Apartamentos Otorongo

Xavier’s neighborhood tour helped us get our bearings before we started looking for a home, and he also offers adventure tours. He’s an experienced travel guide, hiker, and cyclist. We spent our first month after moving to Ecuador at Apartamentos Otorongo, and it was the best choice we could’ve made. Xavier, Samara, Sara, who all speak fluent English, and the rest of the staff made us feel like family. Our suite was cozy and well equipped, and the grounds were full of flowers and plants. Our little dog loved exploring them. The location by the Tomebamba river is peaceful, though El Centro’s lively spots are only a five minute walk away. We walked around the historic old town during the day, then spent evenings in the outdoor living room by the river, listening to the birds and water or chatting with other residents. They even hosted a BBQ one night where we swapped stories over burgers. You can stay for days or weeks, or make it a permanent home like some of the people we met who had lived there for years. Otorongo was a welcoming place to land while we began our new life in Ecuador.

It’s very peaceful here, and you can walk to both a hospital and shopping. Such a great place.

This lovely location is clean, central, and feels safe. We’re looking forward to coming back next week as Snowbirds, and we’ll stay for three months.

There’s great natural light, plus a stove and fridge, and the place is really nice and central. I do need to mention the price, though. The site I booked through charged me $86, but I was billed $98. I noticed a couple of days later. Maybe it was an honest mistake, but I don’t like being overcharged.