We spent two nights in the village of Otavalo at Hostal Chasqui. Located just a short 6 block walk from the first bus stop after the entrance to Otavalo, the hostel is easy to get to. It would not be too difficult a walk from the Otavalo bus terminal as well, however if carrying luggage the taxi ride -at the time we visited – is US $1. Hostal Chasqui is located just slightly up the hill on Calle Piedrahita, which goes pretty much directly into the downtown plaza. 5-6 blocks directly down Calle Piedrahita and one block to the right and you arrive at the central plaza with the park and church.
Milton, who was on duty during our stay, was fabulous. Very informative and made everything easy. After being taken to our room we were given a tour of the hostel. He then provided us with a map which pointed out everything from the various market locations, to ATMs, groceries, various restaurants, and the big market days for Otavalo and Cotacachi.
Our room was located on a floor with a few others, with a shared patio overlooking the city. Each room had a window into the patio, and chairs outside the doors. The kitchen was rooftop with a nice view. One plus for Hostal Chasqui is the free use of a washing machine, with laundry detergent included. The location was good, price was US $12 per person per night, and our host was very accommodating. Room was clean, bathroom was functional with a shower set below the floor and curtain long enough to prevent a wet, slippery tile floor. The room had Cable TV, with lamps and tables on each side of the bed.
The only negative comments would be that the village itself, primarily of concrete construction and being in a valley is noisy. Certainly not the fault of the hostel, however the bathroom had a framed window opening with no window to close, therefore making it difficult to shut out the exterior noise of dogs barking, music playing, and traffic at all hours of the night. If others on the shared patio or at the kitchen are loud, the sound carries. We were unlucky enough to have some fellow loud guests on our last night, repeatedly waking us up into the early morning. Other than that, the pillow was a bit lumpy but better than most hostels we experienced in Ecuador. The bed was comfortable – room could get a bit cold, but plenty of blankets.
The hostel amenities were good, the staff (Milton) and service was great, and location is convenient with a nice view. Overall a positive experience. To read others reviews, see more pics or reserve a room:
Hostal Chasqui +59 362 923 199 or within the country (06)2923-199
Calle Piedrahita 141 y Guayaquil