Hotel Llanovientos — Hotel in Baños de Agua Santa

Upon recommendation of a friend, I spent 6 nights at Hostal Llanovientos and was very happy with them for my first visit to Baños. Just so you know who is giving their opinion: I’m a single, mid-50’s female, originally from US, but have now lived in Ecuador for 6 years. I don’t have a lot of “discretionary income,” so the most important thing to me when I travel is comfort on a budget. I contacted the hostal directly to book and was offered an excellent nightly rate. This afforded me the opportunity to splurge on an extra spa day. And since I only spent my nights in the room, it was well worth it to me. ||||PROS: all the important things were here for me. Room was VERY clean; full sized bed was very comfortable and I had 4 pillows of various firmness; shower water was HOT and best pressure I’ve found in any hostal (even better than my own home!); WiFi was strong and good speed; staff was always available, friendly and helpful.||||CONS: the finish out of the construction/facilities is rough (which is common in Ecuador, where they go for function more than aesthetics); furnishings of room were old and a bit worn; lots of noise in this neighborhood - you will hear dogs, car horns/alarms, chickens, games at a local sports facility, etc. You can also easily hear other guests outside and inside their rooms (including water running, voices, etc.). I found guests were conscious of this and respectful. But you will hear anything above a whisper.||||I’m willing to wave a few minor discomforts/aesthetics to save some cash. The noise didn’t bother me because it’s everywhere. I wouldn’t ever travel without earplugs and once they are in, the outside world disappears. So those things didn’t bother me, but they would some travelers, so I do mention them.||||Lastly, as others have said, they are at the top of a steep hill. I considered that good exercise, but you have a few options. One is, to walk up part way a few blocks over (which seems less steep), cut over sideways (which is more level and allows you to recover) and then walk the last short bit up one street over (on the other side of their wall), cut across and back down a few steps. I found this to be less severe than straight up the hill. Also, if you are really tired, a $1.25 cab ride from anywhere in town gets you there.||||Overall I was very pleased here. Although I might try another option if I come back to Baños for a shorter stay, I wouldn’t hesitate to stay at Llanovientos...

Llanovientos is a great compliment to the town of Baños. ||||This is a quaint spot on a hill with fantastic views of the valley. The rooms are simple, but frankly people don't come to Baños to hang out in the hotel.||||Service: ||We arrived early evening after a full day of travel and exploring from Quito to find that one of our two rooms was occupied. The staff person on duty tried to resolve the issue and when she couldn’t she called the owner whom immediately arrived, resolved and identified the confusion. The owner is very personable and really nice; during check in which he did himself, he provided a map and highlighted the areas of interest. Since we were travelling with children he pointed out areas that would be better suited for them. His recommendations were spot on.||||Travelling for multiple weeks, we were also pleased to know that they provide laundry services. This was a huge help and affordable!||||La Sierra is known to have delicious bread and Llanovientos delivered. Breakfast was simple but perfect; and they accommodated my finicky kids with their fired egg whites, allowing us to start the day on the right foot.  ||||Finally, when we checked out, we had left an important personal item in one of the rooms. This was extremely unfortunate as we had left for Guayaquil which is 5+ hours away. When I called the hotel, they said they found it during cleaning. They also were able to send it to Guayaquil on a next day bus transit services. This was unexpected and remarkable. ||||Ultimately, I can't compliment them enough. They have fantastic customer service. ||||Rooms: ||We had 2 rooms. (1st) a corner room in the upper level had a great view of the town. (2nd) had a bunkbed and a full size bed on the lower level. The rooms are simple. They are not glamorous or high-end. The bathrooms are old but clean.||||The windows didn't have screens but that was a minor observation as the weather was comfortable enough to sleep with the windows closed. That being said, we didn’t notice any bugs in the room (and I was concerned about mosquitos during our trip).||||Overall: ||Overall I was pleased with Llanovientos. We had secured parking for our rented vehicle. I felt comfortable and safe on the grounds and the staff was top knotch. I highly recommend anyone looking for a place to stay to check out...

This is a special place to stay in Banos tucked away in the hills it has a beautiful view of Banos. You can eat an amazing breakfast with fresh breads, juice, and coffee and head to your activities. ||||The staff are very kind and accommodating and are there to answer any questions you have about the city or your stay. When you first arrive, they provide you with a map of the city and explain how to get to the main activities, which is very helpful. ||||The room is my favorite part as it’s very cozy and a great size. The bed is very comfortable and the cleaning staff clean the room everyday keeping it very clean and organized. The room and stay has excellent value and I consider it more like a hotel than a hostel. I planned to stay for 3 days and stayed for 6 because it was just so lovely. ||||The location is great as it’s a few minutes walk away from the center, but far enough away to avoid the noise of the city. ||||If there is one thing they need to work on, the WIFI needs some improvement in the room, but in reception it works perfectly. ||||I highly recommend you make the choice to stay at Hostel Llanovientos for your next stay whether your solo, a couple, or in a group. I guarantee you will enjoy your experience and leave Banos with a smile and...