The River House Hotel

The first thing that made the stay feel special was the host and staff. There’s a quiet sitting area where you can unwind, and the host welcomes you to his own paradiso-Ecuador. He can show you around the gardens, with Cacao, grapes, citrus, and other species growing there. The hillsides have plants that attract hummingbirds, and it’s fun watching them chase each other. Toucans, Falcons, and other birds come into the trees, visible from the air-conditioned sitting area. Frank, the proprietor, also offered to help us process chocolate and roast coffee while chatting with the other guests. By the time you settle in, the travel stress starts to fade and you can simply sit, talk, and enjoy Ecuador. The River House is set on a mountain top with a view over the tropical valley and sits on The Rio ——, just one kilometer out-of-town (——-). A well-kept 150 meter trail leads down to shaded riverside swimming. Along the way there’s a barbecue area with room for a large group, shade, full-sized tables, a kitchen with electricity, a fireplace, and a bathroom. It could easily fit 25 people. The hotel’s reception house has indoor and outdoor dining areas, several sitting spots, and views of the gardens. The main dining and viewing rooms have air-conditioning and floor-to-ceiling windows, and there are outdoor tables too. Our room was spacious at 20 sq-m, with natural wood finishes, air-conditioning, a big comfortable bed, and a hot shower. Its covered porch looked out onto the butterfly and ginger gardens. We’d traveled along coastal Ecuador and The Galapagos, enjoying beaches and time by the ocean, but hadn’t explored inland yet. Our visit here ended up being even better than we expected.