The Best Hostels in Ecuador

Day 230: Cuenca, Ecuador

So many people were interested in my recommendations for Colombian hostels that I wanted to share my picks for the three best hostels in Ecuador.

In general hostels are less expensive than Colombia but more expensive than Peru. Cuenca is the most expensive city but still a bargain.

Hostels are peculiar in Ecuador, more often like guesthouses they haven’t catered to the backpacker crowd for decades like other neighboring countries. This also means there are a handful of mostly foreign owned hostels in the guidebooks and on booking sites but the best ones often don’t have a web site and count on word of mouth.

Best Hostels in Ecuador

La Casa Cuencana

When I first came to Cuenca with my mother and sister we stayed at a hostel that also had a bar; it was unbearably noisy until midnight and my mother did not sleep.

I was lucky to find La Casa Cuencana during Independence Day and ended up staying several weeks as there was a large kitchen, which isn’t always available in Ecuador.

Bonus points:
– The most comfortable beds I’ve slept in yet, I think they have pillow top mattresses
– The dorms aren’t bunkbeds, yay you’re not crammed in like a sardine
– They run organized cultural tours, such as mine with sugar cane farmer Rogelio
– They can speak English, a little French and German if you need it; or if you’re like me they’ll speak Spanish slowly so you can learn.

Read Reviews on TripAdvisor.

Hostel Chimenea

Banos is a small town with lots to amuse tourists with but we lucked out on Hostel Chimenea as it’s a small hostel that just opened.

It’s Spanish-only, as with most places in Banos but even my mother and sister were able to communicate with hand signals. What makes this hostel stand out is that there’s practically a spa inside for bargain prices.

Bonus points:
– In-ground pool
– Hot tub
– Turkish baths
– Hostel kitchen

Read Reviews on TripAdvisor.

Hostel Valle de Amanecer

It was especially difficult finding a hostel online in Otavalo, despite being on the tourist trail, only expensive hotels seem to appear in searches. However, my friend Liz of Where are Liz and Adrian was able to provide a great recommendation and my family loved the cottage feeling of this hostel. The only downside was there was no wifi but that has changed and now there is free wifi.

Bonus points:
– A block away from Otavalo market and not far from the Otavalo Animal Market
– Free breakfast
– Walking distance from bus station

Read Reviews on TripAdvisor.