I have stayed a couple of times in Alandaluz which offers Ecological and Organic Food, Fruit, Vegetables and Drinks. The place is very nice and the beach is very nice. If you want to see Natural Ecology this is the place to go visit. Nice for relaxing vacation, touring and enjoying!
People were friendly, the food was also fine, and the views too. At the other hand the room was certainly not worth 72 dollars. I have stayed in Banos in a place including tv for 4 dollars which were at least as good (but knows that the coast is more expensive through).
If you are passing by and you were not able to make a reservation to stay at this place you also have the option to stop by only to use their facilities and also have one of their amazing options for Lunch like the VIUDO very exotic and also you can enjoy the semi-private beach at this lodge.
The place is really nice, the cabanas are lovely, very rustic, and it has an eco feeling like no other. The service was really good, the pool was always clean, the food was awsome, the beach is pretty much private only for guests. You can camp there also and make a fire at the beach at night. Very romantic place!
Alandaluz was closed in march 2012 and has been re-opened in December 2012 under new management, it is now called CANTAELMAR. The restaurant is mostly vegetarian with some chicken/fish options. It is EXCELLANT! We have stayed there many times since 2010, just returned to the states and are already planning another 2 weeks for this july 2013. The cabins formally known as Santa Rosa have been bought by a family and is now called TRANQUILIDAD, they are managed by Cantaelmar, they have been screened and have MANY new improvements with more being done. The cabins are in their own section and it is very quiet yet only steps from the beach, pool or restaurant. I LOVED not having people crowed above, below or beside me. It was our own little hide-away. The grounds are lush, tropical and amazing! It is the PERFECT place for a romantic get-away or for some much needed relaxation. Massages can be arranged for you in the privacy of your room. There's also a cute little souvenier shop with a really neat little old man working it. Cantaelmar is the perfect distance from Montanita and Puerto Lopez, you can either use your owm vehicle or grab a bus in Peurto Rico right outside of Cantaelmar every 30 minutes. Cantaelmar DOES have a way to arrange snorkeling, whale watching, horseback riding, and surfing. The zip lines are gone. OR, you can make arrangements in the town of Puerto Lopez while walking around enjoying the many quaint shops and having a cerveza on the beach. The staff of Cantaelmar are very wonderful, accomedating and friendly, although limited in english, but i was able to muddle through with my VERY limited spanish and i'm sure i gave them plently of reason to laugh along with me at my attempts! haha! There is a guard at the gate and additional security being added. I felt very comfortable day and night. If you are looking for a Sandles Resort or the Hilton go somewhere else because there isn't a place ANY where in Ecuador that is like that. Enjoy Ecuador and it's people for who and what they are and you will will not be dissappointed! Ecuador is full of raw beauty & good people. and that my friends is what is most important in life.…
A few days ago (October 21, 2012), we passed by Alandaluz and the main gate was closed with a big sign 'Property for sale'. This was confirmed by someone in the nearby village. Please check before you go there! This used to be one of the best ecological hostals at the coast of Ecuador, but apparently it has gone down.
I have stayed here 3 times since 2007, usually in November, Dec. or January for 6-9 days. I love the small cottages, and the relaxed atmosphere. I read about the armed robbery, and I feel that is such a weird one-time situation that it certainly would not deter me from staying here again. No, there are no video cameras at Alandaluz, but then I doubt if there are any video cameras at most of the small accommodations along the coast. Around the Christmas season, it is very family-oriented and the hotel arranges activities for the guests. We made new Ecuadorian friends while staying there. The sad thing about Ayampe is the beach is being eaten up by the ocean and it gets closer to the resort each year. One big storm knocked out all the small palapas up and down the beach. Ayampe is not Montanita, thank goodness, and it's also not Puerto Lopez. It's a quiet, laid-back place where I have never felt afraid to walk any of the beaches, and even walk down to PizzArte at night. The restaurant creates wonderful local food. I loved their fresh fruit and vegetable dishes. Their use of composting toilets and sustainable bamboo is a great concept. I hope they can keep the place open. Sad if one reviewer's description of a robbery would keep others from enjoying a great spot, with pool and beach, it's own garden produce, and a sustainable concept. Note: Most beaches in Ecuador have trash on them. I know the resort worked hard to keep their section of beach clean, but some Ecuadorians do not grasp the concept of clean beaches, so it's a constant job. I loved my daily walks up and down the beach, and surfing.…
Great food, great weather, great rooms ! This was our 5th or 6th visit in the last 8 years. Always great. A must do for us each time we visit Ecuador. You can choose peace and quiet or go to Montanita (30 min away) and get crazy. Lots of wildlife in the area too. Dont use the zip lines; they aren't used much and have rust on the cables. Not sure why they added them, the resort doesn't need it.
We (self, wife, adult son) stayed here 5 nights beginning of Feb 2012. The buildings in bamboo are beautiful and the accommodation/ cabanas very nice. We used the swimming pool each day and of course it's right on the ocean. The staff were friendly and mostly tried to be helpful. The prices for accommodation and meals were quite reasonable (particularly for single occupancy). Having looked at some other places in Puerto Lopez and near Alandaluz, we'd say this was the best option overall. However there were some considerable problems. 1. Restaurant was the continuing problem. Food sometimes OK, sometimes not, choice for vegetarians very limited, and tendency to run out of things on the menu. Every 3 weeks a group of children stay Monday - Friday. They were no problem but naturally they were given priority in the restaurant and one could wait a long time for breakfast. On the other hand, finding somewhere with reasonable food at a reasonable price in Puerto |Lopez was not easy either. On our last night we came across the Russian Restaurant - on Juan Montalvo I think - recently started with excellent food. 2.We were unfortunate to coincide with the fiesta in the nearby village. For 3 nights loud music made sleeping difficult, up to 4 am. 3.Although the room was very nice, the open parts above the windows had no mosquito netting. There was netting round the bed and we didnt hear any mosquitos. The lighting was poor. 4.The pool didnt look well maintained. On our last day, without warning, it was closed "for maintenance". 5. Waves sometimes make it unsafe to swim in the ocean, even for very strong swimmers. 6. The trips shown on the website dont seem to be going.…
If you're looking for a break from everything in a little piece of paradise, then Alandaluz is for you. This ecolodge is built on the beach with great care taken to preserve the natural habitat of the area. The log cabanas are excellent quality for their price, and the cocktail Alandaluz is outstanding. The restaurant is simple with delicious food from their eco-farm. The lodge is located close to the national park and isla de la plata. Highly recommended for couples and families. It's about 15km from Puerto Lopez and a taxi costs 5$ (the bus 1$)
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