Ecuador & The Galapagos Islands

Ecuador offers some fabulous boutique city hotels, mountain lodges and ranches and unique jungle escapes. Out in the Galapagos Islands choose from small ship cruises and island retreats.

We always suggest to stay in the old town of Quito in one of the boutique hotels in the city and Casa Gangotena is one of the best. It’s located on Plaza San Francisco in the heart of the city and has been renovated from an elegant 18th-century mansion. The rooms offer wonderful luxury looking into the courtyard or across to La Company church and the restaurant is well worth a try, even though there is a number to choose from in the neighbourhood. We always try and arrange sightseeing to be done in the morning so you can get back to the hotel to enjoy the excellent high tea and perhaps walk it off with a stroll around the old streets of Quito. All this combines so you feel a definite South American vibe on your travels.

If you have the time on a visit to Quito we certainly recommend at least two nights at Mashpi Lodge deep in a pristine area of intense rainforest which has been specifically preserved due to the construction of the lodge. The lodge building is super contemporary, so that large windows look out onto rainforest all around and guests feel like they are among the trees. Guests stay on a full board basis with excellent cuisine with jungle twists. And a large selection of jungle activities is included with a team of jungle guides. Anything from canopy walks to jungle swings and a hummingbird garden. It’s also easy to reach just a few hours drive from Quito.

This is our go-to hotel in Ecuador’s port city of Guayaquil because of its boutique local style and central location, meaning you can enjoy a bit of relaxing and exploring before or after an Ecuador and Galapagos journey. It’s a Relais & Chateaux hotel set in a 125-year-old mansion. It’s a tropical oasis with two courtyards and right next to the park. And don’t miss the fresh seafood from the waterfront restaurant.

La Pinta is one of our favourite Galapagos Islands cruisers as it’s a yacht with a capacity of just 12 guests with well-appointed cabins featuring large windows. So you can visit the islands in a small group with almost personalised guiding and while sailing look out from your cabin to sport whales and more. There’s plenty of room to spread out whether it’s taking in the sea air at the sky bar or diving into the excellent library and research centre. La Pinta has the added attraction of a glass-bottomed boat for a few trips out and sea kayaks for paddlers. Most of all the aim is to get the most out of your Galapagos cruise with some of the best guides and excursions.

Yacht Isabela II is one of the intimate cruises in the Galapagos Islands. We like the fact it’s Ecuadorian-owned and it’s got some of the best guides in the islands, all naturalists and mostly Ecuadorian graduates so they’re particularly invested in the islands. Isabela II has capacity for just 40 guests, ensuring no lots of waiting around for shore visits. Onboard the cabins are spacious for a yacht of this size there’s plenty of space for alfresco dining and lounging. There’s even a hot tub on deck. Add to this a glass-bottomed boat for excursions, sea kayaks and snorkelling equipment, it’s all there to discover the islands, the wildlife and have plenty of downtime.

One of the main things we appreciate about the Santa Cruz II Galapagos Islands cruise vessel is the excellent team of Ecuadorian crew and guides, which are essential to the whole experience. Island visits are taken in groups of 123 maximum, and often the ship has the sites to themselves due to the well-arranged itineraries. On board the 50 cabins are spacious with plenty of interconnecting availability. There’s plenty of deck space for al fresco dining and an observation deck. There’s also a restaurant, lounge, bar and a library for a full Galapagos experience.