La Mariscal Services

While other areas of Quito, such as Centro Histórico and the New Town, offer many services -- supermarkets, laundry, internet and banking -- La Mariscal has the most concentrated and easiest to access number of resources.

While these services may cost a bit more (they’re used to foreigners arriving with a different concept of what qualifies as ‘expensive’), the convenience is tough to beat. There are laundry and internet services in many hostels (ask when you book a room), though it’s also easy to find them on various Mariscal streets (look anywhere around the plaza at Reina Victoria and Foch).

Internet Cafes are ubiquitous in the Mariscal, and you can find a couple on every other block; specifically along Amazonas Ave. Although they all charge under $2 an hour, the quality of the hardware and connection speed vary from place to place. If you find one cafe that doesn't offer satisfactory service, there is probably an alternative right down the street.

As far as supermarkets go, La Mariscal has an abundance of small corner store tiendas, usually found near Juan Leon Mera and José Calama. If you’re in need of a fully stocked supermarket, just walk up Lizardo Garcia (east of 6 de Diciembre) to 12 de Octubre and you can’t miss the large red and white sign indicating Supermaxi, Quito’s main grocery chain.

Shopping-wise, La Mariscal has a number of arts and craft stores scattered throughout its streets that are worth dropping into, if only to see what sort of nifty things are on sale. Otherwise, the spiraled shopping mall down Amazonas Ave. will provide you with an array of stores inside.