The Secret Garden Quito
The Secret Garden is a friendly Australian / Ecuadorian / French family run hostel conveniently located in a quiet, authentic cobble-stone street in historical colonial Quito. The hostel is located in a building which is protected by a United Nations World Heritage listing. Also possible to work as a volunteer for food and lodging. The hostel offers several services:
Rooms
- Mixed dorms with 4-, 6- or 8-beds, twin rooms, double and triple rooms with shared or private bathroom, and quadruple rooms with shared bathroom.
Restaurant & Bar
- Breakfast and dinner (always a vegetarian option)
- Rooftop terrace with breathtaking views of the historical Old Town and open fire
- Free Wifi (till 6pm), drinking water, coffee and tea
Tours
- Plenty of information about Quito and Ecuador
- Free city maps and city tours
- Inhouse travel agent CarpeDM; a company committed to meeting the needs of the community, clients and business partners through innovative programs that enhance the delivery of quality adventure travel. They offer programs to Galápagos, Amazon, Climbing, Trekking, Biking and more...
Spanish classes
- Private theory classes and practical excursions
- Lessons of minimum 2 hours up to 40 hours or more.
The Secret Garden Cotopaxi
The Secret Garden Cotopaxi is an award winning traditional eco-friendly mountain lodge nestled in the high Ecuadorian Andes. Situated less than two hours from Quito, it is the ideal location for the adventure seekers, as well for the people who just want to relax and get away from it all.
Rooms
- Private Cabañas: these comfortable 2 level cabins offer private bathroom (and bath tub!), woodstove/fireplace and a spacious double bed on the second floor. For an extra charge it's possible to have a fold-out sofa bed or mattress on the floor (eg for children).
- The Hobbit Homes: buried into the side of the mountain overlooking the croquet lawn, our new Hobbit Homes stay warm & cozy at night and offer spectacular views. The bathrooms are close by and offer the best view from any shower or toilet in Ecuador. One extra fold-out bed possible for an additional charge.
- The Deluxe Dorm: a spacious, mixed dorm for eight guests with comfy beds, woodstove/fireplace and individual lockers.
- The Playhouse: a small wooden cabaña with shared bathroom. Even though it's small, it's got lots of character and a comfortable sleeping loft on the "second floor". Note, this option is not advisable for people taller than 175cm or 5.8 feet.
Included:
- Three meals a day! A complete breakfast, lunch and a two course dinner.
- Free tea, coffee and drinking water available throughout the day.
- Free guided two hour welcoming tour to beautiful waterfalls.
- Free maps & picnic lunches.
- Free afternoon snacks, as well as snacks brought along by guides on activities.
- Free access to the jacuzzi with panoramic views on the eight surrounding volcanoes.
Tours & activities
- Summit tours; walk up to one of the many permanent glaciers on Cotopaxi, the world's highest active volcano.
- Mountainbiking; enjoy the thrill of downhill mountain biking.
- Trekking; hike with an experienced guide on some of the beautiful and sometimes challenging high altitude mountain routes. Ideal preparation for those interested in climbing the summit of Cotopaxi.
- Walks; enter some remote and untouched canyons, creeks and elaborate cave systems.
- Horseback riding; enjoy the views from horseback as you ride across the high Andean plains.
Jobs
- You can work as a volunteer in both hostels and help out with reservations, in the restaurant, guided tours at the Cotopaxi hostel and other daily activities and tasks.
- You can work for food and lodging.
- Working period depends on mutual agreement.
- You can speak English; some Spanish is helpful.
- Send an email to hola@secretgardenquito.com with an introduction of yourself and ask for the possibilities.
Ecuador