), which can arrange last-minute day trips as well as several day tours.
WHERE TO STAY: Flights to Quito can arrive late at night, so a hotel in the city is essential. The rooms are basic at the Spanish villa-style
Llamas and alpacas are a common sight in the countryside below Ecuador's Mount Chimborazo.
(Ellen Perlman)
|
|
Hotel Sierra Madre (Veintimilla 464 and Luis Tamayo, 011-5932-250-5687,
www.hotelsierramadre.com
), but the breakfast room is quite charming and the price is right: Singles begin at $35. On the plusher side is the
Grand Hotel Mercure
Quito (Roca 653 and Amazonas, 011-5932-256-2345.
www.mercure.com
), a high-rise with rates starting at $90 for a single, although better rates can sometimes be found on the Internet.
In Cuenca, I stayed at the
Santa Lucia Hotel (Antonio Borrero 8-44 and Sucre, 011-5937-282-8000,
www.santaluciahotel.com
