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Northern Andes
Northern Andes
Hosteria Termas Chachimbiro is located in the Urcuqui county Imbabura province, 50 Km north west of both Otavalo and Ibarra. Transport can be arrange from their office in Otavalo, and airport pickup is available for an extra charge. A double per room with bathroom, access to the Spa and a full course meal costs $60. Family rooms are available and the average price per person is lower in this case. Prices include tax. Tel: 593 6 2926091, Fax: 593 6 2923 633, E-mail: chachimbiro_ecot@yahoo.com, URL: www.chachimbiro.com. Hacienda Guachalá (rooms: $40-80) Originally The chapel of the hacienda was originally built in 1580 and Guachalá dates back to 1700. In its heyday, Guachalá was the administrative center for about 22,000 hectares of land and employed 500 workers, mostly in textiles which were shipped to Spain. Converted to a hotel in 1993, it offers one of the more affordable options for those who wish to have a true hacienda experience. It is located between Quito and Otavalo, about one hour from Quito and a half hour from Otavalo. It is quite near to the Equator line. Guachalá is a large hacienda, with 29 rooms, all of which have fireplace and private bath. The hacienda complex itself has wide hallways, attractive gardens, ample rooms, a swimming pool and a chapel. Many animals are kept there, including llamas, horses, mules, geese, etc. There is a full-menu restaurant that specializes in traditional food, including cuy (guinea pig) which has been a local delicacy for centuries. There are a number of activities available at the hacienda itself: horseback riding, fishing, areas for basketball, soccer, and volleyball. There is a bar area and even satellite TV and internet. Guachala’s rates are among the most reasonable for converted haciendas: $30 per night for a double, $54 for a triple and $80 for a quad. Take Panamericana Norte km 45 to Cangahua 2km. Tel: 5932-236-3042 / 2362426/098146681, E-mail: info@guachala.com, URL: www.guachala.com or www.guachala.com/ingles. Hostería Pantaví (rooms: $30-75) Hostería Pantaví was constructed on the ruins of the old San Clemente hacienda. It has twelve lovely rooms and offers a beautiful, peaceful setting and excellent food. There is also a variety of wonderful ethnic art on the walls in the main house, painted by the owner, Camilo Andrade. Pantaví is conveniently located near the Cotacachi-Cayapas Reserve, the Arco Iris and Chachimbiro hot springs, El Angel Ecological Reserve, a number of archaeological sites from the ancient Caranqui people, and is not far from the Chota valley. The hostería itself has a swimming pool and conference facilities, as well as areas for tennis, volleyball, and basketball. There are 12 rooms, which vary in capacity and bed size. English, French, German, Dutch, and Italian are spoken. Private transport from Quito to the Hosteria Pantaví can be arranged. Located near the town of Tumbabiro, about 35 minutes north of Ibarra, or roughly three hours from Quito. Tel: 593-2-234-0601, URL: www.hosteriapantavi.com. Hacienda San Francisco (rooms: $26-72) For the traveler looking for the hacienda experience at a more reasonable price, there is the Hacienda San Francisco. Located in Imbabura province in the Salinas Valley, Hacienda San Francisco has been in the same family since 1640. It is convenient to many places of interest to tourists, including Otavalo, Chota (known for afro-Ecuadorian culture) and the CotacachiCayapas reserve. Also nearby is the Chachimbiro thermal springs, but guests needn’t bother: San Francisco has its own, natural hot spring and thermal bath! San Francisco has beautiful rooms, and offers hiking, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and horseback riding. The horseback riding tours visit the scenic Cotacachi-Cayapas reserve and the ‘paramo of Piñar,’ a highland plain. It is a very attractive hacienda, with cobblestone patios surrounded by spacious, well-kept gardens. The rooms are airy, neat and sunny. Prices range from a single for $26 to $72 for a quad, making San Francisco one of the most affordable of the older haciendas (although visitors will likely not experience a drastic drop-off in quality of service or facilities). Meals are not included, but the traditional, full service restaurant offers breakfasts for $4-8, and lunches or dinners in the $11 range, which is quite reasonable as haciendas go. San Francisco can host special events. Tel: 062934161, E-mail: info@hosteriasanfrancisco.com, URL: http://www.hosteriasanfrancisco.com/html/en/hacienda_ecuador.htm.
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