Hotel La Chimenea Casa De Piedad

This family-run hotel was one of the best places we stayed in Ecuador. The staff were lovely and always helpful, and they cleaned our room and changed the sheets every day. Breakfast came with the stay and was fantastic, with bread, cheese, smoothies, coffee, tea, and eggs. The restaurant offered different lunch dishes each day for $3.50, and they washed my clothes for $1.

We ended up at this hotel by mistake after aiming for Hostal La Chimenea, and only realized later. The family who runs it were very nice and helpful. The rooms were clean, the price was reasonable, and it was just two or three blocks from the plaza. It was calm and quiet at night, and daily cleaning was included.

Breakfast was simple but good, eggs, bread with butter and jam, coffee, and juice. The hotel has the basics, though that's about it. Furniture and fixtures were very worn, our toilet seat was completely broken off, the bedding was stained, and the bathroom could have been cleaner. Sound comes straight through the windows, so bring earplugs. The curtains only cover half the window, letting light in, so an eye mask would help too.

The waterfall view from our balcony was wonderful, and we loved the big, comfortable beds. The steam baths, personal treatment from Carlos, relaxing pool areas, hot showers, and cheap breakfast prices were all lovely. Marcia and Carlos were kind, and from the moment we arrived, good service felt like a priority. They gave us fresh towels and a smile, and even charged less than we expected. I'd definitely stay again. Bring earplugs, though, because the walls are thin and you can hear a lot at night. My massage wasn't very good for $20, though that may have been a one-off.