Hacienda Guachala — Hotel in Cangahua

The hacienda is an exceptional place - there is an amazing feeling of the history dating back to 16 century and forward, and just of a peaceful retreat. It has an authentic feeling - it may not be polished to perfection and in places the tooth of time has taken its toll, but for me it only adds to the atmosphere. ||For people who expect sybaritic luxury, there are places that provide that, albeit at 10X the price. As it is, the bed was perfectly comfortable and warm, but there was a little damp smell in the room and it's not necessarily very warm itself, the shower is simple but does its business and has good hot water. But it feels like it might have in the centuries past, apart from the indoor plumbing!||The favorite things - the beautiful buildings to admire, the fireplace (there is enough wood to last 2-3 hours, I love feeding fire and luxuring in front of it), the garden with flowering trees attended by hummingbirds, the little creepy / atmospheric details such as the playhouse and some human remains in the church, the starry night, the animals. The place would make a perfect setting for a ghosts (none to report though) but also absolutely idyllic. ||Not favorite things - while I love that the horses move freely around the property, it might be possible not to leave their droppings just lying around (and I don't mean in the pasture). Quoting prices without including IVA - the final price for food turns out a bit expensive for Ecuadorian standards, and the portions aren't...

We stayed for a weekend at this wonderful and historic hacienda dating back to the 1580s. The hacienda is full of historic photos and paintings and has been kept in good condition considering it is said to be the oldest existing hacienda in Ecuador.||A big positive surprise for us was the in-room fireplace filled with dried Eucalyptus branches and leaves for a no-frill ignition of the firewood, which also added a pleasant odor in the room.||||We stayed in the so-called honeymoon suite which has direct access to the covered pool area.||The en-suite bathroom offered a shower with hot water directly from a water heater placed in the bathroom.||||The food is really good. I had an "horneado" on the second day, basically pulled pork, which was so tender that it nearly melted in my mouth.||||I had my first time on horseback here and it was a nice experience. They accommodate both novices and experienced riders. And it’s only $10 per hour.||||A guided tour of the hacienda is recommended because of it’s extensive and interesting history. The staff is very friendly and accommodating.||||I really hope you get a chance to stay at this historically...

As I strolled through the old Hacienda I felt like I was being transported back in time where I could see the Looms still weaving away at the fabric that the indigenous people had to make for their landlords so I has to pay able to pay their debts.

It is a wonderful hacienda that has been maintained very well that makes you feel like you could see exactly what it was like to live as either indigenous person paying off their debt or live richly as one of the Hacienda owners.

It was a wonderful few days of respite after summiting Volcan cayambe so as to simmer in some wonderful geopolitical history of the area and simply go back in time to simpler... And much...