Pululahua Hostal Ecolodge — Hotel in Calacali

My wife and I stayed at the Pululahua Ecolodge for two nights, it was the first stop on our trip through Ecuador. ||||The crater itself was incredible. We hiked around the village and explored the trails within the crater for some incredible views. Depending on the time of day, the clouds and fog would change the scenery so dramatically that we did the same hike twice and got completely different views. The key is to explore early before the clouds roll in, which seems to happen in the afternoon consistently.||||The lodge is in a beautiful location, right in the middle of Pululahua Crater. The accommodations are relatively simple, clean, comfortable and everything worked (lights, toilet etc.). It fits right in with the surrounding farms and village, so you feel like you’re actually staying with the locals, which you are. We ate every meal in their restaurant, and the food was great. Everything was fresh from the garden and prepared in the kitchen by the extremely friendly family that owns the lodge. ||||Pululahua Ecolodge offers everything from horseback riding to mountain biking to guided hikes. We did everything on our own, but I would strongly suggest booking activities with them. Considering how great a job they did with everything else, I’m sure it would be worth it.||||Finally, I was surprised at how affordable a place like this could be. We put everything on a tab and payed at the end. I thought it was a mistake at first, considering how much you would pay for an experience like this in some other countries. Definitely give this place a try, stay for a few nights and enjoy a really unique place. I just wish we had stayed a night...

My wife and me stayed at Pululahua Hostal for four nights in August 2018. We selected this accommodation for a period of acclimatization to the altitude before starting an extended travel through Ecuador. Pululahua Hostal turned out to be an ideal place for this pupose, providing a lovely surrounding and options for all kinds of hikes. We stayed in a clean and very convenient cabin with marvellous views to the crater rim. The food provided is varied and of very good quality, the hosts are friendly and helpful all the time. Pululahua crater and its geobotanical reserve is a stunning place, located rather close to Quito. Easy transportation is provided by the Hostal. Besides interesting hikes within the crater and the slopes oft he crater rim, the Hostal also offers horse riding and biking, which we didn’t use. The WiFi connection is perfect. Renato, the owner, is a very knowledgeable host, discussions with him were always highly interesting, he is a source of all kind of first hand information about Ecuador, its nature and culture. Our special recommendation is to book a half-day or a day tour with him, to experience his unbelievable broad and precise knowledge about nature in general, and birds and butterflies in particular. We are both very grateful for the four days at Pululahua Hostal and would like to return whenever we happen to travel in...

You have to want to go here! You don't happen upon Pululahua by accident, or in passing, I think the rough dirt road is 13 Km long, but I would have guessed 30! But once you're there, just settle into your room (one of the two private rooms is my suggestion, but I think hostel-accomodations are also offered, as is camping). Choose something from the surprisingly diverse menu (reasonable prices). Explore this volcanic "geobotanical reserve" for its fascinating geology and diverse wildlife. Arrange a birding tour with the proprietor (Renato). Sit in the garden amid humminbirds and tanagers, Be charmed by Renato's precocious daughter Renata (four years of age in 2019).||||Hot water direct from the bath's plumbing, not through the electric attachments so ubiquitous within Latin America. Cool nights, mild days.||||The rooms aren't four-star by conventional travel indiustry standards, but the surroundings and the people add...