7 Reasons to stay in Old Town Quito at Casa Gangotena
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Quito is one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in South America. Very close to the equator, Quito sits at 9,350 feet in altitude which makes it the second highest capitol city in the world. You may find yourself a little short of breath exploring so take your time and enjoy the scenery. Some of the best scenery exists in the Old Town and you want be well situated in where you stay. Below are the top 7 reasons to stay in Old Town Quito at Casa Gangotena!
Note – this post may contain affiliate links – I appreciate your support. We received a discounted stay. As always, opinions are my own.
1. Gorgeous Historical Property
Casa Gangotena, while built in the early 1900’s, has history going back to the 1600’s when the original house was built by a wealthy cacao businessman on Plaza San Francisco. Over the centuries, the building housed presidents and other notables before it burnt down in 1914. The current structure was re-built in 1926 by Italian architects and only converted to the luxury boutique hotel it is today in 2011. Read more about its incredible history and transformation here: http://www.casagangotena.com/
The hotel has been lovingly restored and boasts beautiful historical touches plus modern luxuries. Our Luxury room had the finest linens, plushest carpeting, slippers waiting by our bedsides, a soaking tub plus a skylight above the shower. We also had a private terrace with incredible views. Don’t just take my word for it – Casa Gangotena consistently ranks one of the top hotels in the world and in South/Central America.
2. Stellar Service
The staff at Casa Gangotena go above and beyond to make your stay incredible. From check-in with Damian, to Oscar bringing us a lite dinner after a long travel day, to the breakfast attendants – every person we connected with made us feel like very welcomed guests. Our expectations were always exceeded and the staff made our stay a delightful one!
3. Included Activities
Casa Gangotena is unique in including various experiences in your stay! We happened to stay on a night the cooking class occured and enjoyed a fun evening with Chef Sebastian learning to make ceviche. We’ve had ceviche in other countries but Sebastian taught us to make the most delicious peanut sauce that is special to Ecuador. Other fun activities include a chocolate tasting class, a rooftop terrace talk and a city tour!
4. Central Location
Old Town Quito is one of the best-preserved historical areas in South America and is even designated as a World Heritage Site. By staying at Casa Gangotena, you are quite literally in the middle of it! You can easily walk from your hotel to so many historical sites in the area. If you happen to need a taxi however, they are very inexpensive. A 15 minute ride only cost us ~$3.
5. Views for Days
We loved taking in the views from both our south-facing private terrace as well as the public terrace on the 3rd floor. Both the day and evening views were spectacular! We enjoyed cocktails on the public terrace on our last night and loved listening to the church bells along with soaking in the views.
6. Delicious Food
Starting our days with a delicious breakfast was just what we needed to fuel our days of exploring! The breakfast room felt like a classic dining space you’d find in London! The staff had us scan a QR code to pull up the menu, as part of the efforts during COVID to reduce contact, and then we could order as much as we wanted. The fresh juices and local dishes were my favorites! Ryan enjoyed ordering classic fluffy pancakes and eggs benedict.
7. Extremely Clean
Lastly, because we stayed during the COVID pandemic, we were extra attuned to how clean everything was. The staff did an incredible job – truly everything as spotless. We also had to walk through a disinfectant spray with our bags when arriving to the hotel to help reduce the germs we brought with us. While all staff wore masks, those working around food also wore shields. Hand sanitizer was readily available throughout the hotel too – sometimes in cute perfume spray bottles! The hotel also provided our own personal sanitizer to take with us. We appreciated all the extra care taken to keep us safe!
Are you ready to book your truly fantastic stay at Casa Gangotena?!
For more global destinations, check out my guides here.
Read more about the incredible hotel here: http://www.casagangotena.com/
Happy Planning!
