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The Best Hotels to Book in Quito for Every Traveller

Old Town Quito Apartments is full of original features, reclaimed furniture and retro artefacts
Old Town Quito Apartments is full of original features, reclaimed furniture and retro artefacts | Courtesy of Old Town Quito Apartments & Boutique Hotel / Expedia

It should come as no surprise that the Unesco World Heritage site of Quito, Ecuador, has some of the best-preserved colonial buildings in South America. Hoteliers have turned these beautiful properties into unique places to stay, ranging from stylish budget-friendly options to brilliant boutiques. Here are the best hotels in Quito, all bookable with Culture Trip.

Looking for the full package? You can now travel with Culture Trip to Ecuador and have all your accommodation and activities taken care of. Our Local Insider will lead you through the historic town of Quito, through incredible volcanic landscapes with emerald-green crater lakes, and up into the mountains where thermal hot springs await.

Masaya Quito

Independent Hotel

A simple hotel room with furniture made from reclaimed materials at Masaya Quito.
Courtesy of Masaya Quito / Expedia

Budget travellers will love the Masaya Quito in the Old Town, a cheap hostel in Quito is housed in a striking colonial-style building. As well as private rooms the size of small flats with wonderfully high ceilings, there are bunks available in four-, six- or eight-bed dorms, each of which has a privacy curtain, reading light and charging socket. Meet other backpackers over discounted mojitos during happy hour or during the daily activities, starting with yoga on Mondays and culminating with a movie screening on Sundays. Plaza San Francisco, one of the central spaces in old Quito, is a five-minute walk away.

Casa Joaquin Boutique Hotel

Boutique Hotel, Budget Hotel

A contemporary hotel room with luxurious furnishings at Casa Joaquin Boutique Hotel.
Courtesy of Casa Joaquin Boutique Hotel / Expedia

Individually themed rooms and suites are named after paintings at Casa Joaquin, a friendly boutique hotel in Quito just a few metres from Plaza Foch in La Mariscal. The selection of tours and day trips on offer at reception is impressive: the Mindo bird sanctuary (40km/25mi north of Quito); the Quilotoa Lake (170km/106mi southwest); and Cotopaxi, one of the tallest active volcanoes in the world (80km/50mi south). Closer to home is a colourful artisan market and the National Museum of Ecuador, both of which are within walking distance.

Ikala Quito Hotel

Boutique Hotel

A large bed with floral artwork hanging above it in a room at Ikala Quito Hotel
Courtesy of Ikala Quito Hotel / Expedia

The Ikala occupies three historic properties in La Mariscal, a neighborhood popular with backpackers thanks to a lively bar scene. Rooms at this Quito hotel range from standards to individually themed suites, with furniture and wall art inspired by the history of Ecuador. Common spaces comprise the basement Cava Bar – an intimate drinking den in a former wine cellar – and a restaurant where cooking revolves around fresh, local produce. Plaza Foch, the central hub of La Mariscal, is a seven-minute walk away.

Old Town Quito Apartments & Boutique Hotel

Boutique Hotel, Budget Hotel

A bedroom in rustic, contemporary style at Old Town Quito Apartments & Boutique Hotel.
Courtesy of Old Town Quito Apartments & Boutique Hotel / Expedia

For longer stays, check out Old Town Quito, a collection of one- and two-bed apartments in a traditional townhouse. Decorated with reclaimed furniture painted by the owner and retro artefacts found at flea markets, this budget hotel in Quito has attractive original features such as bare brick walls, hardwood floors and sturdy wooden beams. You’re self-catered, but not alone: a daily breakfast is served in-room and you receive a welcome pack of wine, fruit and cupboard essentials. The apartments are in the historic barrio of San Blas, opposite the disused bullring.

Carlota

Hotel

A covered patio looks out over a neat, tree-lined lawn at Quinta Carlota.
Courtesy of Quinta Carlota / Expedia

Classy Carlota occupies an early 1900s townhouse in central Quito. Contemporary furnishings and bold murals contrast with unchanged aspects such as exposed brickwork, wooden shutters and chunky vaulted ceilings. Each room is individually themed around a species of native bird, and nightly charges include a complimentary breakfast and a transfer to or from the airport. Eat at restaurant Bistro, where Ecuadorian classics are seen through a modern lens, and drink signature gin-based cocktails on the roof terrace – try the cilantro and chilli version for a real treat.

Vista del Angel Hotel Boutique

Boutique Hotel

A simple room with views of a town ascending a hillside at Vista del Angel Hotel Boutique
Courtesy of Vista del Angel Hotel Boutique / Expedia

There are sweeping views of the mountain-encircled capital from pretty much every spot in the Vista del Angel, but be warned – you have to earn them with a steep climb up to the property. Perks once you’ve done so include a gloriously secluded terrace with sun beds, a sauna and a jacuzzi (massages are also available for an additional fee). A good-quality breakfast is included in the nightly fee and the three-course lunch and dinner menu is changed every day. It’s just over a 10-minute walk from the reception to the finest church in Quito, the 16th-century Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.

