the stately home until the mid-2000s when it was bought to convert into a world-class boutique hotel. In 1978 Quito was declared the first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site city on the basis of its having the largest and best preserved Historic Centre in the Americas. A few years later, Casa Gangotena was included in the city’s cultural heritage inventory.

Sustainability & Community at Casa Gangotena

In 2009, the hotel, in conjunction with neighboring Casa del Alabado Museum, began its involvement in several community projects, such as the award-winning Heritage Guardians initiative, which focuses on neighborhood integration, promoting the value of heritage and traditions, and at the same time establishing ‘routes’ for visitors to meet locals and experience their daily rituals and activities.

The hotel is fitted with sustainable features that include solar panels to lower energy use for heating water and electronic room keys. Movement sensors are also employed throughout the service areas of the building. The hotel separates its waste and participates in local recycling projects.

Activities at Casa Gangotena

More than a luxury hotel, Casa Gangotena provides cultural enrichment to its globe-trotting guests. Start with a tour of the hotel, learning about its history and secrets of the Gangotena family, plus insights into Quito's historic center that the hotel looks out onto. Tour the Casa del Alabado Museum (noted above) for its pre-Columbian art and artifacts. Take a cooking class with the Casa Gangotena chef, learning how to make classic Ecuadorian food, including the signature "Cocina Mestiza." Visit a nearby chocolate shop for tasting and learning what makes Ecuadorian cacao so unique. Enjoy a spa-inspired ancestral cleansing using special medicinal plants and herbs in techniques employed by an Andean energy therapist. And finally, visit the neighboring church domes and belltowers on a special nighttime tour.

Accommodations at Casa Gangotena

Casa Gangotena’s rooms, with both double and king-size beds, are arranged across all three of its floors. Due to the property’s heritage character, rooms vary in size, although they are all comfortably ample, averaging 377 square feet in area. All benefit from the mansion’s elegant tall ceilings which draw the bright Andean sunlight into their interiors.

The room decoration plays with rich carpets, towering window frames, flowing curtains and Art Deco furniture such as desks, armoires, tables and armchairs. All the rooms are air-conditioned, carpeted, non-smoking and sound-proofed, with private bathrooms (nearly all with separate bathtubs and showers), and with telephones, intelligent key-cards, in-room safe boxes, wireless internet and flat-screen TV sets with international cable channels.

Experience big hospitality in the big coastal city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, at the Wyndham Guayaquil. Situated just steps from the historic Santa Ana Hill and its famous Lighthouse, and minutes to the vibrant Malecon 2000, this 100% non-smoking high-rise hotel offers an ideal location near Guayaquil’s many attractions and offices. Convenient extras include options like babysitting, a concierge, same-day dry cleaning and accessibility features such as elevators accessing all levels and equipped with brail. The short 3-mile drive to Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport is quick and easy with a 24-hour airport shuttle service.

Book Wyndham Guayquil hotel in conjunction with our Galapagos tours, Galapagos cruises and/or other Ecuador vacations. Our travel specialists can help you compare this hotel to others in Guayaquil.

Common Areas at Wyndham Guayaquil

After a long day of travel or sightseeing, the Wyndham Guayaquil offers a number of areas to unwind, stay active and stay connected. The ninth-floor heated rooftop pool offers breathtaking views of the city. The rooftop spa features massage services and signature treatments, a sauna, a steam room and more. Also on the ninth floor, the state-of-the-art fitness center enables sweeping views of Guayaquil while guests maintain fitness routines. The 24-hour business center and complimentary WiFi ensures connectivity and productivity for all. And the salon invites guests to refresh their look.

Dining at Wyndham Guayaquil

The onsite eatery, Restaurante Rio Grande, features lavish buffets for breakfast and lunch, and a selection of exquisitely prepared local and international à la carte dishes for dinner. The restaurant features flavorful Ecuadorian cuisine and international favorites, prepared from free-range and organic market-fresh ingredients, with fresh salads, flavorsome meats, exquisite desserts and an extraordinary wine list. The Numa Bar in the lobby is the ideal spot to relax with a cocktail after a day of exploring or doing business. Room service is available around the clock.

