Quito: Day 1

Today was a much needed rest day after the whirlwind of Colombia. We caught up on admin, organized the next few days in Quito, and recharged. Our hostel room is big which is a nice change.
We went out for dinner at Cafe San Blas for some Italian food (and because it was one of a few nearby options). The Tex Mex pizza and chicken lasagna were tasty but when we paid the old woman wouldn't take the first $20 I gave her because a teensy rip in a corner. So annoying.
We got back to the hostel and went to pay for the two nights we've booked at Vibes Aurik. We got to chatting with the owner/manager and he's a decent guy. It seems business is pretty slow for him through no fault of his, and the Secret Garden was pretty packed and a bit overwhelming when we stopped by, so we've decided to stay at Vibes for the next few days before the Galapagos instead of moving like we were discussing earlier in the day.
Tomorrow the Quito exploration begins!

Vibes Aurik
9/10
Facilities: 😀
Comfort: 😀
Location: 😀
Cleanliness: 😀
Value for money: 😀
Staff: 😀

Summary: Huge rooms, great manager, ideal location, decent breakfast, excellent value for money (previously Quito Backpackers)

Good: Rooms. Our ”deluxe double room with balcony” was huge! After staying in some tiny rooms in Colombia, it was a luxury to have such space. Manager. The manager was great. We initially booked two nights knowing we’d arrive late from Colombia and not wanting to have to check out the next day. We actually considered moving round the corner to another, very well known, hostel since there didn’t seem to be anybody else staying. However, after chatting to the manager for about an hour when we went to pay, we decided to stay for the next three nights before our Galápagos trip. He told us more about the political situation and how it had impacted bookings. Breakfast. Decent breakfast with tea, fruit juice, eggs and bread. Location. Great location less than a 10-minute walk to the main plaza. Nearest supermarket is around a five-minute walk away.

Bad: The property could do with a refurbishment, but it sounds as though the manager has plenty of ideas for the place.Read more