Hotel Mama Cuchara

Luxury, Boutique Hotel

A large bed with carved wooden headboard in a hotel room at Hotel Mama Cuchara.
Courtesy of Hotel Mama Cuchara / Expedia

In the central yet quiet neighborhood of La Loma, practically at the feet of the Virgen del Panecillo, is Mama Cuchara, one of Quito’s best luxury hotels. It’s a great choice for foodies, as restaurant La Plaza focuses on the cuisine of a different region of Ecuador each day. In keeping with the features of the colonial, Unesco-protected building, the rooms feature warm colors, hardwood floors and ornate, carved-wood headboards, with windows opening to the most historic quarters in Quito. Upon arrival, you’re handed a complimentary welcome drink to enjoy on the rooftop terrace.

ILLA Experience Hotel

Luxury, Boutique Hotel

A button-tufted sofa in a hallway with windows running down one side at Illa Experience Hotel.
Courtesy of Illa Experience Hotel / Expedia

This award-winning luxury hotel in Quito is found in the historic neighbourhood of San Marcos, five minutes’ walk from plazas San Francisco, Santo Domingo and Grande. Occupying a graceful townhouse dating from the early 18th century, it has 10 rooms split over three floors, each of which takes inspiration from one of three epochs of modern Quito – Colonial, Republican, contemporary – and offers views either of boisterous Junín street below or the statue on Panecillo Hill. Get stuck into Quito street culture via activities from the Illa Moments programme – ask at reception for details.

Boutique Hotel Casa El Éden

Boutique Hotel, Hotel

A hotel room with two french door windows and a small dining area at Boutique Hotel Casa El Éden
Courtesy of Boutique Hotel Casa El Éden / Expedia
This hotel in Quito only has six double rooms, so reservations are a must at this historic residence just down the road from the Teatro Sucre in the historic district of Quito. The property was built during colonial times, but has since undergone modern restorations that retained classic elements including hand-hewn wooden beams and ornately carved balusters along the stairway.

Hotel Boutique Portal de Cantuña

Hotel

A lunge area with carved wood sofa at the Hotel Boutique Portal De Cantuña
Courtesy of Hotel Boutique Portal De Cantuña / Expedia
The carefully restored Hotel Boutique Portal de Cantuña was originally built in 1863 close to the Plaza San Francisco, the heart of the historic district. The Sanchez Family has retained a baroque-style decor with carved pillars, ornamented with gold leaf, and furniture to reflect the era. The grounds include an interior courtyard with well-manicured gardens.

La Casona de la Ronda

Hotel

Gallery landings are surrounded by potted plants and have terracotta tiled floors at La Casona de la Ronda.
Courtesy of La Casona de la Ronda / Expedia
La Casona de la Ronda, a home with colonial ties, retains an original interior courtyard with rooms on the upper levels. The beds are modern while other furniture and adornments reflect the long history of this establishment. This historic home turned hotel in Quito is ideally situated to explore the cobblestone streets of historic Quito by day and enjoy the restaurants and bars along the Calle La Ronda by night.

Casa Gangotena

Hotel

A chich dining room in contemporary style id ready for dinner service at Casa Gangotena.
Courtesy of Casa Gangotena / Expedia
Perhaps the most renowned hotel in historic Quito, the neoclassical Casa Gangotena stands out on Plaza San Francisco. This former mansion has spacious rooms overlooking the plaza or the interior courtyard. It’s also gracefully decorated in an art deco style and exudes luxury: promising the elegance of a bygone era. Unwind and relax in the gardens and spend the evening at the renowned restaurant.

Casa San Marcos

Hotel

A lounge area arranged around a fireplace with a deer head hanging on the chimney breast at Casa San Marcos.
Courtesy of Casa San Marcos / Expedia
This hotel lies at the heart of quaint San Marcos, a hidden treasure within this Unesco World Heritage city. The residence retains many of its colonial roots including a hand-carved ceiling built of exotic hardwoods, which was created without using a single nail. Make time to visit the traditional coffee shop here, which serves the flavors of Quito from breakfast until dusk.

Boutique Hotel Cultura Manor

Boutique Hotel, Hotel

A luxurious hotel room with dual aspect windows at Boutique Hotel Cultura Manor.
Courtesy of Boutique Hotel Cultura Manor / Expedia
A relatively new edition to the boutique hotel scene in Quito, Cultura Manor has a long history in the Mariscal neighborhood. The current owners spent four years renovating the historic building, which was formerly used as a gathering place for the movers and shakers of Quito. The ambiance in this hotel is luxuriously stylish, with a mix of tradition peppered with contemporary touches, .

Mark Nayler contributed additional reporting to this article.

About the author

Angela Drake is the founder of Not Your Average American where she shares unique stories and photography about her travels in South America. For every destination marked off her bucket list, three more spring into place. Angela has a BA in English Literature from UC Berkeley, speaks Spanish with a Quiteño accent, and promises to never stop learning. She is currently located in Washington DC.

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