I have visited Otavalo every year since the mid-90's & have found a true GEM of a hotel in the Hotel Ali Shungu. I do business in Otavalo & the location of the hotel is ideal for both visiting the famous Saturday market as well as the other shops in town during the rest of the week. It's an easy 3-4 block walk to the busy Plaza de Ponchos & yet when you return to the hotel, all is peaceful & quiet.
The rooms are a good value -- impeccably clean, comfortable beds, plenty of wool blankets, & even an electric heater on request. I believe ALL rooms look out over the gorgeous patio/gardens.
The service is friendly, helpful, & courteous. Most of the employees are Indigenous people & wear their native dress. Just ask at the reception & they will help you plan hikes & day trips, even rent a taxi for the day with the always-friendly Fabian.
The food in the gourmet restaurant canNOT be beat!! Last year I arrived in Otavalo ill, having picked up a parasite in India. Once the parasites were gone, I ate NOWHERE except the Ali Shungu. There is nowhere else you can be as certain of clean, well-prepared, delicious food & at a reasonable price. It's certainly possible to eat more cheaply in Otavalo, but do so AT YOUR OWN RISK!
My favorite time of day in Otavalo is late afternoon -- I return "home" to the Ali Shungu, choose a window table in the restaurant, order a cup of freshly brewed filter coffee & catch up with my emails at the free computer provided to guests. Birds are singing in the garden, trees & plants are soaking up the late afternoon sunshine, & all is well.
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