Alameda, Quito

Advantages: On a quiet street, near the Swiss Hotel, restaurant is very good.
Disadvantages: Poorly run, manager absentee, no customer service

...We were booked into the Hotel Quito on Suarez Gonzalez in Quito by our travel agent. We were willing to pay for a "superior" room. When we arrived, there was no record of our reservation. The hotel tried to charge us again. Burned out lightbulbs, bath fixtures that rattled on the wall, showers that backed up and the door to the balcony with the so called "beautiful view" was bolted shut. Erwin Dominguez, one of the clerks, double charged us for breakfast. He acknowledged his mistake, then refused to refund our money. He was snug about cheating us. Lots of other clerks running around, standing around accomplishing nothing. Jesus Sanchez is suppose to be the manager. He is absent most of the time. The location of this hotel is not special. The view is not worth the shoddy service.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: see text
Disadvantages: see text

...Things get a bit out of perspective after 30 hours of planes, buses and trains but falling out a minubus at our destination, Casa Sol, Quito, there really was a guy on the corner wearing a balaclava and touting an AK47. Hustling the current Mrs O into the guesthouse hoping she hadn't seen him, I knew the game was up when she said 'did you see...'. Having led a sheltered life, the next morning I stumbled half-asleep (like I was going to sleep with the prospect of imminent execution lurking outside the window?) to reception and, mentioned that 'I couldn't help noticing...' with as much nonchalance as I could muster. I was informed that it was just the police keeping the place safe. We never saw the masked man again, but the moment stayed with us and was never far from our minds during the four visits we made to Quito while criss... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Stunning mountains surrounding a bustling and colourful city
Disadvantages: The smog

...The City I became really attached to Quito during my seven weeks there. It's a lively, very colourful city in a stunning setting - I think the thing I loved the most about Quito was being able to look up, walking anywhere west in the city, and see the most amazing jagged green mountain range towering up past the outskirts. It was wonderful. Ecuador's capital is maybe not quite as traditional as Bolivia's, or nearly as Westernized as Peru's, but it creates quite a nice balance somewhere in the middle, with both aspects of new and old - as seen by the fact that most people split Quito up into two halves, new and old, when describing the city. The old city is beautiful, full of narrow winding streets, grand old colonial buildings, little local shops and cafes, wide-open plazas, impressive-looking theatres, and it's absolutely littered... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful