El Cielo Montanita — Hotel in Parroquia Manglaralto

I had a wonderful stay at Daniel’s and Monika’s (and 3 year old leticia’s) El Cielo hostal. I signed up for 3 days but ended up staying a week. They were very kind and attentive and just great down to earth people. They let me use one of their bikes to make runs into town (however it's only a short 8 minute walk). It is the perfect distance from town to give you a peaceful night’s rest away from the hustle and bustle of the town’s center. The only things I heard were birds and frogs (you’re in Ecuador!). They have an organic fruit connection that stops by the house (delicious and dirt cheap). They have great lounging areas both upstairs and downstairs with multiple hammocks to choose from. Monika takes great care of all of the plants on the grounds and it is a tropical paradise. While I was there, Daniel and volunteers were building an eco-friendly wall around the house and putting in an outdoor kitchen area. Daniel and Monika provided me with great recommendations and explained how to get everywhere that I wanted to go. Definitely go to Isla de la Plata during mating season (June - August) Best $45 I have spent in a long time. It was probably the highlight of my trip to Ecuador. I would...

El Cielo is hands down the best hostel we have stayed in during our time travelling in South America. The place is located a short walk from the lively centre of Montañita, which makes it the perfect retreat at the end of the day. The rooms couldn't have been cosier, more comfortable or cleaner - a real home from home. Breakfast was substantial and delicious, well worth having! Hot showers, fantastic wifi, a clean and well equipped kitchen, and Monika arranged for our laundry to be done at an excellent price too. Surf lessons with Daniel are a brilliant way to spend the day and are very good value when it's likely to be a one-on-one class! Which leads me nicely onto Monika and Daniel, the hostel owners... words cannot begin to describe how great they are! Helpful, kind, genuine and now our friends in Montañita. It was a real pleasure to see them both in the mornings and when we came back from the beach in the afternoons and share stories from our day. Thanks to Monika and Dan and the loveliness of El Cielo, our time in Montañita was exceptionally special and has really stolen the show of our time away. 5 star place, 5 star people and 5 star experience. 100%...

El Cielo is hands down the best hostel we have stayed in during our time travelling in South America. The place is located a short walk from the lively centre of Montañita, which makes it the perfect retreat at the end of the day. The rooms couldn't have been cosier, more comfortable or cleaner - a real home from home. Breakfast was substantial and delicious, well worth having! Hot showers, fantastic wifi, a clean and well equipped kitchen, and Monika arranged for our laundry to be done at an excellent price too. Surf lessons with Daniel are a brilliant way to spend the day and are very good value when it's likely to be a one-on-one class! Which leads me nicely onto Monika and Daniel, the hostel owners... words cannot begin to describe how great they are! Helpful, kind, genuine and now our friends in Montañita. It was a real pleasure to see them both in the mornings and when we came back from the beach in the afternoons and share stories from our day. Thanks to Monika and Dan and the loveliness of El Cielo, our time in Montañita was exceptionally special and has really stolen the show of our time away. 5 star place, 5 star people and 5 star experience....