Galapagos Dove

We’d book here again without hesitation. The room was clean, there’s a cozy garden and shared kitchen, and cold drinking water was included. At $28 a night, I thought it was a good price for the Galápagos. Most of all, we felt so welcome. We had to add a night in Puerto Ayora because my boyfriend was sick. The owners kept asking how he was whenever I left the room, and they gave me a cold cloth for his forehead to help with the fever. They also offered him oregano tea, and the next day, once he was feeling a little better, gave him motion sickness tablets for the boat. They were incredibly kind and helpful.

We stayed a week and barely had to go far for coffee, with a couple of excellent coffee shops close by. The main street is within walking distance, and laundry costs $1 per kilo. Our room was cleaned and the trash taken out every day. There’s also a kitchen with everything you might need to make a meal, though we didn’t use it. I’d definitely recommend this place!

The host family are lovely and really go out of their way to make you feel welcome. The beds and pillows were comfy, the shower had warm water, and the laundry was cheap. They also kept our big bags while we spent two days on another island. If you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs. You can hear cars passing from the room even with the windows shut.

I hate writing a bad review, especially since the people were genuinely lovely, but we didn’t enjoy our stay. The bathroom in our room was extremely mouldy. We were reluctant to use it and kept the door shut the whole time, but the smell still spread through the room and into our belongings. I told the owner, and she said there was nothing she could do. I hope they fix that room before renting it to anyone else.