Quito Travel Guide

Quito is a tourist city par excellence. Here there are many and varied options for accommodation to suit all preferences and budgets. In recent years, the hotel infrastructure and quality has improved drastically to satisfy visitors' needs. Undoubtedly, spending time in this friendly city will be a pleasing and gratifying experience.

We will start this tour with the inexpensive hotels, located in the central-north area of the city. This zone is easily accessible, and moving around it is fairly easy as well. Here everything is close to you, services and tourist centers are always near. The cost of a night in one of these hotels varies between three and eight dollars.

Close to Avenida 6 de Diciembre you will find the Casa del Sol—whose name was that given by the Incas to their temples—with its pleasant patio, fireplace, and warm cozy ambience all through. Nearby is the Posada del Maple, a rustic-style house, whose magic harmony contrasts with the simplicity of its rooms. The cost of the lodging includes breakfast, and coffee, tea or hot chocolate all day long. Three blocks to the north you will find a hotel and cafe combined called El Cafecito. Here, while you enjoy one of their many delicious coffees, your room will be prepared. This is a good place to rub shoulders with Quito's bohemian intelligentsia. Four blocks further, along Avenida 9 de Octubre, is the Palm Garten, an ideal place for honeymooners. It is a big house with an intimate ambience, surrounded by palm trees and with bright rooms, a cafeteria and restaurant. Going towards the center you will find Coquí, a simple but pleasant hotel located in the university district.

If your budget allows you to stay at a hotel with more services and comforts, moderately priced hotels vary between about 45 and 60 dollars. These include the Hotel Ambassador, a modern hotel located on the edge of the central-northern district. It has a restaurant, a beauty parlor, comfortable rooms, and a gym to practice martial arts. Close to this is the Café Cultura, which is known for its open air restaurant, cafeteria, and rustic country-style house. La Santa Maria, a romantic tree-lined street in this area leads to the Hostal La Rabida. With its spacious terrace and peaceful ambience this is a good place to let your imagination wander and your mind rest. However, if you have no time for such soul-care and need lodging immediately, in front of the Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre you will find the Hotel Aeropuerto, a simple yet comfortable place with a restaurant and cafeteria.

You can also consider staying in a more out-of-the-way place like the Hotel Floresta, a big house with a garden, located in an exclusive area of the city. Price includes breakfast and a complimentary cocktail. If your taste is more demanding still, go to the Quito Best Western in the most residential area of Quito, Avenida González Suárez.

Naturally, there are also expensive hotels for select tastes which cost between 85 and 100 dollars. On Amazonas Street is the Hotel Río Amazonas, a large modern building. Continuing southward is the Hotel Alameda Real which has an art gallery. Near here you will also find the Hotel Sebastián, perfect for those who enjoy good taste in their lodgings and the Hotel Radisson Royal. Further north, near several big shopping malls is the Hotel Four Points Sheraton and its exclusive restaurant Las Fragatas.

In the most exclusive category, costing between 145 and 160 dollars, is the Hilton Colón, located in the heart of Quito's banking district. Fifteen minutes drive from there is the Swiss Hotel Quito, which has a spa, conference center, specialty restaurant, gift shop, crafts shop and flower-shop. On Amazonas Street is the impressive Hotel J.W. Marriot which houses Ecuador's principal conference center, as well as swimming pools, complete offices for executives, brand name stores, cafeterias, bars and restaurants.

On Avenida de los Shyris, right in front of Quicentro Shopping, one of the most important shopping centers in the city, you will find Best Western Plaza Caicedo which boasts the biggest casino in South America.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 324