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Illa Experience

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The award-winning Illa Experience Hotel is an intimate property in the San Marcos district of Quito, offering authentic cultural experiences for guests with local Ecuadorian families.

Just five minutes’ walk from the main Plaza de Independencia of Quito’s Old Town, this small boutique hotel has a dozen guest rooms across three floors, each decorated with different historical themes: colonial, republican and contemporary. There are subtle Ecuadorian motifs, arts and crafts throughout and some intricately-carved doors were donated by San Agustin nuns. Rooms are smart and compact with modern amenities, double glazing and patio views, while the best suites have views of the Panecillo and Virgen de Quito.

The hotel’s restaurant is highly regarded for its innovative à la carte and tasting menus inspired by a fusion of styles from the diverse regions of Ecuador. There is also a rooftop bar where you can relax with a drink as the sun sets over the city, and guests also have access to a large pool.

Self-styled as an Experience Hotel, guests are invited to take part in Quito traditions, with attentive staff bringing the city’s history to life through daily experiences offered on and off site – from traditional weaving to painting, cookery and a neighbourhood walking tour. The hotel also partners with INES Restaurant on the NESTS project, an initiative promoting young chefs from rural areas with housing and scholarships.

What our clients say

It was all amazing to use an overworked word, but (i) the Cotopaxi days (train plus condors plus steaming volcano) was extraordinary, and (ii) encountering the Galapagos Islands and their…
JL, Winchester Jul 2015
Highlights:- “Quito celebrating their anniversary of independence. All the Haciendas we visited were full of history and interesting in different ways .Las Cajas and getting up into the high Andes…
GW, Truro Dec 2010
It was all brilliant, we expected the Galapagos to be the highlight, but all the other trips were as good in different ways. All the Ecuadorians encountered at hotels, restaurants,…
AH, Eastleigh Sep 2011
Everyone was very concious of preserving water and not littering - it seems part of everyday life in Ecuador
KK, Belfast Dec 2010
Ecuador is perhaps a most underrated country for a great visitor experience. The people are great and helpful and, for anyone with an interest in the natural world, there is…
IB, Kendal Jun 2013
Highlight?: The Napo Lodge experience. It exceeded our expectations and we were very lucky to have dry weather.
HB, Todmorden Aug 2018

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Our Expert's Opinion

Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

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