Nearby Attractions to Wyndham Guayaquil

Enjoy easy access to Santa Ana Hill, Malecon 2000, Las Peñas, the World Trade Center and the Simon Bolivar Convention Center. There’s so much to do in the charming city of Guayaquil. Take in the museums, gardens, shopping malls, restaurants, IMAX theater or Malecon 2000. Relive the gloried history of Santa Ana Hill. Explore the vibrant, local artistic culture of Las Peñas. Guayaquil is also home to several major firms, colleges and hospitals.

Accommodations at Wyndham Guayaquil

Most of the 175 oversized guest rooms and suites offer stunning river views. All of them feature well-designed touches and upscale amenities, including plush pillow top bedding and down pillows, free WiFi, mini-bars, alarm clock radios with iPhone/iPod docking station, bathrobes, digital safes and 43-inch flat screen TVs with satellite. Guests upgrading to a Junior Suite will also enjoy a hot tub, and the sophisticated Presidential Suite boasts a kitchen, dining room and living room.

Set within a historic park and wildlife reserve, the luxury Hotel del Parque is a tropical oasis in the Samborondon neighborhood of the bustling city of Guayaquil and along the Daule River. Parrots and spider monkeys roam the trees and the hotel is surrounded by palm leaves and exotic flowers. This elegant boutique hotel blends the world of luxury and nature perfectly with lush patios and a bio-diverse park and wildlife reserve just outside the walls. A ten-minute drive from the airport and 15 minutes to the city center, this relaxing space is easily accessible for a pre- or post-Galapagos hotel.

Hotel del Parque Review

AdventureSmith Explorations’ Hotel del Parque review includes a detailed description and photo gallery. Our adventure travel experts can help compare the Hotel del Parque with other Guayaquil pre and post hotels. Book this hotel in conjunction with our Galapagos tours, Galapagos cruises and/or other Ecuador vacations. This property is a popular pairing with our luxury Galapagos tours. Our travel specialists can help you compare this hotel to others in Guayaquil.

Choose this hotel and escape to an oasis in an otherwise bustling city. Travelers will not find a quieter bed or more tranquil hotel atmosphere in Guayaquil, a city with few boutique or luxury hotel options. The hotel itself is extraordinary with history, elegance and five-star sophistication; it must be counted among the finest hotels in Ecuador. The park and riverfront surroundings are a surprising bonus. Spending a day among the history and animals of the Parque Historico, guests inevitably run into local Guayaquilenos families enjoying picnics or lovers strolling the waterfront pier hand in hand. The Hotel del Parque is perfect for travelers looking for an upscale hotel close to the airport or for people seeking a longer stay that will immerse them in the culture and history of Ecuador’s most populous city.

Hotel del Parque History

Built in 1891 by Guayaquil’s oldest charity, the building was named Hospício Corazón de Jesús and was the first hospice in the city providing shelter for the homeless, elderly and disabled. Mr. Julian Coronel founded this altruistic refuge originally in the center of the metropolis. Facing demolition in the 1980s, the property was bought by the Central Bank of Ecuador and moved board-by-board to its current site in Parque Histórico. There, it was meticulously restored alongside three other heritage buildings. The Hotel del Parque team and designer Julio Vinueza transformed this historical building into a modern luxury hotel with the architecture of 19th-century Ecuador.

Amenities at Hotel del Parque

The inside lounge offers sophistication and history in a comfortable setting, the perfect place to read the newspaper and chat with new friends. The two inner patios with fountains and tropical plants are a cool, refreshing place to be revived after exploring Guayaquil. The reading room provides games, television and computers. A fitness center is available 24 hours a day. Meeting facilities and boardrooms are also on site. High-speed free Wifi is available throughout the hotel, as well as concierge services, 24-hour room service, minibars and full air conditioning.

