Category Archives: Accommodation

Lodge Review: Cabanas San Isidro

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Cabanas San Isidro is a beautiful eco-lodge set high in a cloud forest only 2 hours from the Quito Airport.  You can easily get there by bus from either Quito, Coca or Wildsumaco Lodge.  When booking, we were told to get off the bus in Cosanga, walk to a particular small roadside restaurant and call them and they would come and get us.  It was pouring rain as you can see!

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They assigned us to a beautiful cabin with a spectacular view over the cloud forest.  DSCN2292

I didn’t want to step on the macaw!DSCN2294

The cabin was gorgeous, spotlessly clean and very attractively furnished.DSCN2293 DSCN2295 DSCN2296 DSCN2298

And the view to die for……………..well bird for!  The rain wasn’t letting up so we hung out on the balcony looking for birds.  DSCN2297

It rained most of the afternoon but it finally did let up for awhile.  DSCN2299 DSCN2300

I was in “give up” mode and not really paying attention when I heard parrot squawks.  I barely had time to reach for my camera (which I had put down as it was heavy) but the two White-capped Parrots disappeared into the trees on the left.  I think they perched as I could still hear them but they must have taken off shortly afterwards.  I was hoping they would come back, or more would fly by but they didn’t.  DSCN2301 DSCN2302

The rain had let up enough to walk down to the main building and it was getting close to dinner time so we walked down.DSCN2303

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Map of the trails which we had planned on walking but not in the rain!DSCN2410 DSCN2409

The dining room is beautiful with some nice bird artwork on the walls.  They also have a nice selection of bird books.  Some people have posted on Trip Advisor that wifi is available but it wasn’t working they day we were there.  (This would later become very important).DSCN2317 DSCN2318 DSCN2319

We were there in time to see a few straggling hummingbirds before they turned in fo rthe night.  Then we sat down for dinner.  Alejandro, the very friendly manager joined us.DSCN2320

At this point, I should mention that the day we were there was 16 April, the day of the big earthquake.  I did a separate post about that as this post is meant to review the property.  The food was excellent!DSCN2321 DSCN2322

In spite of the outside influences (rain, earthquake) we really loved Cabanas San Isidro and wish we could have stayed longer.  The grounds are amazing and there are lots of birds (will do a separate post for birds), and the local guide is excellent!  He even found the rare San Isidro Owl for us!  The staff were “grace under pressure” while the earthquake was happening.  We felt it shake the buildings and everyone was nervous but not panicky and Alejandro got information as quickly as he could when he could get a signal.  You can book directly with the lodge.  The lodge gets rave reviews on Trip Advisor too!  We would definitely stay here again if we ever get back to Ecuador!

Lodge Review: Wildsumaco Lodge, Ecuador

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Although most people fly in and out of Coca when they visit the Ecuadorian Amazon, I strongly urge you to plan at least one way by bus so you can visit some beautiful and birdy eco-lodges such as Wildsumaco.  Ask the bus driver to let you out at the road to Pacto Sumaco and make sure you have called the lodge to let them know which bus you are on so they can send someone to meet you.  There is a good map on their website so you can visualize it.  We didn’t have a local phone but a friendly bus passenger kindly phoned on our behalf.

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The road is fine and you don’t need a 4×4 if you have a rental car.DSCN2114 DSCN2115 DSCN2116

We were given a nice room near the hummingbird feeders. DSCN2117 DSCN2118 DSCN2119 DSCN2120 DSCN2121

The verandah on the main building overlooks a valley so you have a good chance at fly-bys, with Military Macaws being the most desired species.DSCN2127 DSCN2124 DSCN2125

A view of the rooms from the verandah.DSCN2146

This is where you kick back and relax with a drink while waiting for birds or hiding from the rain.DSCN2126

It started raining pretty heavily around 4pm so we did a lot of hiding with our cameras!DSCN2155

Even during meals, you still have a great view!DSCN2153

The bar and a small gift shop.  Cash only, no credit cards accepted which put a damper on my shopping.  There are lots of cozy chairs to relax in after birding.DSCN2149 DSCN2147 DSCN2148 DSCN2150 DSCN2151 DSCN2152 IMG_4472

The food was excellent, just like home-made!  Meals are served with delicious fruit juices and very yummy desserts!

