Haciendas

With its rich agrarian heritage, the countryside surrounding Quito is dotted with country house ‘haciendas’ rich in history and local culture. Many of these inns are owned and run by Ecuadorian families, providing guests with incomparable personalised service and attention to detail, while others have been converted into full-service hotels.

To the south of Quito extends a dairy farming ‘cowboy country’, set in the stunning scenery of what the Prussian explorer Alexander von Humboldt dubbed Ecuador’s ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’, crowned by the perfect cone of the Cotopaxi volcano, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes. There are at least half-a-dozen haciendas in this area making ideal bases for exploration whether by car, horseback or on foot.

To the north of Quito, the rolling countryside extends to the Otavalo region, dominated by the Imbabura Volcano. This is historically the textile heart of the country, with the Otavalan Indians now world-famous for their stunning weaving production. This too is classic hacienda country, with several inns located on the road from Quito and in the countryside around Otavalo itself.