With sincere gratitude we review the apartment at Otorongo Apartments, the home of Xavier, Samara, and their son and daughter. Our adventure began with an arranged pickup at Guayaquil airport with Samara. It was a spectacular drive through the Cajas National Park. Check in was a breeze. Our apartment had two bedrooms and a private bath with plenty of closet and storage space. The kitchen was equipped with a full size fridge, blender, toaster oven and stove top range. We were on the second level overlooking the magnificent courtyard full of lush flowers and native plants. Looking out of the bedroom windows we could see and hear the Tomebamba River below. Adjacent to the courtyard is a common area by the river with hammocks, chairs and table. A perfect place to relax and enjoy nature. Another common area is the library, which is where we enjoyed a delicious optional breakfast. We were treated to strong Ecuadorian coffee, warm milk, eggs, rolls, fresh passion fruit juice and homemade plantain fritters, served by a delightful member of the staff Angelita. We booked a spectacular full day tour with Xavier and Samara’s daughter, who was on vacation from university. The tour included the archeological site, Ingapirca, where she served as our English interpreter for an informative guided tour of the Canari and Incan ruins. On the trip back to Cuenca was, she took us to a Mercado in Gualaceo for lunch, popular with locals. The next stop was in Chordeley, a town known for shops featuring gold and silver filigree. Our final stop on the way to Cuenca was at the Casa Museo de la Makana, where we had a private tour of the production of hand dyed shawls, scarves, shoes and handbags (plants and insects provide the colors). Do not miss this if the opportunity permits! Xavier and Samara provided concierge-level assistance with suggestions for dining, sightseeing, and taxi arrangements (no Uber in Cuenca yet). With our limited Spanish, this was a huge plus. The apartments are a great value and are very secure with locked gates around the property and an overnight guard. We enjoyed the vegan restaurant next door, Fratelli, and the lovely Magnolia Cafe across the river (see our review). Come stay here and tell your friends and family about this special place. …
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.