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An enticing view of the hummingbird feeders…………more details in the next post!DSCN2128 DSCN2129

We LOVED Wildsumaco and are happy to recommend it especially for birders.  Although we could only stay one night, we would have liked at least one more night.  The rates are around $340 for 2 people including 3 meals a day and use of all their trails.  The lodge is actually the birding destination.  You have the hummingbird feeders, verandah & outlook and more birding up and down the road which leads from the lodge to the main road.  This lodge doesn’t participate in online travel agencies but you can book direct via their website.  It’s a good idea to hire their guide for at least one morning as they know the best places to see the local birds.  I told them that my priority was parrots, especially Military Macaws and they took us to the best places and we did see a lot of parrots!

Lodge Review: Napo Wildlife Center, Ecuador

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When you are visiting the Ecuadorian Amazon area including Yasuni National Park via Coca you will be in a very remote area so choosing the right eco-lodge is very important.  After I researched all the options, I decided on Napo Wildlife Center because of the birding opportunities and the fact that they own the land the parrot clay licks are located on.  I also like that the lodge is run by the local Anangu tribe so all the profits go back into the community.

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After the long journey down the river, it’s very exciting to get your first glimpse of the lodge, it’s spectacular!DSCN1673

We were greeted with a cool towel & glass of juice by the friendly bartender.DSCN2083 DSCN1674

Then we walked upstairs to the main lodge and were given an orientation to the property.

Pro Tip:  Buy the booklet “Birds & Common Mammals of Napo Wildlife Center” right away.  I would even ask the guide on the boat to set one aside for you.  They tend to sell out.  I didn’t realize this so I didn’t put up a fight when one man from our boat grabbed the booklet shown as an example and I almost didn’t get one but luckily a new supply came a few days later.  It’s an excellent little book for $20 with pics of all the birds to help you identify all the photos you will take.DSCN1675 DSCN1676

Delicious welcome drinks and snacks!DSCN1677 DSCN1678

Our cabin was fairly close to the main lodge.DSCN1680

It’s a gorgeous little cabin with beautiful furnishings!DSCN1679 DSCN1681 DSCN1682 DSCN1683 DSCN1686 DSCN1687 DSCN1691

We had a nice deck overlooking the garden down to the river.DSCN1689 DSCN1690 DSCN1705

As dusk approaches, they light up the buildings.DSCN1692

They have a small gift shop at the lodge and more handicrafts are available at the village which you visit on clay lick day.DSCN1693 DSCN1694 DSCN1695

Library with bird guide books.DSCN1700

The first day we saw a film about NWC and the local community.DSCN1699

Stairs leading to the observation tower.DSCN1696

All meals are served buffet style with a couple main choices, veggies, rice and a dessert.DSCN1701 DSCN1702 DSCN1703 DSCN1704

Blue lights at night.DSCN1697 DSCN1698

Map of the whole property.DSCN1896 DSCN1897

The views from the top of the lodge’s canopy tower.  They even have an elevator so you don’t have to walk up the stairs!DSCN1898 DSCN1899 DSCN1900

We booked a 4 day/3 night package minus the flights as I used Avianca Lifemiles to get to Coca and the bus when we left.  This ends up being only 2 full days in the lodge as both the first day and last day are taken up by traveling down the river.  It’s still not cheap and came to just over $600 a night for the 2 of us but it did include everything except drinks, tips, internet, laundry & shopping.  Credit cards are accepted for everything except the tips.

Since we were traveling independently but unable to afford a private guide, we were put with several others and assigned a naturalist guide-Lena, local guide-Vladimir and a canoe paddler.  We were the only dedicated birders in our group so this did result in a few compromises as the guides attempted to keep birders and non-birders happy.  For example on the clay lick day it was raining lightly which usually keeps the parakeets away but I wanted to try anyways since we wouldn’t get another chance whereas the others wanted to spend more time on cultural activities so Lena took the others and had Vladimir take me and my husband to the 2nd clay lick.  The guides are all superb and highly skilled at spotting and identifying birds and other wildlife.