Dining at Hotel del Parque

The Casa Julian Restaurant, set on the Daule River, with executive chef and Guayaquil native Juan Carlos Ordonez, offers delightful and vibrant creations made from fresh local ingredients. The innovative chef combines traditional Ecuadorian fare with new textures and pairings. This waterfront restaurant features fresh seafood from the Pacific Ocean paired with local ingredients like avocado, coconut and cacao. Breakfast (included), lunch and dinner are served, as well as daily afternoon tea with traditional Guayaquil sweets and delicacies and local herbal tea infusions. Guests can enjoy meals in the elegant riverside dining room, in the park for a private dining experience (prior notice needed) or in the comfort of their room. Complimentary coffee and juice, fresh-baked cookies and pastries are available 24 hours a day. Dietary restrictions can often be accommodated with prior notice.

Activities at Hotel del Parque

The unique spa offers massages and beauty treatments in the wood-beamed bell tower of the original restored chapel, with 360-degree views. This charming 19th-century chapel-faithfully reconstructed and painted in cool blues with original Gothic, Renaissance, and Mediterranean features-creates the perfect sanctuary for revitalization, especially after an active, immersive trip to the Galapagos.

Guest activities also include picking cacao pods and learning how the pod is transformed into chocolate. Guests can also learn the art of coffee roasting and growing-an interactive experience with Hotel del Parque’s chef. The healing Ecuadorian herb garden welcomes guests to learn about traditional medicine and even acquire personal infusions to cure aliments.

Guided or unguided wildlife walks through the grounds and wildlife sanctuary is on offer for an immersive nature experience. Hotel del Parque guests have exclusive park access on Mondays and Tuesdays, and in the early mornings and evenings when the park is closed to the public. Fun scavenger hunts are offered for kids to explore the gardens and search for rare plants and wildlife.

Nearby Attractions to Hotel del Parque

Parque Historico offers nature trails with three different ecosystems spread across more than 7.4 acres. Wildlife that can be found in the park range from sloths and ocelots to crocodiles and caimans, as well as harpy eagles and toucans. Restored 19th-century buildings like the former Territorial Bank property and the former homes of some of the city’s wealthiest families are placed throughout the park. All of these buildings were rescued from demolition, as well as the fabulous period trams. Folk dances and theatrical performances are a couple of the cultural heritage offerings that happen throughout the park and the Daule River is an excellent spot for sunset viewing.

Outside of the park, options include visiting the markets, gardens, safari park (for kids) at Simon Bolivar Pier. and museums. The riverside can also be explored, via boat. The Lineal Park has a nighttime dancing waters show, views of ‘the most beautiful bridge in the country,’ El Velero Bridge, and a unique Zigzag bridge. The Civic Square is home to many famous monuments, water fountains and viewpoints. These are just a few of the many treats that Guayaquil has to share.

Accommodations at Hotel del Parque

The 44 elegant guest bedrooms and suites are set across two floors and are furnished entirely with Ecuadorian pieces, both antique and modern in style. The pale grey and yellow hues contrast refreshingly with the exuberant tropical world outside while respecting the historical origins of the property. The marble bathrooms ensure elegance throughout this luxury hotel. Each room offers a minibar, smart TV, dining table for two, toiletries, turn-down service, alarm clock, safety deposit box, coffee and tea, and bathrobe and slippers. Hypoallergenic bedding is available on request.

Deluxe Double

The deluxe double guestrooms offer two full-size beds, perfect for guests traveling with colleagues, family, or companions. Luxurious furnishings and courtyard or garden view.

Deluxe King

One plush king bed awaits guests in the deluxe guestrooms, with all the charm and comforts reflected throughout the hotel and neighborhood. Guests awaken to the sun with garden views.

Signature King

Located on the second floor overlooking the gardens, these guestrooms offer one king bed and a cozy sitting area for lounging.

Junior Suite

With more than 1,200 square feet of luxurious space, this suite offers a roomy, elegant ambiance with one king bed and excellent garden views. This space can connect with a Signature Room to form a two-bedroom suite.

Park Suite

Guests revel in Ecuadorian bliss in this spacious suite with a private king bedroom, a separate living room and dining area, small pantry kitchen and four large windows overlooking the main park. The master bathroom has an elegant freestanding bath with views of the tropical gardens. The Park Suite also provides an optional private butler service to ensure comfort and convenience.