Sleep in an Incan Palace at Hacienda San Agustin de Callo, Cotopaxi, Ecuador
Written: Dec 12 '05 (Updated May 18 '06)
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Pros: Beautiful, at the foothills of Ecuador, delicious food, fireplaces, great service
Cons: Expensive
The Bottom Line: We absolutely loved our stay at the Hacienda San Agustin de Callo. Our whole experience was wonderful and we would love to go back!
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| Javelina's Full Review: Hacienda San Agustín de Callo, Lasso, Cotopaxi, Ec... |
For our one-year wedding anniversary, my husband and I planned a trip to Galapagos and then Ecuador. One of the main attractions in Ecuador is the Cotopaxi Volcano, which measures over 15,000’ in altitude and is the highest active volcano in the world. It was only natural that in our research, we came across the Hacienda San Agustin de Callo, located in the foothills of Cotopaxi.
~ ~ Getting There ~ ~
The closest big city nearest to the Hacienda is Quito, where we flew into after our week in the Galapagos. The Hacienda is almost 50 miles from Quito, and I believe it took us just under 1.5 hours to get there from our hotel near the airport. Keep in mind that driving through Quito is arduous, as there is quite a bit of traffic. Outside of Quito, much of the ride is along the Pan American Highway, which is well-maintained and has great traffic flow. There was some driving time off the highway (about 3 miles), once you go through the entrance for Cotopaxi. These roads are dirt roads and are also more slow going. All along the way are signs pointing to the Hacienda.
~ ~ History ~ ~
“The Hacienda has been written about by the Spanish chronicler, Cieza de Leon (1553) and is one of only two major Inca sites in Ecuador. This temple or palace was built around 1440 a.d. by one of the last Inca emperors, Huayna Cápac, and to this day the remaining rooms prevail as a magnificent sample of the unique style of Inca construction.”
We had a little guide of the Hacienda when we first arrived, by Alejandro. He showed us around and gave us a brief history of the place. One of the main sights are the original Incan walls, which were made so precisely that no mortar was required. The volcanic rocks were carved beautifully and smoothly, they fit together perfectly. Alejandro was very apologetic in showing us the roof of the Incan chapel, which needs reconstruction. I couldn’t believe he was apologizing – I was surprised that there was any roof remaining whatsoever, no less portions that have original paintings on them.
~ ~ The Rooms ~ ~
There are only a few rooms at the Hacienda San Agustin de Callo, although they are certainly large. There are six different rooms to choose from, ranging in price from $195 to $288 per night. (Ecuador uses the U.S. dollar). The more expensive rooms are actually suites, consisting of several rooms.
We stayed in the Mulalo Suite, which had a bedroom, bathroom, living room, and separate living area. It was extremely large and “homey” – artwork, knick knacks, books, CD player (complete with a variety of CD’s, including Andean music), and so on.
Each room had a fireplace, and the staff comes around 5pm to start a fire. By each room, I mean each room. We had a fire going in our bedroom, bathroom, living room, and living area, and it was really toasty! It got so warm, I thought I was going to have to break a window! Fortunately, the windows open up, so it was nice to have some fresh air as well as the toasty fireplace warmth. (Coming from Quito, you would not believe how bad the pollution was – we were thankful for some fresh air!). We were there the last week in November, and there was frost on the ground, so the temperatures had gotten pretty low.
Not only do they light the fires in the evening, but they also go around and close the curtains and shutters. In the morning, they take care of opening them all.
Our bed was very firm but very comfortable. There were down blankets on the bed, which were heavenly. We took a nap in the afternoon (after hiking the volcano!) and I could not believe how quiet it was. There was absolutely no noise whatsoever. This was one of the moments we knew that we would love to come back for a peaceful, romantic escape.
Our bathroom was gorgeous. There was the fireplace, of course, as well as two sinks, a toilet, and a tub with a showerhead. The paintings in the room are beautiful! We were provided with soap, bath salts, shampoo/conditioner packets, towels, etc., as well as robes.
There were several flower arrangements in the room. When I went to open the bedroom window, I reached over an enormous pot of flowers, and suddenly realized they were real! The arrangement was so enormous and so gorgeous, it looked fake. They were bursting with huge calla lilies, roses, and just a plethora of perfect-looking flowers. These arrangements were in every room, and also around the Hacienda (dining room, breakfast room, etc.).
The separate living room area had a bar (using the honor system, you note what you take). Our room always had fresh water (purified) in pitchers. They also had little tiny sliced limes available for our drinks.
The door to our room could be locked with a padlock from the outside, or by sliding a bar from the inside. Alejandro, who got us settled, explained it was the best option for antique doors, which is understandable. We simply locked it with the padlock and took the key with us when we were gone all day hiking.
Our room had actual Incan walls… it was amazing.
~ ~ The Food ~ ~
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included in the room prices. We arrived at the Hacienda at 8am, and before leaving at 9am on a tour of Cotopaxi volcano, they offered to prepare a bag lunch. We were surprised how large the lunch was – two sandwiches per person (they made cheese sandwiches for me, since I’m vegetarian), fruit (granadilla, oranges), tostado (toasted corn), candelazo (a traditional sweet, spiced drink that can be served with alcohol), and candies. We shared this “bag lunch” – which was packed in a large picnic basket – with our guide, and still had plenty left over!
Before dinner, some appetizers were served in the living room area. There were cheeses, bruschetta, and pistachios. The food was delicious and it was nice to be treated with in-room appetizers.
Dinner was also amazing. We spoke with staff before dinner, and they offered a variety of options (beef, fish, vegetarian options, etc.). We arrived at dinner and were the only people staying at the Hacienda that night. The table was set up beautifully in the dining room (consisting entirely of Incan walls), and we enjoyed an incredible candlelight dinner.