We aren’t big drinkers, so we didn’t use the bar at all.  Drinking water is provided in a few places and they give you refillable bottles to carry with you on the excursions.

They supply boots and rain ponchos if weather requires them.  We both have huge feet so struggled to find boots that fit.  I finally gave up and used my own boots.  I didn’t care if they got muddy and/or ruined as I planned to chuck them out anyways after the trip.

Be prepared for very early wake up calls.  This is nothing new for birders but came as a bit of a shock to a few non-birders!  Breakfast is served before you head out, around 5am so I was setting my alarm for 4am just so my stomach would have woken up enough to tolerate food!

The food was pretty good and they did accommodate my request for non-spicy food in at least one of the choices.  The fruit juices were really good!

Since we are on a tight budget, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience but was well worth it for the many birds we got to see!

Trip Advisor Reviews

Hotel Review: Hosteria Airport Garden, Quito

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Having limited time and wanting to concentrate on birding, we spent no time at all in the actual city of Quito.  However, we did need an airport hotel one night as we had a flight to Coca (jungle lodges staging point) very early in the morning.  After doing some research and looking at the cheaper options, I chose Hosteria Airport Garden because of the attractive garden which I hoped would have some birds to watch.  Unfortunately, the day we got there, around 4pm-ish was rainy and cold so we didn’t get to watch birds.  The garden was very pretty as you can see in the photos so it would have been birdy in better weather.

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The room was medium sized but had everything we needed, including free wifi.

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They serve home cooked dinners in the evening if you book in advance and it was really good.  There aren’t any restaurants within walking distance that I could see so it was a good deal.  The next morning, the taxi they pre-arranged showed up right on time and in less than 15 minutes we were in Quito Airport domestic terminal ready to fly to Coca!

Lodge Review: Sachatamia, Mindo, Ecuador

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When you are in one of the top birding spots in the world such as Mindo, Ecuador, you need a lodge that understands the need of birders and Sachatamia easily ticks all the boxes!

Beautiful birdy location – check!

Attractive cabins  rooms – check!

Friendly staff who can cater for birders, book good guides, early breakfasts, etc – check!

Full service restaurant with ala carte menu – check!

Easy to find location on main road but away from traffic, near birding reserve – check!

Let’s take a closer look.

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This statue always freaked me out at night, I think someone is standing there!DSCN1528

There are several nice porches where you can sit and relax and watch tanagers * hummingbirds coming to the feeders.DSCN1525 DSCN1526 DSCN1527

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The grounds are spacious and have paved walkways between cabins and facilities.  They are light at night but it’s still best to bring a torch.DSCN1530

I didn’t get a photo of the pool and jacuzzi as my battery was dead when we used it after the first day of birding.  See them on the website.  It was great to have a hot soak after a full day birding!DSCN1529 DSCN1531 DSCN1532 DSCN1533 DSCN1534

This was our cabin.  It’s a duplex but no one was in the room next door so we had it all to ourselves.DSCN1535 DSCN1536

Views to die for!DSCN1537 DSCN1538

We actually arrived at night so one of the staff had to show us how to get to the cabin.DSCN1072

Rooms are attractively furnished and have bird artwork.  Wifi doesn’t reach to the cabins but you can get online at the restaurant & front porch.DSCN1071 DSCN1070 DSCN1069 DSCN1073

This is the lobby which is next to the restaurant.  You can sit here and watch birds even when it’s raining.DSCN1516 DSCN1519 DSCN1521 DSCN1524 DSCN1515 DSCN1514

We like a window seat for meals so we can enjoy the view.  DSCN1509

 

Enjoying our breakfast while watching hummingbirds enjoy their breakfast!DSCN1512 DSCN1513 DSCN1510 DSCN1511

Sachatamia was my personal favourite out of all the accommodation on this trip and I hope these photos show you why.  They have also earned a Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor so others agree.  It’s reasonably priced and can be booked direct with them on their website or use a booking portal to get airline miles like Rocketmiles, Pointshound or Hotels.com via TopCashBack.  The staff here are lovely and always happy to help with anything you need.  We stayed 3 nights and wish it would have been longer!

