Quito, Ecuador
Illa Experience
The charm of Hotel Illa Experience is that it is a small and personal space where guests are enthusiastically encouraged to engage with the fascinating artistic inhabitants of the neighbourhood. You are also in the same building as one of Quito’s most renowned restaurants.
The charm of Hotel Illa Experience is that it is a small and personal space where guests are enthusiastically encouraged to engage with the fascinating artistic inhabitants of the neighbourhood. You are also in the same building as one of Quito’s most renowned restaurants.
The charm of Hotel Illa Experience is that it is a small and personal space where guests are enthusiastically encouraged to engage with the fascinating artistic inhabitants of the neighbourhood. You are also in the same building as one of Quito’s most renowned restaurants.
The charm of Hotel Illa Experience is that it is a small and personal space where guests are enthusiastically encouraged to engage with the fascinating artistic inhabitants of the neighbourhood. You are also in the same building as one of Quito’s most renowned restaurants.
Location
Found on a quaint one-way cobblestone street, The Illa Experience Hotel is in Quito’s bohemian neighbourhood of San Marco. Whilst not being in the very centre of the old town, it is still only a short stroll from the three main plazas of Quito: Santo Domingo, San Francisco and Grande.
Accommodation
Constructed around a central courtyard, this Colonial-style building houses just 10 guest rooms, of which six are luxury rooms and four are suites. We would recommend a standard suite for the extra space rather than the more expensive Master suite, which has a good view, because views can be had freely from the excellent rooftop terrace. All of the rooms and suites are elegant and furnished with quality fittings and interesting art. The ensuite bathrooms are decadent.
Each of the three floors of the hotel are themed according to a different historical period: Colonial, Republican and Contemporary as you go up. On the Colonial ground floor is your opportunity for one of the most renowned dining experiences in Latin America, the prize-winning Nuema Restaurant.
Each of the three floors of the hotel are themed according to a different historical period: Colonial, Republican and Contemporary as you go up. On the Colonial ground floor is your opportunity for one of the most renowned dining experiences in Latin America, the prize-winning Nuema Restaurant.
As Nuema is such a famous name in Quito, expect to find a few locals occupying the 24 seats. The menu changes daily according to what is available in the local markets: even the number of courses can vary from three to six depending on the day, which is all part of the experience.
Other spaces in the hotel include a snacks and refreshment area on the Republican level, a spa, gym and wine cellar in the basement, and a gorgeous terrace on the Contemporary level. Subtly lit with fairy lights, the terrace has marvellous views towards the Virgen del Panecillo, the iconic statue of Quito.
Other spaces in the hotel include a snacks and refreshment area on the Republican level, a spa, gym and wine cellar in the basement, and a gorgeous terrace on the Contemporary level. Subtly lit with fairy lights, the terrace has marvellous views towards the Virgen del Panecillo, the iconic statue of Quito.
Experiences
- There’s an energy to the provision of guest experiences that marks this hotel apart. Local craftsmen are actively involved in visiting the hotel to share their expertise.
- Try your hand at chocolate making, hat weaving, ice cream making or painting, aided by a local expert from the neighbourhood of San Marco. There’s often even a visit from a man who restores old gramophones.
- Known locally as the “Tower of the Condors”, the rooftop of the Basílica del Voto Nacional, at 115m above street level, has an amazing view. It isn’t a place for those who suffer from vertigo.
- A day trip to the nearby town of Otavalo, with its colourful markets, will give you the ideal opportunity to buy alpaca sweaters and scarves.
- At just 2 hours from Quito, the volcano of Cotopaxi is a feasible day trip. See the stunning blue Laguna Quilotoa.
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