Hostal Casa Valladolid

This is a small, spotlessly clean and very comfortable guest house in the La Floresta suburb of Quito. It was the childhood home of Mercedes, the owner and host, and she still lives there. She has done an imaginative conversion of the garage to make the guest accommodation. There are a couple of rooms at street level, together with a sofa and some small tables and chairs. There are more rooms downstairs and a cosy sitting area. I had a real awareness of being in someone's home. Mercedes is quiet, friendly and hospitable. She offered us a cup of herbal tea in the evening. Breakfast was aimed at the US market - including pots of sweetened fruit yogurt. I would have preferred something a little more Ecuadorean, but maybe, sadly, this is how the world is going. Whether you are staying for just a night or perhaps a month or more, this is a home away from home.