 

Hotel Review: Mar Azul, San Cristobal, Galapagos

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For the birder on a budget, the island of San Cristobal is an ideal choice not only because of a highly respectable bird species list but also because of decent budget accommodation.  The Hotel Mar Azul is an excellent choice for the budget birder and is easily booked via most of the online hotel portals.

You can walk here from the airport if you only have a backpack but it does get hot around mid-day.  Otherwise a taxi is around $2-3.  You can’t miss it, look for the bright blue building on the left.

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The rooms in the back courtyards are nice and quiet.  The AC is a welcome relief from the intense heat.  During our short stay, we came back after lunch to rest until it started cooling off except on the day we had the boat trip.  There is a water fountain, coffee & tea station in the dining room and a good cooked breakfast is included in the rates.  One receptionist – Claudia speaks English and is happy to help organize anything you need.  The wifi is pretty good too!

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The dining room has some nice artwork and a view of the town and harbour.DSCN0898 DSCN0895 DSCN0901

A cooked breakfast is included.DSCN0897 DSCN0896

You really can’t go wrong here, the price is right, rooms are clean and it’s a short walk to town and the beachfront.

Hotel Review: Hotel Palace Guayaquil

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After returning from a very successful birding adventure in southern Ecuador, we had one night in Guayaquil before our flight to San Cristobal in the Galapagos.  We both had over $100 in our Orbitz accounts from a summer photo competition so we used some of them to get a night at the Hotel Palace Guayaquil for free.

We arrived shortly after sunset so we didn’t get much time to explore the area.  Guayaquil isn’t the safest part of Ecuador and I was kind of wary about walking around at night.  I would have been ok in the daytime.

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The room was a good size and very comfortable and the wifi worked well which was good as I hadn’t been online since Loja.  We were given welcome drink vouchers to use in the bar and the breakfast buffet was included in the rate and had a great selection.  We were very happy with this hotel and apparently we aren’t alone as they got an award on Trip Advisor as one of the Top 25 Hotels in Ecuador!DSCN0812 DSCN0813 DSCN0814 DSCN0815 DSCN0816 DSCN0817 DSCN0818

The hotel is in a shopping area and like I said, I would have been fine to walk around in the daytime.  I am not a night person and do tend to be very cautious in large cities.  There are a few fast food places within a block of the hotel if you want to eat out.  The hotel has its own taxi service and charges the same $5 to the airport as a regular yellow taxi and is safe.DSCN0819 DSCN0820

Lodge Review: Jocotoco’s Umbrellabird Lodge, Buenaventura

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The Umbrellabird Lodge is managed by the Jocotoco Foundation and is a very beautiful but small property that can accommodate up to 14 people in 5 cabins.  You can get there by bus to Pinas or Machala, then by taxi-camioneta to the lodge which is 5km from the main road.

Entrance to reception and the restaurant.

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Our cabin was a short walk away.  The cabins are quite large, plenty of room and furnished comfortably.  They have an ensuite and fans but no wifi.DSCN0655 DSCN0654 DSCN0656 DSCN0657 DSCN0658 DSCN0659

The restaurant has a more open section which we preferred to take our meals so we could keep an eye out for birds.  There is always a lot of hummingbird action!   I had previously requested non-spicy food so we had soup and spaghetti for dinner which was really good.DSCN0652 DSCN0724 DSCN0742 DSCN0743

The Umbrellabird’s lek is down this trail but I recommend taking a guide as the birds can be very difficult to see if they are resting in the trees.  They don’t make any noise.DSCN0776 DSCN0775

The lodge has a small library with bird guidebooks and various novels, some local information and t-shirts and other souvenirs for sale.  DSCN0781 DSCN0782 DSCN0783

Of course I got an El Oro Parakeet t-shirt!DSCN0785

I forgot to get photos of breakfast but here is lunch taken on the open deck because who doesn’t want to dine with hummingbirds!DSCN0786 DSCN0787 DSCN0788

I’ll be covering the birding excursions on other posts.  This beautiful little lodge isn’t cheap but well worth it for at least a night, more if you can afford it.  Book direct with Jocotoco.

