Hacienda Zuleta

Overview

Setting

Nestled in a lush valley in Ecuador’s Northern Andes.

An Andean Shangri-La…we can’t recommend this place highly enough. Without a doubt our favourite place in Ecuador’s Andes, and a fabulous place to relax and soak up some Andean culture at the beginning or the end of a Galapagos trip. Formerly a private home (of Ecuadorean President Galo Plaza) whose decendents opened the hacienda to guests only a decade ago. The rooms are equisitely decorated and individually styled with antiques and hand enmbroided linen. The personalised service aims to make you feel like one of the family, inviting you to relax in the library, by roaring open fires.

The activies here are also superb, as well as being the heartland of an important pre-Incan civilization which dozens of Caranqui Pyramids still standing in the valley, it is also one of the few places in the world where you are virtually guaranteed to see wild Andean Condors. For fans of horse-back riding, you will be in heaven (even for the novice it is fantastic as they have a range of fantastic horses from absolute beginners to advanced riders) and some great trails.

Insider Knowledge
National Geographical Traveller named Zuleta as one of the top 129 Hotels they ‘Love’ in the world.Outside Magazine desribed it as one of the ‘Top Ten Finds in the World’
Conde Naste Traveller describied Zuleta as “a full cultural-immersion experience."

Making a Difference
Hacienda Zuleta’s administration also manage The Galo Plaza Lasso Foundation, a non-profit organisation that sponsors projects which benefit the community of Zuleta and communities in the surrounding area of the Imbabura Province, their work includes the building of a library in the town which offers workshops, summer school, computers and internet and extracurricular activities. The also provide scholarships as well as education campaigns, studies into the local indigenous culture and are currently working towards creating a nursery for 2-5 year olds. Zuleta have also created the CONDOR HUASI project, to accomplish the conditional reintroduction of captive condors into the wild and provide conservation education for communities living in the area.

 

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.

Facilities

Rooms

The hacienda is comprised of 15 different rooms, all in the main building. Each room has a different shape and charm and is individually decorated with antiques, family pictures and hand embroidered linens. All have beautiful garden or mountain views and some provide access to private gardens, terraces or a courtyard where hummingbirds feed. All double beds are king or superking size, and whilst guests enjoy their equisite dinner, room service staff place hot water bottles with beautiful embroidered cases in every bed and light the fireplaces. Suites for families and adjoining rooms are available.

Rates

The standard rooms are US$175 (approx GB£125) per person, delux rooms US$ 250 (GB£178) per person and the junior suites are $299 (approx GB£213) per person full board including 22% taxes.

Check-out

Flexible depending on availability.

Amenities

• Laundry service
• Internet
• Horse-drawn carriage
• Television room with satellite television movies and games as well as coffee, soft drinks and a bar service
• Phone calls can be made from the public areas and offices

Food & drink

The hacienda offers superb cuisine prepared from the ingredients produced on the farm, from fresh milk, yogurt and cheese, to organically grown vegetables picked straight from the garden and trout caught moments before serving.

Activities

Horse-back riding, bird watching, condor rescue project, trekking with kilometers of beautiful self guided walks, archeological tours, embroidery project with local community, exploring the farm.

Also

For those inspired by the fabulous food or embroidery, the hacienda offers one-on-one cookery and embroidery classes. For those who want to improve their riding skills they also offer horse riding lessons.

 

If you would like any more information or to chat over the details of the trip we would be delighted to help. Telephone 01482 872 716 for more information or email us today.