When making plans to visit a beautiful country like Ecuador, your options for hotels are vast. However, there is one hotel in Quito (the capital of Ecuador) that everyone is talking about, it is the Illa Experience Hotel. This hotel has been the talk of travelers far and wide because of its unique history, beautiful decor, and upscale amenities. It is a small boutique hotel with only ten rooms, so the service and your experience will be personal and uncompromised.
Find out why everyone who visits Ecuador wants to stay at one of the most amazing hotels in Quito, the Illa Experience Hotel.
The Illa Experience Hotel: One of the Most Amazing Hotels in Quito, Ecuador
The Illa Experience Hotel is located in the capital city of Ecuador, Quito. Quito is the largest city in Ecuador, which means that it is bustling with activity and plenty of things for travelers to experience and to do during their stay. The goal of the Illa Experience Hotel is for guests to have a relaxing and wonderful stay, but also to enjoy the entire culture that Quito, Ecuador has to offer. Their rooms and services blend together with both traditional design and modern amenities.
The Illa Experience Hotel connects its guests with local vendors, artists, and eateries so that they will be able to experience everything that Quito has to offer. The hotel is located in the popular San Marcos barrio, giving guests the opportunity to do things like: paint with a local artist, taste a traditional quiteño treat like helado de paila, or take a tour of an artisan’s workshop.
The goal of the Illa Experience Hotel is to be unlike any of the other hotels in Quito. The founders created a place where travelers from all over the world could be completely immersed in the culture and love that is found within the Ecuadorian spirit.
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Accommodations at the Illa Experience Hotel
There are only ten rooms at the Illa Experience Hotel, giving guests a personal experience in luxury that they won’t be able to get anywhere else. There are three floors, each with its own historical concept: The Colonial Floor, the Republican Floor, and the Contemporary Floor. Each room is designed with this historical time period in mind. However, the history and culture of Quito is found in every single room with hand-embroidered linens and artisan-crafted furniture from local vendors.
The Colonial Floor has one Colonial Suite Junin and 2 luxury Colonial rooms. The Republican Floor has a Republican Suite Junin, a Republican Master Suite Panecillo, and 2 luxury Republican rooms. The Contemporary Floor has a Contemporary Master Suite Panecillo and 2 luxury Contemporary rooms.
All of the rooms at the Illa Experience Hotel include a Chef’s breakfast, wifi, access to the private spa and jacuzzi, a fitness room, and unique experiences that can be suggested by the staff.
The Junin suites look over Junin Street, a popular hub of activity and excitement in the San Marcos barrio of Quito. The Master Suite Panecillo has one of the best views of Quito with a backdrop to the stunning statue of the city’s Virgin Mary atop the Panecillo hill.
The decor of each room varies on the historical concept of each floor, but no matter which room you stay in you will feel like you have been invited to immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle of those who live in Quito, Ecuador.
Dining at the Illa Experience Hotel
There is one restaurant on-site at the Illa Experience Hotel called Nuema Restaurant. In tradition with the rest of the Illa Experience Hotel’s concept, Nuema Restaurant is a farm-to-table dining experience that uses local and seasonal ingredients from farmers in the area.
It offers traditional Ecuadorian dishes, but is also able to accommodate different dietary needs. Nuema serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.
The chefs at Nuema have worked together to create an amazing gastronomic experience for their guests. Chef Alejandro Chamorro focuses his cuisine on the main dishes in the restaurant while Piedad Salazar focuses on sweet pastries for guests to enjoy. The team has worked together to bring traditional Ecuadorian flavors from the Amazon, the Andes, and the coast.
Experience the Culture of Quito, Ecuador at the Illa Experience Hotel
The Illa Experience Hotel is located in the San Marcos barrio of the capital of Ecuador. This neighborhood is known for integrating the traditional culture of Ecuador and the contemporary styles of today to create a wonderfully historic yet modern area.
The location is important to the staff at Illa Experience Hotel as they want their guests to not only enjoy their stay at the hotel but also to be able to truly experience Quito firsthand. The Illa Experience Hotel works diligently to collaborate with local businesses and vendors to offer unique experiences to their guests.
The Illa Experience Hotel is just 4 blocks away from La Plaza Grande, a historic main square that dates back to the 16th century. It is also close to museums, restaurants, and local artisan workshops. And in just minutes you can be at La Ronda, Santo Domingo Church, and other amazing attractions in the historic center of the city.
Illa Quito Artisan Experiences
As part of the experiences that Illa offers, you can spend a day discovering locals who are creating and crafting beautiful works of arts and natural goods.
Metal Works
The tour starts with a visit to the metal workshop where the proprietor has been working for many years. The stories behind these inspiring people are even more amazing. He has been instrumental around the city assisting with restoration projects of historic buildings and churches. When you visit his shop you’ll get to create your own piece of jewelry that you’ll get to take home.
Bee Keeper
This wonderful lady and her husband are beekeepers who make a variety of products out of honey as well as promoting the longevity of the important bee population. They are advocates of providing education about bees to their community. While visiting their small shop you’ll be able to try a sampling of many different kinds of honey as well as make your own natural soap. We loved the natural honey-based makeup and can’t wait to return to buy some more.
Woodworker
This local woodworker has made beautiful intricate wood boxes for famous people all over the world including the Pope. Each hand-made chest is a series of boxes placed together like a puzzle. Many have hidden compartments for the intention of hiding your valuables inside. You’ll have a chance to try out the techniques he uses to create his works of art. However, you’ll have to stick around all week just to finish one small creation, so don’t plan on making one to take home! Most of his projects are special order from his clients, but he does have a few available in his shop for purchase. We had a chance to test out some of his tools and techniques to see how precise his work has to be.
Ice Cream Shop
Heladería Dulce Placer is a famous ice cream shop with our favorite ice cream flavor, Caca de Pero, which literally translates into Dog S^*t. You can visit for some amazing flavors and a nice laugh.
Chocolate Making
Become a chocolatier at Pacari and try your hand at making your own chocolate. You’ll get to make truffle chocolate from scratch by mixing the ingredients by hand. Choose from a variety of natural flavors to add to your hand-rolled chocolate truffles and create your own unique treats. They also offer a wide variety of Ecuadorian chocolate bars and other products at a very reasonable price.
Visit the Illa Experience Hotel with Latin Trails
If the Illa Experience Hotel is only one portion of your trip around South America, you can round out the rest of your experience with Latin Trails. Together with Latin Trails, the Illa Experience Hotel offers you an opportunity to not only experience everything that the capital city of Quito has to offer, but also the unique and diverse areas of all of Ecuador. Latin Trails offers excursions around Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, with a stay at the Illa Experience Hotel on the front or back end of your trip.
COMING UP: Ecuador Tours with Latin Trails
A trip to the beautiful country of Ecuador should be met with the desire to immerse yourself in culture and history completely. Quito is the largest city in Ecuador and holds so much history that a stay in the Illa Experience Hotel will not only give you the luxury of a boutique hotel but also the ability to completely integrate your stay with the culture of the city and the Ecuadorian people.
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