Lodge Review: Copalinga Lodge, Zamora, Ecuador

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Copalinga is a real treat and I highly recommend it for bird-lovers and eco-tourists!  It is surrounded by lush tropical gardens with hummingbird feeders in the bar and around the garden.

In the daylight, it is easy to see the entrance but arriving after dark as we did because of the mudslides enroute was another story!  It wasn’t until the next day I could fully appreciate the beauty of the grounds.

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The entrance leads to the restaurant/reception/bar area.  Meals are available but must be booked in advance.DSCN0528

We had a beautiful little cabin with great views over the garden.  It really breaks my heart that we had to cut our stay short so we couldn’t enjoy it more.DSCN0555 DSCN0556 DSCN0558 DSCN0559

The room is a good size and quite comfortable with an ensuite bathroom.DSCN0443 DSCN0445 DSCN0444 DSCN0446

The restaurant and bar.DSCN0580

Local artisans provide some really cool handicrafts for sale.  I bought some earrings and keychains (which I convert to Christmas tree ornaments).DSCN0579

The bar serves both humans and hummingbirds!  I’ll do a separate post just to focus on the many stunning hummingbirds.DSCN0561

You can book Copalinga via their website.  Catherine, the extremely helpful owner can arrange anything you want in terms of transportation to/from airport, bus stations and Podocarpus.  She can also organize a birding guide for a very reasonable price.  In April 2016 it was $80 for a Spanish speaking local guide who knows the birds very well.  You can also book an English speaking guide from Loja for a bit more plus his room and board. Copalinga is very concerned with minimizing their ecological footprint.

Catherine goes out of her way to look after her guests.  I had booked for 2 nights with the intention of leaving early in the morning to Loja for the bus to Pinas.  Because of the landslides, there was no way we would have made it in time so Catherine let us off the 2nd night so we could stay in Loja.  I really hated to leave Copalinga as it is so nice there and I could have stayed hours just watching the hummingbirds but the alternative would have been about $170 for a combination of taxis to our next destination.

 

How To Use Promo Codes On Hotels & Eco-lodges – Hotels.com

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Every month or so Hotels.com comes out with promo codes that are sometimes targeted or sometimes open to anyone but can give you at least 10% off a booking.  Many eco-lodges now list their properties with Hotels.com and other online booking sites as it gets them a wider audience.  While they do pay a commission to the booking site, they get customers they would otherwise not get if it was too hard to find them and book them.  If you use a promo code issued by Hotels.com, it doesn’t come from their income, it comes from Hotels.com and you pay for it indirectly by not accruing Welcome Rewards.

There is currently a “Get $40 off when you spend $300 or more and use Paypal” coupon.  Use promo code “paypalus40” in the box shown below.  The full T&Cs are here.

Not every property can be used with these coupons but here’s how you can find the ones that work.  In most cases you can exclude chain hotels right off the bat. You can use these instructions for any promo code, not just the Paypal one.

1. USE THE SIDEBAR FILTER AND TICK “REDEEM FREE NIGHTS”

This will get a list of hotels that you can use coupons and vouchers on.  They will be properties that you can pay in advance for.  It doesn’t work if you pay once you check in.  If the word ‘redeem’ is crossed out, try again.

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2. SELECT “CHOOSE ROOM”, THEN THE “PAY NOW” BUTTON hotels3 hotels4

 

3. IF THERE IS A MINIMUM SPEND, THE SUBTOTAL MUST BE OVER THE MINIMUM BEFORE TAXES.

In the example, we need to spend at least $300 to get a $40 discount.hotels5

4. YOU WILL SEE THE DISCOUNT APPLIED BEFORE YOU GO TO THE FINAL PAYMENT SCREEN hotels6