Page Importance:
Casa Mojanda, located in the hills on the road to Lagunas de Mojanda (just over 3 km past Otavalo), is an interesting mix of hacienda experience and modern tourism. Casa Mojanda is not an actual hacienda; rather, the accommodations are sort of more comfortable version of local packed-earth homes. If you want to live like the locals without actually having to share a two-room home with your entire family and a bunch of guinea pigs, Casa Mojanda is a good place to start. Casa Mojanda prides itself on making the experience as genuine as possible: the home-cooked meals are often local recipes and made from traditional ingredients, and a band is often around to play Andean music. Although a US/Ecuadorian couple used to be in charge of the hotel, recent guests have reported that the quality of Casa Mojanda has declined since the pair split up and that the establishment no longer fully supports eco-tourism practices. Casa Mojanda offers a number of activities and trips. Otavalo is only a ten-minute drive away, or an hour if you’d rather hike. The staff can also arrange for horseback riding, mountain biking and bird watching tours, as well as visits to local places of interest such as the cities of Ibarra or Cayambe, the ruins at Cochasqui, and the Mojanda lakes.
Location:
Lagunas de Mojanda, Ecuador
Hotel
This Hotel is: Budget
Hotel Amenities, Services and Facilities Restaurant, Bar
Getting There:
Off the main highway north of Quito, between San Pablo Lake and Otavalo
Room Prices:
Lower:$85 (single)
Higher:$150 (double)
Price Description:Prices do not include 12 percent tax and 10 percent service charge. Discounts available for kids, Ecuadorians and long stays.
Contact Information:
Phone: 593-9-440-0424
E-mail: info(at)casamojanda.com
URL: www.casamojanda.com
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| Hacienda Cusin - Otavalo Ecuador Hotel Hacienda Cusin is a restored 17th-century Andean estate at 8,500 feet, close to the Equatorial Line and 90 minutes north of Quito, Ecuador. Snow-capped mountains and the famous Otavalo markets are nearby. haciendacusin.com |
Our Favorite Hotel
Casa Mojanda is our favorite hotel in Ecuador. The views and peaceful atmosphere are amazing. The meals are served in a beautiful dining room and include fresh squeezed exotic fruit juices and delicious home made soups. All the guest ate at one large table and shared travel stories. We took a two hour horse ride through the country side, climbed the Fuya Fuya peak above the lakes and took a tour to see master weavers in the villages around Otavalo. If you are looking for a Hyatt resort experience or a backpackers hostel, this place is not for you but if you are looking for a one of a kind lovely country inn with interesting activities and guests, Casa Mojanda is perfect choice.
Not an eco-lodge anymore
I work as a lecturer in sustainable tourism at a leading university in the UK. I travelled around and stayed at various lodges in Ecuador earlier this year to take an audit of their sustainability and environmental claims. However, I was very disturbed by what I uncovered at Casa Mojanda. I stayed for 8 weeks whilst helping out with managing the hotel. I would say that the claims made in the previous review are right and were going on even when I stayed there. It was always cold and the fire wood was damp. I also mentioned to the owner that the soap was not being changed between guests when I was there. This hotel claims to be something it is not which is not fair on the guests who think they are booking a hotel that has certain eco principles. Their web site is totally out of date and these were aspirations of the past. Mr Saches and Betti Saches split up some 3 years ago and he is no longer running the hotel and lives 3 hours away. The ideals for the environment were soundly carried out in the past. However, since his departure things have slipped very badly. Mrs Betti Saches does not follow the ideals of her estranged husband. 1. There is NO community garden. There is a garden used for the hotel kitchen. About 10% of the food served is organic. The rest is brought at the supermarket. 2. The community have nothing to do with the owners of Casa Mojanda as they dispute where money and other donations have gone. 3. Absolutely NO recyling takes place. e.g. paper, glass, metals etc. 4. Natural cleaning products are not used. 5. Local workers are badly treated, although they are paid well, but work very long hours and hate working at the hotel and feel they are not respected. 6. Soups that are meant to be vegetarian are in fact often made with chicken stock. 7. Guests are over charged. E.g. Wine brought for $3 a box of cheap wine and changed $5+ a glass. The reason I have waited so long to expose this hotel is because I am concerned for the local people who rely on the hotel for work. But I also feel an obligation for the guests who book the hotel and spend a lot of money there. This is a need for hotels that claim to be running on eco-tourism principles to be inspected and regulated.
Beware! Owners no longer run this hotel!
We had a very disappointing six-night experience at Casa Mojanda. They require advance payment by check mailed to Ecuador and I sent in our $1228 payment for six nights including breakfast and dinner (for two) two months in advance. I had enough trust to do this based on the glowing reviews on web-sites stating that this is a hands-on inn run by the owners themselves. This may have been true at one time, but owners "Diego and Betti" are no longer a couple. They have separate lives and Diego lives in Quito, almost three hours away. Betti was in Africa when we visited and staff members said that she no longer runs the hotel, leaving the operations to a manager. I do not believe that she lives full time on the grounds. The manager left in charge has zero hotel management experience. We learned that she visited Ecuador for the first time six weeks prior to our visit. She does not speak Spanish. I could fill pages with the problems that we encountered. We were cold. We wore hats and coats to dinner and in our room. We had reserved a room with a fireplace but the wood was stored outside and was so wet that a fire could only be started one night. The manger refused to allow us to store wood in our room to dry out. The mattresses, pillows, sheets and bedding are old and worn out and not the level that you expect at a B&B or inn at this price point. The used soap bars from the prior guests were left in the bathroom for our use. The physical grounds were obviously designed with care and thought and love that are now completely absent from the running of the property. The food is still as reported -- excellent -- and the kitchen staff, and all the Ecuadorian staff are devoted and lovely. This can not overcome the negligence and poor judgement that the owners exhibit in leaving the property under the management of an untrained, incompetent person that they barely know. First, this manager invited us to watch DVDs of her "spiritual teacher," proselytized about her "shamanism," and prayed at dinner. She had no knowledge of the surrounding area and made several mistakes in arranging our activities that were disastrous and unsafe. We finally wrote emails to Diego and Betti and Betti has now sent me five emails with scant apology, lots of defense of the staff, and quite nearly blaming me for the outcome of our visit. Diego's response was to credit us $150 of the $1228 we paid in advance. If you need a place to crash in order to see the Otavalo market, you may find it acceptable. But, if you want to make a holiday of exploring the northern Ecuador region, do not count on any expertise or coordinating ability from this management. If you treasure your vacation days, look elsewhere for accommodations.
Casa Mojanda is the greatest
We loved everything about our family visit. It was one of the best vacations ever.
Can't wait to go back!
Such a beautiful location with a great atmosphere. Wonderful food and friendly staff. A bit pricey but worth it!
We Love Casa Mojanda
We have been twice. It's perfect for thoughtful travellers. Hosts Betti and Diego have built a very special one of a kind place. Kid friendly. Great guides for local cultural trips. Amazing views. Not cheap for Ecuador but the atmosphere and food make it worthwhile.
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