Calle Angosta — Hotel in Cuenca

Calle Angosta Hotel is a few blocks from the main square and indeed almost everything worth visiting in Cuenca. While Cuenca has its charms, mostly from old residences lining the streets downtown and the river walk at the bottom of the hill, it leaves something to be desired as a top destination in Ecuador. The touted churches are newish or second tier, nothing close to those in Quito. It is a bit chilly so come prepared for 2600 meters and the differences of weather that higher altitude brings to the tropics. Stinky untuned-up smoke-belching loud buses are found on almost every street.||||This small hotel has parking, TV, internet, included breakfast( a bit austere compared with better hotel breakfasts we had around Ecuador, but they did toast up the cold bread-roll upon request to make it a bit more appetizing), clean rooms and bath, decent, attentive service from the owner and family. There is a new section where we stayed in the back behind the parking lot, and the older original part is entered from the street and includes the reception, dining area, and a few rooms. ||||Our room was warm, but a bit small for the number of beds in there. Bathroom is new and has one of those fancy bowl sinks which have no place to rest one´s toiletries. The shower is hot, but lacks anywhere to lay soap or shampoo. And there is one tiny towel rack in the whole bath, not even a hook graces the door or walls.||||The room has a small closet wardrobe, but there is no place to open suitcases, and only one straight-back chair and minuscule desk where we ended up spreading our bags open.||Polyester linens, but new and clean.||||Our room with breakfast was indeed one of the priciest we booked in all of Ecuador, but I suppose a bargain overall since it was clean, comfy, and secure. Cuenca is more expensive for the most part than the rest of the Andean Corridor. Notwithstanding, we found good places to dine for less and real Panama hats at $10 a pop but the prices go up from there to several hundred.||||Some tips for Cuenca:||||Botanical gardens at the Pumapungo museum, Panama hats at the street market beside the new cathedral, Coppelia for ´fast´ but homemade food, real steak, frejol, potatoes or rice, platano macho, and coconut drink: $2.75 for the whole plate, Austria cafe has decent real machine coffee, Gelato along the main streets ( there are two companies and both are excellent), Colombian home style food at Moliendo Cafe Restaurant, a large bookstore with piles of pulp fiction and some good ´real´ books, too, somewhere not far from the Colombian restaurant.||||Cuenca is on its way to becoming a retired gringo hangout, so do not be surprised if enthusiastic foreigners invade your space and want to chat about their novelty...

After reading reviews on TripAdvisor for Calle Angosta, I made the booking prior to an October visit to Cuenca. I was to be staying in Cuenca for two nights, one night on either end of a three-day trek through nearby Cajas National Park. As such, sleep was important given the physical exertion expected at such a high altitude. Previous reviewers suggested that the B&B's rear rooms would be best, so I specifically requested such a room when making the reservation. The reply: no problem.||||Our first night in room 8 was fantastic-- we felt welcomed, the room and bathroom were new and clean, and the food at Calle Angosta is reasonably priced and delicious (this was a constant). Gloria, her family, and her staff are all excellent and kind. When we returned from the park a few days later though, I was told that guests' reservations had been shifts, and we were now to stay in room 3, in the front of the property. From the unending doorbell, parking bell, people passing by our room's windows to the noise of the general reception area, it's a wonder that anyone in rooms 1, 2, or 3 can get and peace and rest. Avoid these rooms entirely. I was supremely disappointed (and honestly, angry) that I had the foresight to request a rear room, and we were subjected to the racket of the front rooms all the same.||||Last bone to pick: the staff didn't seem to get that my boyfriend and I were gay, and together. The whole awkward question about two men in one bed came up when checking in the second time. Come on, now. Basic awareness is not so much to ask, particularly in the hospitality industry in one of Ecuador's larger cities. There's no sense in creating an awkward situation. None of us lives in boxes anymore, and certainly not in closets.||||All around, though, a haven amid a...

We spent 2 nights in this pretty hotel and were treated extremely well. While we were in Cuenca, our credit card got hacked by someone in a restaurant. We had no access to cell phone service while in Ecuador, so the kind people at Calle Angosta let me use their phone for numerous, very prolonged conversations with our credit card company to sort out getting a replacement credit card. The hotel owners and staff were so concerned, kind, and helpful throughout the whole ordeal.||||The hotel itself is in a good location: 5-10 minute walk from the central square. The area is safe; there were plenty of people around even when we were walking back to the hotel after a late dinner. Calle Angosta is extremely clean and the rooms are very nice. Comfortable beds and excellent showers with good water pressure and plenty of hot water. There are several nice common areas with cozy leather couches and loveseats. Wifi works great throughout the hotel.||||We had a great experience here and would recommend Calle...