Ecuador Hotels

Visitors to Ecuador will find plenty of options when it comes to accommodation. There are enough hotels, hostels, haciendas, eco-lodges and campgrounds to cater to everyone from penny-pinching backpackers to those with money to burn. Most towns have hostels and/or hotels, which tend to cost anywhere from $5 to the low $100s. Generally speaking, you get what you pay for.

Ecuador Budget Lodging

All across Ecuador, in rural areas, small towns and cities, you will find hostels (hostales in Spanish) that are geared toward budget travelers. Some have dormitories, which cost as little as $5 per night per person (up to $10 per night for a Quito hostel). Many hostels have private rooms as well, with shared or private baths. Hostels in Quito will run you a little more than hostels in Otavalo or Baños or more rural areas.

Ecuador Luxury Hotels

International four- and five-star hotel chains exist mostly in the major cities of Quito and Guayaquil. A stay in Quito offers plenty of options for luxury with prices that are lower than most international cities.

Haciendas

Historical Haciendas are a unique experience which let you step back in time – including back to colonial time – hundreds of years ago. Haciendas are generally pricey, but provide an authentic Ecuadorian experience.

In colonial times, the mountainous countryside was divided up among rich landowners, who ruled Indian villages like medieval dukes. The landowners usually built an hacienda, a sort of rural mansion, as a place to live and oversee the work done on their lands. The system was in place for centuries, and the Ecuadorian countryside is dotted with old haciendas in varying states of upkeep. In the past decade, many of the most picturesque ones have been converted into hotels and guest homes. The area to the north of Quito, near Otavalo, is particularly known for excellent converted haciendas. The spacious rooms, beautiful gardens and centuries of history have proved irresistible to thousands of visitors every year. The best of them have not lost their rural charm: they still feel like a home. While the area north of Quito near Otavalo is known for its haciendas, the scene to the south, towards Tunguragua and Chimborazo, is equally as beautiful. From volcano vistas to first-class facilities the haciendas stretching across the central Andes are certainly worth the trip.

Haciendas are not meant for the backpacker crowd, as it is hard to reach many of the best ones without private transportation and the prices are significantly higher than the hostels and smaller hotels common in tourist areas. Travelers with a higher budget, however, should make a point of visiting at least one hacienda while in Ecuador, as each is unique and memorable, and the value for the money is usually quite good. Most Ecuadorian haciendas offer horseback riding, mountain biking, and gardens where their guests can wander and relax. Most also have an on-site restaurant. Many of them plan and host special events such as conferences and weddings. The least expensive haciendas run about $30-40 per room per night, whereas the more expensive ones can cost over $200 per person per night. Most of them fall into the mid-range of about $70-90 per night. Guests can often negotiate discounts for large groups or extended stays.

Rainforest Lodges & Eco-Lodges

Spending time in a lodge in the Amazon or cloud forests of Ecuador is an experience that really shouldn't be missed. The quality and price vary widely, so choose your lodging with care.

In recent years, eco-lodges have proliferated across Ecuador. Basically, these are environmentally-friendly hotels often set in large, protected areas of forest. In theory, the lodges use the profits they receive from tourism to help conserve their particular area of forest, and many also work with local communities to improve schools, build paths and improve the quality of life for the locals. However, while there are many bona fide eco-lodges around, there are also plenty of fakes that think they can boost their popularity simply by tacking "eco" onto their name. (One place we visited claimed to be an eco-lodge because it had a papaya tree!) Have a look at our page on ecotourism to find out some of the basic principles that lodges should abide by in order to use this title.

The Amazon rainforest basin, or El Oriente, is a popular tourist destination, and a number of jungle lodges are located here. Most of them are centered around Tena, Puerto Francisco de Orellana (Coca), or Nueva Loja (Lago Agrio), which are transportation hubs in Ecuador’s eastern lowlands. Although each is quite unique, activities and basic features don’t vary too much, unless you splurge on a high-end option.

Other Hotel pages in Ecuador that may be of interest: El Ángel Hotels, Puerto Villamil Hotels, Yasuní National Park Hotels, Canoa Hotels, Amazon Rainforest Lodges, Peguche Hotels, Zumbahua Hotels, Palmar Hotels, Around Cuenca Hotels and Atacames Hotels.