Hostería Mandala — Hotel in Parroquia Puerto López

If possible, I would have given 3,5 stars. During our stay, a few observations (good and bad) were made.

Good: good and tasty food; they now have a restaurant opened to guests and the public from midday to evening beautiful location next to the ocean; close to the heart of the city but also far enough away to make it feel tranquil BEAUTIFUL artworks all over the hotel, from tables and arches to small signs and even toilet seats

Bad: False expectations due to Google images: We had expected a hotel with a jungle feel. The pictures promised lots of different plants, a “forest” full of life, and privacy between the rooms. Unfortunately, we discovered that after a change of ownership, many plants had been removed. As a result, many of the animals (birds and iguanas) were no longer to be seen. A lot of construction work on-going. Loud music around 10pm due to a party celebration Privacy only provided by curtains. If these were open, you felt that other guests could easily see inside.

Conclusion: The changes are not inherently bad, but they probably appeal to a different clientele now. Pool + party instead of nature + tranquility. At least the artwork was preserved. After we gave feedback regarding the changes in the garden we were told that they are planning on introducing more plants again. We hope that the hotel will return to its former style once the renovation work...

Best place we stayed in Ecuador! Stayed here for two nights with my father in January. We stayed in a large room (3 twin beds) and had plenty of space. Rooms have mosquito nets (luckily didn’t need) and two fans (all we needed to stay comfortable at night), a closet, mini fridge and large bathroom with a big vanity top. We also had a covered porch with two tables, chairs and two very nice hammocks.

Each place feels very private thanks to all the plants - the whole place is surrounded by a very well kept botanical garden - we woke up to the birds chirping all around us like we were In a tree house - truly a very special place. Whole place is like a hand crafted piece of art -with exceptional attention to detail. Would definitely stay here again if I were to come back. Was not here during whale season so the town did seem a little empty. Only downside is the location- it’s a little far from the main drag of town (10-15 min walk), but it more than makes up for it with the other amenities. Restaurant is also great and lobby area has multiple levels and common spaces to use including a library, TV (no TVs in the rooms), and musical instruments to use. Nice breakfast was also included - eggs, juice, coffee, toast, and fruit salad. Friendly staff that was very helpful in booking our tours, taxi and answering travel questions (spoke...

Lovely and convenient location with well maintained garden. Bedding and shower were clean. Common areas were rarely used by any of the guests as far as I could tell. Cabin had plenty of blankets and fans and towels. |One star taken off because property needs some attention to upkeep: sagging/misaligned doors, large cracks in walls, dingy/faded curtains. The hot water faded in and out which meant showers took twice as long. The books and games were faded and damp. |A few service missteps (forgotten laundry instructions, bland food, hair in the butter) take off another star. Seemed like nobody was in charge; although everyone was pleasant and accommodating, there didn’t seem to be a service standard. |There were two well-behaved & quiet dogs on the premises, which was pleasant. I was NOT pleased about the two cats in the kitchen. |Since this was my first time on the coast, I don’t know what the Puerto Lopez lodging baseline is; overall this was “fine” but not amazing. I’d probably stay here again given the location. Hopefully the owners invest some time and money into maintaining the infrastructure and...