Darn Good Digs Review - Editors' Choice

le Rendez-Vous, Vilcabamba, Ecuador
Nominated By: Audrey at Uncornered Market, August '10

Price Range: US$9-$16 (per person including breakfast) # of Rooms: 14 Kid-Friendly: yes

What makes le Rendez-Vous so Darn Good? This peaceful and relaxing hostal is meticulously cared for by its French owners. Several rooms surround a tropical garden with views of the red rocks and mountains in the distance, and all rooms have small patios with a table, chairs, and hammock, perfect for reading and writing. We planned to stay three days and had to pull ourselves away after a week.

Location: The hostal is on a quiet street just a few blocks from the main square of Vilcabamba, a small town in southern Ecuador. Situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by the Andes Mountains, Vilcabamba is well-worth a visit before heading south to Peru or further north through Ecuador. The town lures visitors with spas, restaurants, and handicraft shops, and the surrounding countryside offers plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The nearby Podocarpus National Park, home to one of the largest concentrations of bird species in Ecuador, is a popular daytrip.

Rooms: The fourteen rooms are simply designed, but well outfitted with new mattresses, European-style sheets, great showers with plenty of hot water, and thick towels. The hotel’s garden, planted with banana and avocado trees, sugarcane, ferns, and tropical flowers, is lovingly cared for by the owners.

Food: Breakfast includes freshly baked bread with homemade jams, eggs, fruit salad, and good, strong coffee. Also, Vilcabamba has plenty of restaurants for other meals, so eating out or picking up take-out to eat on your patio are easy options.

Vibe: The hostal is a perfect place to chill-out and recharge your batteries.

Keep in Mind: For an added daily fee, guests can have access to WiFi.