Casa Gangotena, Quito

Situated in a newly restored historic mansion overlooking San Francisco Square, the three-story Casa Gangotena Boutique Hotel harbors 31 rooms, a showcase of eye-catching style, contemporary design, antiques, fine furnishings, modern technologies and quintessential comforts.

Beautifully - and eclectically - appointed, the hotel invites its guests to explore and to relax, whether in the dining room, glassed-in patio, garden redolent with the perfume of native flowers, wood-panelled library, or else atop its panoramic third-floor terrace.

Beyond its doors, the world heritage wonders of Quito, as well the vastly-different and diverse worlds of Ecuador itself, await. Sophisticated and eclectic, historic yet contemporary, at Casa Gangotena style, passion and service blend seamlessly and delightfully.

The capital of Ecuador’s historic heart is a living treasure – the largest, best-restored in the Americas – benefitting from over $250 million in cultural heritage investment over the last decade. It has become one of the ‘discovery’ destinations in Latin America, earning the praise of visitors and press alike, for its stunning churches, sights, compelling museums and cultural centers, and its approachable, friendly feel. And now Quito’s Old Town shines brighter still with the opening of the Casa Gangotena hotel in late-2011.

The new 31-room hotel occupies a grand house on the corner of Plaza San Francisco, whose history stretches back to the time of the Incas, and it was one of the first plots allotted in the Colonial period. Over the following centuries, various wealthy families built their homes around the square, among them Casa Gangotena.

The Casa Gangotena, its last incarnation dating from early 20th century and included in Quito’s list of heritage properties, rises on the square’s south-western corner, the interiors of its three floors beautifully appointed with a feel of sophisticated yet understated luxury throughout. The style is eclectic and eye-catching, mixing Art Nouveau with contemporary design.

Attention-to-detail during restoration has been exceptional, maintaining nearly all of the house’s original architectural features. These include its tall, elegant windows, which provide fantastic views of the Panecillo hillside, the plaza and the cozy, characteristic inner courtyard. The restoration also reinforced the mansion from the bottom up, making it stronger than ever for the coming centuries.

The hotel features wonderful spaces for different moods and times of day: a garden-patio brimming with native plants, a dining room ideal for enjoying refined culinary experiences or simply people-watching in the square beyond, and a roof-top terrace with wrap-around views of the historic centre’s towers, tiles and spires – an unbeatable spot to watch the frequent religious and cultural events on the square below.