The Ali Shungu Mountaintop Lodge

Location:
Otavalo, Ecuador

Hotel

V!VA User‘s Description

This Hotel is: Expensive

Hotel Amenities, Services and Facilities Breakfast Included, Luggage Storage, Airport Pickup - Extra Charge, Linens Included

Getting There:
Call for information on getting there.

Room Prices:
Lower:$75
Higher:$200
Price Description:Prices include breakfast, full course dinner and horseback riding with a guide and wireless interent service. Must add 22% IVA and service charges.

Contact Information:
Phone: 593-6-292-0750
E-mail: mountainlodge(at)remove-this.alishungu.com
URL: www.alishungumountaintoplodge.com

Traveler Reviews of The Ali Shungu Mountaintop Lodge

Excellent Choice in Otavalo!

Rating: 100%

This place was our break for three days between the Oriente and the Galapagos (April, 2007), and it fit the bill perfectly.

The villas are unexpectedly spacious, and wonderfully outfitted. Huge LR, DR, Kitchen, and bedroom, enormous shower. The views of the valley and volcanoes from your wrap-around front windows are stunning, and not done justice by the website. It took us a half-hour after arrival just to stop saying “wow”.

To add to the charm, we had a pair of llamas in the lawn outside our villa.

Do be aware that access is by a steep cobbled (& then dirt) road up from town; 4WD seems recommended, if not required.

Heat during the delightfully cool evenings is provided by a woodstove, which is regularly stocked and serviced by the staff.

Breakfast and dinner are served at the main building (a short uphill walk from the villas), and are thoroughly satisfying. Entrees included lamb curry, vegetarian lasagna, chicken and rice, and were always accompanied by good soup, organic salad (washed from local tested spring and friendly to sensitive tourist stomachs), and dessert. Alcohol is available at a reasonable supplement.

The property is a long walk to Otavalo – really, you’ll want a ride down – perhaps with the always amiable owner, Frank. He took us down every morning, or at least met our taxi half-way if we were planning more distant destinations. We highly recommend touring the local weaving villages – Agato & Cotacachi. Woodworking at San Antonio de Ibarra was less inspiring.

Of course the main attraction is the craft market in Otavalo. We went first on Thursday, when the activity and scale is ratcheted back a lot, and again on Saturday for the cultural and photo-op experience. This strategy worked great for us, and we made a majority of our purchases Thursday at lower prices and then felt less pressure during the crazier and more crowded Saturday market. One note, on Thursday the vendors are waiting around for customers, and are aggressive – almost every one of them will verbally solicit your business, but a polite smile and “no, gracias” suffices. On Saturday they are so busy that you will not have to deal with this factor nearly as much.

Frank will drive you down early Saturday morning to the large animal market (talk about a cultural experience!), and then to his other Otavalo downtown hotel, Ali Shungu, for breakfast and a home base during the day. Also, don’t miss the produce market – lots of local color and photo opportunities.

This is a beautiful spot to unwind and enjoy the local culture, at a very reasonable price – highly recommended!

By David Brown from NC, USA, May 11, 2007

Rancho Ali Shungu

Rating: 100%

Loved the peaceful setting and the individual attention to guests. The accomodations were clean and well cared for, the view spectacular. It is a bit of a bumpy ride to get there, but well worth the effort!!

By V!VA User from USA, Mar 27, 2007

Incredible guest houses with excellent service!

Rating: 100%

We LOVED our experience at Rancho Ali Shungu! Went with a group of 10, so we had 3 of the 4 guest houses...the houses are huge, with very comfortable sleeping and living quarters. The wood stove was constantly re-fueled, which I welcomed -- 4 of our group had gotten food poisoning BEFORE arriving at the Rancho (some bad bizcochos in Cayambe)...we spent lots of time in the house, but with enormous glass windows and the beautiful view, what a wonderful place to recuperate! Those who rode horses were very pleased with their tour. My 3 year old son loved the docile llamas, the resident guard dogs (with puppies), and all the open space to explore. Nice bonus: HOT hot water bottles placed under the covers at night to warm your toes--we all raved about this trick! Will visit again, and would recommend to all.

By V!VA User from Pennsylvania, USA, Aug 10, 2006

outstanding retreat

Rating: 100%

Every detail in the ranch has been well thought-out: decorations include tapestries by locally famous weaver Jose Cotacachi (see his workshop in Peguche), the bungalow has a cd player with a variety of cds, there are fresh fruit, beer and sodas waiting for you in the kitchen. A wonderful place (note, the price is $60 per person, there are one and two bedroom bungalows available, and tax is not included, but dinner and breakfast are). One often reads that it is important to ensure that locals are benefitting from your tourism, but while Rancho Ali Shungu is owned by "gringos", they are doing more than their part for local development. Oh, there is usually a two-night minimum stay, but that is occasionally waived.

By V!VA User from Quito, Ecuador, Apr 23, 2006