There are many places in Quito which you wouldn’t like to get lost in, Hotel Casa Gangotena isn’t one of them. You could get spellbound by the hotel’s beauty for hours.
We had just stepped off the plane and into our taxi. This bought us straight to the San Francisco Plaza; in the center of Old Town. The Old Town is the prettiest part of Quito with stunning colonial architecture, featured on all the buildings and cathedrals. It is also the prime location for all the attractions in the city.
Quito is an easy capital to walk around, and you can head out straight from the grand glass doors of the Casa Gangotena. As soon as you arrive you know you wouldn’t run into any problems if you were to go exploring the streets close by, even if you were by yourself.
The hotel used to be owned by the Gangotena family, which is where its name originated. All wealthy families at the time in the 15th century used the San Francisco Plaza to build their homes around. This showed off their wealth to the other people living in the city. Since the money went into this area it explains why it is so attractive for tourists to visit.
The boutique hotel also holds the same, beautiful, art deco architecture as the surrounding buildings. As soon as you step inside you can see the older, authentic style of the building. They have been able to keep certain features pristine over the years, one of which it the impressive spiral staircase. They have managed to do this even after the newer developments of the building to keep it standing for all this time. Once inside the hotel you instantly get hit with that homely feel.
The bedrooms and bathrooms were HUGE! There is plenty of space in them. We had our bags open, with clothing sprawled all over the floors, and we still had room to move about freely without getting in each other’s way. I would highly recommend a city facing room, as opposed to a courtyard view, so you can see the brightly coloured houses from your window.
Every night they did a turn down service and added a night-time treat for when you got back to your room, after your evening meal. The smaller touches like that really added to the whole “feel at home” ambience.
The ensuite was so big you could fit probably twenty people into the room. That’s not a joke. Two people could fit comfortably in the bath, four people in the shower and the rest just on the other areas of the marbled floor. The marble stretched from floor to ceiling, giving them an elegant and lavish touch, you felt like a queen even when brushing your teeth.
The hotel was spotless from head to toe. The lounge area is kept neat and tidy, to the point the cushions seemed like they plumped themselves. You can use this area to sit and enjoy your morning coffee, or perhaps to enjoy an afternoon cocktail, before later taking to the streets of Quito for some traditional local cuisine.
Our favourite part of this hotel was the rooftop bar. What a shock. It directly overlooked the San Francisco plaza and even came out higher than the surrounding buildings. It seemed like the eyes view could stretch for miles over the city. We liked to go up here for a beverage or to play a game of cards; before we headed out for dinner, or when we got back from our day activity.
This also needs a special mention. The rooftop also had a button that you could press on your table and a waiter from the bar would come up and take your order. Oh my goodness. I’ve never been to a hotel where ordering a drink was so fancy. If you have read any of my backpacker series you will know this was a big win for me and a totally different experience! I was in love.
The food at the hotel’s restaurant was delicious, if you haven’t tried Guinea Pig before (I know a little odd) I suggest you give it a go. I mean, you aren’t going to be able to try it anywhere else so may as well do it right. This was the only main meal we had there as we wanted to hit the streets and really get stuck into some local restaurants. But it was a fantastic meal all the same and many people from outside the hotel stopped by for food at different points of the evening. It must be a very popular place for dinner; and I see why. However, we never failed to wake up for the breakfast! Everything you could ask for, all very fresh and different each day. If you wanted anything fresh to order such as eggs, no problem!
The staff were always fantastic whenever you needed anything at all. They were polite, friendly, eager to assist and nothing was ever too much trouble. I just couldn’t fault them. The bar staff were extremely skilled with their cocktail making; it seemed a shame they weren’t showcased to the world. From the waiters and waitresses in the restaurant, to the receptionists throughout the day, the maids, the doormen, they were all the same. I have nothing but positive things to say about every one of them we met.
You can add this hotel before or after your Galapagos trip as a perfect city hotel to get you comfortable and settled into your South America journey. I would recommend the hotel to anyone. If I ever went back to Quito, I wouldn’t stay anywhere else.
If you have any further questions, head over to my ‘contact me’ page and I will be happy to answer anything.
LEAH HANCOX 