Howard Johnson Hotel - Quito La Carolina, Quito

A walk around old Quito

Advantages: Beautiful setting, churches and Spanish colonial architecture
Disadvantages: Traffic noise and fumes, some street crime

We happened upon the Plaza de la Fundación rather by accident, because it does not feature prominently in the guide books. Fortunately, my wife and I had only just started out on our walk around the old town of Quito, and it helped us orient ourselves, both historically and geographically. As its name implies, the Plaza de la Fundación was where the original Spanish colony was founded. An Inca city had stood on the site, but was hastily demolished by its inhabitants, a tribe who called themselves the Quitu, to prevent it falling intact into the hands of the conquerors. Not long before, the last Inca emperor Atahualpa had been perfidiously executed, despite a vast ransom having been paid for his release, thus starting an ignoble tradition that some Latin American kidnappers persist in upholding to this day. The Quitu must have ...

torr 06.07.2008 (12.07.2008) · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional
Review of Quito

Quito

Advantages: pleasant climate, lots to see, bustling with local activity
Disadvantages: usual big city issues - traffic, smog, beggars, street vendors

excellent and include the surrounding volcanoes as well as the city itself. The old city is a place of churches and traditional markets. The central square is the Plaza de la Independencia at the heart of colonial Quito. The square is surrounded by the Cathedral, Presidential Palace and the Archbishop's Palace as well as the much more modern City Hall. There are a number of spectacular churches in this area although many are in need of significant repair. The second major square in the old city is the nearby Plaza de San Francisco. This open cobblestone square is dominated by the Monastery of San Francisco and its associated buildings. Although much of the new city is modern office blocks, it also offers an extensive range of shops and various significant museums. The Casa de Cultura Equitoriana lies just to the side of the Parque El ...

stuartmelvin 21.03.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Quito

Hotel Reina Isabel

Advantages: Clean, fairly good facilities
Disadvantages: Could do with a bit of a revamp.

We used this hotel as a base whilst staying in Quito and visiting the Galapagos Islands in April this year. First Impressions The hotel doesn?t look all that from the outside. There is a concierge man who is at the ready to assist you from your vehicle. Reception Area There is a nice clean marbled reception area. This area also has comfy leather settees complete with coffee table rather reminiscent of someone?s lounge. This area is great as a meeting area when gathering together for a tour. There are 3 computers with free internet access available 24/7. The reception is manned 24 hours with two lady reception staff one working day and the other the night. They speak limited English. We found the evening one barely broke into a smile. Rooms We had rooms on the 3rd / 7th and 8th floors. These are accessible by stairs or by ...

rosehall 13.05.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Hotel Reina Isabel, Quito