Staying at Casa Gangotena: Boutique Lodge in Historic Centre Quito

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is a bustling historic metropolis that flies below the radar of many journey magazines. The town sits at 2,850 m (9,350 ft) elevation and is the second-highest capital metropolis on this planet. Past its altitude, Quito is a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Website and the closest capital metropolis to the equator.

This stunning, underrated metropolis is house to the best-preserved historic centre in Latin America set within the shadows of the Andes Mountains. However the metropolis affords a lot greater than stunning surroundings. From a medley of structure and artwork, gastronomic discoveries and craft creations to inexperienced areas, there is no such thing as a scarcity of fascinating finds in Quito.

We first travelled to Quito again in 2017, on our first go to to Ecuador and returned once more in 2022 to spend so much extra time exploring this underrated vacation spot. We spent weeks lingering across the metropolis, exploring lots of its neighbourhoods and areas.

However our most memorable keep was the time spent in Casa Gangotena, a fantastic historic boutique resort situated within the coronary heart of town. Casa Gangotena is a Relais & Châteaux resort, an affiliation established in 1954, consisting of 580 distinctive accommodations and eating places all through the world, however that’s solely one of many small nods of recognition that has carried this resort by means of the final decade of operations.

About Casa Gangotena Lodge in Quito, Ecuador

Casa Gangotena is a historic boutique resort that oozes class and appeal. The resort is in Quito’s historic middle, lower than one hour away from Mariscal Sucre Worldwide Airport. The three-story mansion is perched above Plaza San Francisco, probably the most traditionally important squares within the metropolis. The resort is conveniently situated inside strolling distance of all of the church buildings and plazas of Previous City Quito.

We discovered the historical past of Casa Gangotena to be significantly fascinating!

Historical past of Casa Gangotena

The beautiful historic constructing of Casa Gangotena has been a fixture in Previous City Quito for hundreds of years. It initially belonged to one among Quito’s wealthiest households, the Gangotena Household, whose lineage and historical past have been carried on for generations. The Gangotenas had rebuilt the home solely in 1880, changing it right into a neo-colonial mansion used as their household house and residence. The property tragically burned down in 1914 however was reconstructed in 1918 by Italian architects.

Within the mid 1950’s, Quito’s accelerated improvement led to an abandonment of the Historic Centre and a mass exit of aristocratic households that used to proudly reside within the Historic Centre. In consequence, Casa Gangotena, together with many different buildings within the Previous City suffered important deterioration. It wasn’t till the early 2000’s {that a} group of Ecuadorian businessmen led by former Metropolis Mayor, Roque Sevilla, acquired the property from the heirs of the Gangotena household and restored it to its present state. The boutique resort opened its doorways in 2011 and has been receiving glowing visitor evaluations in addition to native and worldwide awards and recognitions ever since.

Immediately, the gorgeous resort blends historic appeal with up to date design in its rooms and customary areas. The property showcases numerous Artwork Nouveau and Artwork Deco parts from the unique Casa Gangotena mansion together with the fastidiously restored painted ceilings, oil work, wood paneling, mirrors, murals and extra!

Sustainability at Casa Gangotena

Casa Gangotena is dedicated to providing a extra sustainable keep to guests of Quito. The resort has no single-use plastics all through the property and has an elaborate recycling program. Casa Gangotena additionally employs a photo voltaic panel system for warm water heating all through the resort.

The property is dedicated to sourcing native produce, a lot so that almost all of meals on the restaurant comes from a 6-block radius. Casa Gangotena can be centered on preserving and increase the local people in Quito, Ecuador. They’re concerned in a number of neighbourhood packages and neighborhood initiatives, together with Heritage Guardians. This program promotes the worth of heritage and connects vacationers with locals searching for a extra genuine journey.

The Rooms at Casa Gangotena

Every of Casa Gangotena’s 27 rooms celebrates the appeal and class of the historic mansion. Rooms are spacious, with tall ornamental ceilings and large home windows.

There are six totally different room sorts providing backyard views or views of San Francisco plaza.

Luxurious and Luxurious Plus rooms are adorned with comfortable linens, plush carpets, and Artwork Nouveau decor.
Suites and Plaza View Rooms are flooded with pure gentle, with spectacular views and all of the comforts of a 5-star resort. It’s possible you’ll be in a historic mansion however that doesn’t imply you gained’t have air-con and a flat-screen TV!
Balcony Junior Suite function double doorways that speak in confidence to picturesque views of the gardens and provide a glimpse of the Virgin of Quito.
Junior Suite is probably the most particular of all rooms in Casa Gangotena. This room was as soon as a tea room for the Gangotena household. It overlooks the backyard and has a totally restored mural wrapping the whole room.

We had been fortunate sufficient to be upgraded to the Junior Suite for our keep at Casa Gangotena and had been blown away by its stunning decor and ambiance. The mural on the partitions served as a day by day reminder of the historic significance of this a part of the resort and made our keep right here ever so particular. The room was nicely outfitted with all the fashionable facilities, like a wise TV, a well-stocked tea/espresso station, and even masks and hand sanitizers offered as part of Casa Gangotena’s concentrate on enhanced well being measures.

All rooms and suites at Casa Gangotena function personal en-suite loos, most have separate bathtubs and showers. The marble inside of our toilet actually added to the elegant decor and luxurious really feel of the room.