We started with locre de papa con queso y aguacate, a traditional Ecuadorian soup made of potatoes in a cheese broth, served with fresh avocado. Of all the times we had this soup in Ecuador, I’d say this was the best! For an entrée, my husband had a steak, which he specifically says was the “best steak he has ever had because it was charred on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and the flavor was amazing. I had a pasta that I really like. It had a tomato sauce but was flavored just right with some olives and other ingredients. For dessert, I had stewed babaco, which is a large fruit that resembles a star fruit. I had had this earlier on the trip and was familiar with the taste and texuture, and the babaco dessert was just perfect! My husband had a chocolate mousse, and again, he says it is the best mousse he’s ever had. The whole time we ate, there was a waiter standing in the corner, tending to our every need and fussing over us. He did not speak English but we had no problems communicating. When dinner was over, we tipped him, and I think it took him by surprise!
Breakfast was once again, an amazing feast. We started out with a table full of cheeses, jams, jellies, honey, maple syrup, fruits, muesli, other cereal, yogurt, and more. We were served a pitcher full of fresh-squeezed juice (resembled kiwi juice but an unidentifiable fruit!), and then offered eggs – but of course we had gorged ourselves on so much breakfast already!
~ ~ Activities ~ ~
The Hacienda San Agustin de Callo is in the foothills of the Cotopaxi Volcano. So of course, this is an option for a day trip. The Hacienda arranged transportation for us, and one full day of visiting the volcano was $50. Our guide was really great, even though he couldn't speak English! I recommend bringing some basic Spanish guides - essential words and phrases would suffice. We were driven up to the volcano, where we hiked to the glacier (15,000+), and then to the refuge on the volcano. Afterwards, we stopped for lunch down by a lagoon, but passed up on a museum. The Hacienda packed us an enormous lunch, which we sat on the paramo eating - while llamas walked around! We ended up hiring the same guide to take us to our next destination (blacksheepinn.com).
There are lots of activities actually included in the price of the stay, including horseback riding, trekking, biking, and other tours like markets. The Hacienda is actually right by a rose farm, and although we didn’t take a tour, you can go take a tour of the sprawling greenhouses. We did not have time for any of the included tours, but I wished we had! Be sure to check out their website, which lists activities offered.
~ ~ Other Thoughts ~ ~
As soon as we arrived at the Hacienda, we were served candelazo, which is an incredibly delicious drink. It is a sweet drink, served hot. It is made of a fruit juice and spiced with cinnamon, with alcohol added (depending on your preference).
The grounds of the Hacienda San Agustin de Callo are gorgeous. We took lots of photos, everything from the enormous calla lilies growing outside our room to the view of Cotopaxi. There are several dogs that run around (including two St. Bernards and the cutest little mutt named “Mapingo”, who curled up on our couch).
In the “backyard” of the Hacienda, there is a fountain, sitting areas with benches, gardens, pastures with llamas, a little pond with ducks, and other animals. They were all really photogenic and added to the allure and atmosphere of the Hacienda. Sometimes I felt like we were in some little villa somewhere in France.
Keep in mind, that much like the rest of more rural Ecuador, people do not really speak English. Our host, Alejandro, spoke English, and we also met the owner, who of course is bilingual. But the servers and other staff at the hacienda did not speak English. (This only became an issue when we were checking out, and there was a language barrier in trying to explain the various costs associated with the room, and we had already sent a deposit in the form of a check about a month prior.) I was really glad I had brought some Spanish phrase books, because we definitely needed them. Just try to have a basic grasp of Spanish – numbers, crucial words, etc.
Bring your checkbook!!. I gave a deposit before going, but you also pay by check. No credit cards! I’m glad I brought my checkbook; otherwise I don’t know what we would have done! Alejandro, our English-speaking host, was not there, so if you pre-pay, you may want to bring a record of it with you (as I would recommend throughout your travels – this wasn’t the first or last time we needed our records).
The city of Quito is almost 10,000’ in elevation, and the Hacienda is even higher. I believe the base of Cotopaxi is about 12,000’. We definitely had altitude sickness. My husband had awful headaches, and I was feeling short of breath. Supposedly the standard acclimatization period is about four days. We went from the Galapagos on Sunday to Cotopaxi on Monday at 9am, which wasn’t the best thing to do. Although we were fine relaxing at the Hacienda, keep this in mind if you are planning to hike Cotopaxi. We brought zinc, which is supposed to help with altitude sickness. I guess you can also get a prescription for some kind of pills. We also drank coca tea, but neither the zinc or the tea helped.
~ ~ Overall ~ ~
The Hacienda San Agustin de Callo was expensive, but worth it. The atmosphere is really warm, and I felt very comfortable and at home. The service was wonderful, and we were very pampered. We had, unfortunately, booked only one night’s stay, and I would like to visit the Hacienda one day again. It is a beautiful retreat and I highly recommend it.
I have lots of pictures from my trip. If you are interested, please feel free to e-mail me, I would be glad to share my photos or answer any questions! (EpinionsJavelina@Hotmail.com - please put “Ecuador” somewhere in the subject line so your e-mail doesn’t get mixed with junk mail!)
Hacienda San Agustin de Callo: http://www.incahacienda.com/
Thanks to cr01 for adding this destination to Epinions!
My Ecuador reviews:
Quito, Ecuador
Hotel Colon Guayaquil
Hotel Hilton Colon, Quito, Ecuador
Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve
Black Sheep Inn, Chugchilan, Ecuador
Galapagos Islands
Lindblad Expeditions (to the Galapagos)
TAME (the airline of Ecuador)
Other helpful links:
Lonely Planet: http://www.lonelyplanet.com (check out the ThornTree Forums)
Fodors: http://www.fodors.com (also has a “talk” forum)
Recommended:
Yes
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