Mamallacta Paramo Lodge — Hotel in Papallacta

I went for one night to Papallacta with a colleague after attending a conference in Quito. We booked this hotel spontaneously without checking too much, and wow! what a great surprise.||Warning - this is NOT a standard hotel. It's more like a "fancy backpackers hostel". That being said, it's very clean and upclass, but don't expect the concierge, valet parking and mini bar. Instead, expect to have fun and enjoy!||Jonathan and Nanve (I hope I got his name right) run this place along with Jonathan's wife (I didn't catch her name). They built it with their own hands and every corner of this amazing lodge is a tribute to their hard work. It is covered with colorful artwork and interesting building concepts and architecture. I was lying in bed, looking at the "strange fire sprinklers" on the ceiling, wondering how they worked, when I realized they weren't fire sprinklers, but rather door handles... the whole ceiling of our room was made out of recycled doors!!!! It may sound strange, but it's ultra cool!||There are fun and games all around, from a Fussball table, to old couches, to board games and a little library with kids books, such as Pipi Longstockings and the Hungry Caterpillar. They run a little bar/restaurant with homemade local food and six homemade craft beers on tap. There are bikes and umbrellas and rain ponchos that you can borrow. There's good music playing. It's just great.||I was totally thrown back to my backpacking days - remembering the best hostels I stayed at in New Zealand. But I'm more than 15 years older now, and generally don't "rough it" as much any more, but here, I was in a clean, comfortable hotel, just with the hostel atmosphere. How great!||Thank you Jonathan and family for the great stay. I'm so glad we accidentally stumbled upon your...

Fabulous experience, but not for everyone. If you're looking for a rustic but cozy lodge, this is it.

Pros: -Family-run by a funny, interesting, and laidback husband and wife team who also speak good English. They have good activity/hiking recommendations. -We loved the lodge vibe, with whimsical architecture (designed and built by the husband; check out the rooftop sunroom!) and all-wood everything. Nice and cozy with a fire going sometimes and a heater in each room. -Wilderness views make you feel like you're in the middle of nowhere. -Excellent food and surprisingly large craft beer selection on draft. I would recommend eating here even if you end up staying at Termas de Papallacta, as I liked the food and drinks better here. Both pricier than they would be in Quito, I'm guessing due to the remoteness. -Easy ~quarter-mile walk to Termas de Papallacta.

Cons -Everything's just more expensive here than in Quito. Not their fault, but set your expectations accordingly. -Not that many photos of each room on the website, and each room is different, so it's hard to choose (just book one and I'm sure they'd let you change rooms if you decide you want a different one after looking around). -On the last day they lit a fire in the lobby, which was right below our room, and our room (Bonita) got pretty smoky. -The rooms are not soundproof at all; there are several-inch gaps between the room doors and the wall above them.

Overall a...

This was my second stay, and based on my limited experience, the place keeps getting better. The same magnificent views, the same warm hospitality, the same fun, artistic touches, but also a bunch of small improvements. The wifi seemed more reliable than I remember from my Jan 2023 stay, the timed lights in the hallway didn’t turn off while I was still fumbling with my door, the smoky wood stove had been replaced with a different style of heater, and I believe common spaces are being improved/expanded (roof terrace, back patio).||My room could not have been more comfortable, and the views - just wow. The staff and owner go above and beyond, from picking me up at the airport (thank you, Jonathan), to letting me check in early after my red-eye flight (thank you, Juan), to making sure my breakfast was different each day (though I could have eaten the molido de verde over and over without complaint), to providing tons of information about the country and region (thank you, Cesar). ||So glad I stayed multiple nights to take full advantage of the location! Already fantasizing about...