Services & Facilities at Casa Gangotena

The elegant and complicated vibe at Casa Gangotena is carried all by means of the whole property. We felt it whereas checking in at reception, the place the large chandelier and a surprising piece of artwork reminded us of the historic significance of this distinctive Ecuador resort. We felt it within the grand sitting corridor, the place the unmissable big bouquet of contemporary roses reminded us that the fastidiously manicured outside gardens had been a mere steps away.

The rooftop terrace provided sweeping views over Quito. It was a preferred spot for afternoon cocktails, however we snuck on the market each likelihood we might get. Nothing beats a morning tea overlooking the historic metropolis centre.

Having fun with a morning on the rooftop at Casa Gangotena

After sundown, the onsite bar is the place to be. Its old-school appeal and intimate setting make for an important spot to start the right night or to wind down after a busy day. The beautiful cocktails embrace the distinctive tackle the native specialty – Canelazo that we had on our first night time.

There’s additionally a spa on-site at Casa Gangotena. We didn’t get an opportunity to expertise it firsthand throughout our brief keep however realized that it affords typical salon companies and therapeutic massage remedies.

Meals & Drink at Casa Gangotena

At Casa Gangotena, the restaurant will not be an afterthought. The truth is, fairly the alternative – it’s an establishment on the town, rating as the most effective eating places in Quito.

Casa Gangotena’s restaurant invitations friends to find the true flavours of Ecuador. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, excessive tea, and dinner designed round cocina mestiza. This idea celebrates Ecuador’s various delicacies by marrying conventional dishes with trendy strategies and native elements.

The menu at Casa Gangotena affords 7-course tasting menus, with or and not using a wine pairing, or an à la carte choice. The menu additionally has a number of vegan and vegetarian choices out there to select from. That includes ceviches, salads, and a number of handcrafted specialty dishes, like Pork Bondiola and Pangora Crab, the restaurant is value a go to even if you’re not staying at Casa Gangotena.

Actions at Casa Gangotena

Casa Gangotena affords many actions unique to resort friends. All of those experiences are complementary and are led by a neighborhood information and provide a possibility to additional discover the historical past and appeal of Casa Gangotena, Quito.

Cooking and Ceviche Making Class

On Mondays, friends can dive into Ecuadorian delicacies and its traditions with the resort’s head chef. You’ll even have the prospect to make probably the most well-known dishes in Ecuador, ceviche de camarón, or shrimp ceviche. And don’t fret for those who’re vegetarian, the shrimp may be substituted with a coronary heart of palm.

We joined this exercise throughout our keep and liked Gangotena’s distinctive recipe of the everyday Ecuador ceviche. We opted to make the vegan model fo the ceviche, one thing we hadn’t accomplished earlier than. The style was divine!

Behind the Scenes Historical past of Casa Gangotena Tour

With centuries of historical past woven into the partitions of Casa Gangotena, a resort tour is an effective way to study its former glory. Though sometimes, this resort tour runs on Tuesdays, we had been capable of get a personal tour upon arrival. The tour dove into the historical past of Casa Gangotena and make clear the Gangotena household that known as this mansion house again in Quito’s earlier days. We discovered the tales concerning the resort’s respiration initiatives to be extremely insightful. It made us admire what went into reworking the mansion into the beautiful boutique resort it’s right this moment.

Rooftop Terrace Tour

Rooftop terrace excursions run on Wednesdays and Sundays and begin at 6 PM. They permit friends to soak in panoramic views of Quito Previous City with all of its church buildings, squares, and bustling eating places. It’s an important tour for individuals who are in need of time however wish to be taught extra concerning the Historic Heart of Quito. From the rooftop, you’ll be taught concerning the historical past of the Previous City, perceive extra about its geography, and get a really feel for some essential sights value visiting within the metropolis.

Chocolate Tasting

Do you know that Ecuador has a few of the finest chocolate on this planet? A chocolate tasting at Casa Gangotena is the right approach to pattern chocolate from the area and check out the distinctive Quito-style sizzling chocolate. Chocolate tastings can be found on Thursday evenings and make for a superb pre-dinner deal with!

Quito Like a Native Strolling Tour

Our favorite tour at Casa Gangotena was the “Quito Like a Native” Tour. We joined Metropolitan Touring Information, Lourdes, and Miguel, a information from a grassroots NGO group, known as San Roque.

Collectively we spent the morning, strolling across the Previous City, studying extra concerning the individuals who reside on this giant and best-restored historic middle within the Americas. We stopped to satisfy artisans, shopkeepers, hat makers, flour millers and candy confectioners. We additionally visited the San Francisco Market, one of many oldest within the capital. Right here, we realized all concerning the fruit and greens produced in Ecuador and bought an perception into different culinary and medicinal traditions in Ecuador.

Overlooking the sq. from San Francisco Church

Studying about chocolate on a tour in Quito

Chocolate making in progress

The Backside Line

Should you’re in search of a fantastic boutique resort in Quito, Ecuador, Casa Gangotena Boutique Lodge deserves a spot in your checklist. Its wealthy historical past, paired with an unimaginable location, wonderful meals and improbable actions make it the most effective accommodations in Quito. And positively, our favorite!