Hotel Tambopaxi

The lodge is so peaceful, with lovely open views that make it easy to slow down. After long days in the mountains, the comforting food was one of my favorite parts. I was traveling alone as a woman and felt safe, welcomed, and well looked after. The staff are kind, friendly, and always smiling. This was my second stay, and I know I’ll come back again.

We arrived on a rainy, sleety day, and it was such a relief to find the fireplace going, with hot soup, coffee, and chocolate ready. This is a quiet, comfortable rustic spot close to the national park, with good food and great service. A definite must-visit.

We had a frightening stay. After spending five hours asleep in our room with a fireplace, we struggled to wake up and had headaches. We had just come from Bolivia, including La Paz, Uyuni, and Potosi, where we had slept above 4,500 meters, so we didn't think altitude was the cause. Fresh air made us feel much better, and we believed we had carbon monoxide poisoning. When we asked for a detector, staff first said they had one and would send someone to check. We waited outside while they seemed annoyed that we didn't simply trust them. Eventually someone came with an air freshener and said they couldn't smell anything. There was no carbon monoxide detector anywhere on the property, and no fire alarm in our room. We asked to move rooms, after which the staff became very annoyed with us. The tour they sold was overpriced and misleading too. They promised a "lunch box," but it was only a banana and a small pack of Oreos, and we didn't visit all the listed stops. When we raised this, they said we had to pay for lunch at the lodge and slammed the menu on the table. At checkout, they also tried to charge us $300 too much.

The property itself is stunning, with huge views and spacious, beautiful rooms. We were a group of six adults planning to explore and climb Cotopaxi, but our dealings with Patricio and Deimy made this one of the worst hospitality experiences we've had. At arrival, Patricio came over confrontationally, said we had too much luggage, and insisted we needed another room because we'd booked through a third party. We were ready to sort it out and pay extra, but he was rude and aggressive. He repeatedly told us not to touch the beds and suggested we might leave without paying, which made no sense at such a remote hotel. Communication was already stressful, and despite working at reception, he refused to speak English. We eventually agreed to pay for another room. Each room fits 6-8 people, yet we paid over $500 for two large rooms, enough space for 12-16, for just one night. We accepted the cost so we could move on. We were told dinner could be settled at checkout, so after breakfast the next morning we went to hike Cotopaxi base camp and planned to return and pay. While we were out, staff confronted one of our friends and essentially detained them, accusing us of leaving without paying. It felt like harassment. Our Ecuadorian friend became upset when the same staff kept accusing us and tried to add a breakfast charge, even though breakfast was clearly included. Things turned into a heated confrontation, and we felt unfairly targeted over claims that weren't true. Thankfully, our Ecuadorian friend helped communicate and stand up for us. The place and its location could have made for a five-star stay, but the staff treatment overshadowed all of that. We will not come back. There are better places.