Hotel del Parque

What an unexpected surprise it was to discover a Relais and Chateaux property in gritty, industrialized Guayaquil! It is by far the most expensive hotel in the city, but after experiencing the sumptuous accommodations, fine dining, serene setting, and gracious hospitality firsthand, the rates are certainly justified. The hotel’s location is both its strong suit and its drawback. It is just fifteen minutes from the airport, which is super convenient for the majority of guests who are just using Guayaquil as a jumping-off point to the Galapagos. It’s a 20-minute taxi ride from the city, in a suburb called Samborondon, so it is quiet and safe. The hotel is promoted as being situated inside Parque Colonial, but as a park or a public garden…it is bleak and rundown. There are few flowers in bloom, the greenery is overgrown, and the paths are in need of repair. There are some dusty old buildings with creepy mannequins inside attempting to recreate colonial times, but it’s crudely executed. We didn’t bother going into the zoo, as from what we could see through the trees, it too has been neglected. There is a boardwalk out to a dock from which you can take a river tour, but the water is so polluted I just didn’t see the appeal. Adjacent to that is a small bar/cafe, and the fantastic restaurant Casa Julian sits in between the hotel and the dock. Unlike its surroundings, the hotel itself is bright and sparkling. Although the facade is unadorned the interior is elegant and thoughtfully appointed. A bellman greeted us at the taxi to take our luggage and escort us to the front desk. We were offered cold scented towels and a little refreshing glass of apple iced tea. Although it was only noon, our room was ready and we were allowed to check in early. We expected the room to be very nice, but we did not expect it to be so huge—and with 12-foot ceilings! There was a comfortable seating area with desk, couch, arm chairs, side table, and television; this area was separated from the bedroom area by a large folding screen. The cloud-like king-sized bed was flanked by nightstands and two sets of reading lights. There was another television in that area as well. The large, marble-clad bathroom was bright and clean, with an ample supply of plush towels, and an impressive variety of toiletries. I was surprised, however, to see house-brand toiletries instead of L’Occitane, Hermes, Bvlgari, etc. Also surprising was the sizing of the bathrobes provided. Even though the tags were marked “L”, they fit like “XS”—so tight and barely able to close. It was odd… We appreciated the welcome amenity of sparkling lemon soda and Pacari chocolates. After settling into our room, we placed a room service order for a club sandwich and green salad, and both were delicious. We wandered around the park for an hour or so and then made use of the airy gym with its treadmill, cross trainer, and universal machine. I had made an advance dinner reservation at Casa Julian. We made an effor

What a pleasant Thanksgiving break we had at Hotel del Parque! Location was convenient and safe, and if you are traveling with kids, they will love it here. There’s a small zoo attached to it and fun activities on the weekends to keep them entertained. There’s also a high end restaurant (Casa Julián) next to the hotel with amazing food at reasonable prices where you can enjoy outdoor dining while seeing the sunset. My favorite part of the day was the breakfast buffet and its variety. The rooms were so spacious and comfortable, classy but with a modern touch. They service the rooms twice a day, and always leave a yummy treat. Their gym is great and we used it often. The lounge room was my favorite room, very elegant and a great place to read a book. We stayed 4 nights and it wasn’t enough. Can’t wait to come back for a longer stay at Hotel del Parque!

The Hotel del Parque is a wonderful hotel with very friendly staff and nice accommodations. The hotel is within an early 1900s building remodeled to have modern amenities. It is located within a botanical park and has a delicious restaurant nearby. Additionally my wife and I wanted to see some of the sites in the city of Guayaquil. The front desk staff recommended local guide Francisco Gálvez, his company is ProTrip. Our 3 hour tour of Guayaquil was Absolutely Fantastic. He knew all the local history, the animals, plants, the people and much more that only a local can provide. I would highly recommend Francisco as a guide. He also does tours outside of the city. Will definitely do another tour with him the next time we are in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

We did a city tour of Guayaquil with Protrip-Francisco today and have to say it was wonderful. From the start we liked Francisco as he gas a friendly positive manner and made us feel immediately welcome and at ease. He is very knowledgeable about the history of the area and of Equador, including the flora and fauna, the people and food. We learned so much from him and are very glad we chose to go on the tour with him. We would definitely recommend him as a top-rate guide.

Hotel was wonderful and especially the service! Catherine connected us with Francisco Galvez, from Protrip, and he took us on a delightful tour of the city! We visited and fed the iguanas at Iguana Park, ate local delicacies, learned about the people and history of Quayaquil and Ecuador and also about the amazing plant life there! Also learned about the hand woven Ecuadorian (Panama) hats and got one! Francisco was incredibly knowledgeable and personable. Highly recommend!

My wife and I recently stayed at the Hotel del Parque both before and after a trip to the Galapagos. Our flight back to Miami was suddenly canceled due to severe weather and it looked like it would be several days before we could get a flight home. The front desk staff, Genesis and Katherine, provided immediate assistance and got us a flight back to the States. Genesis, you have such a positive attitude, and both you and Katherine are wonderful assets to the hotel. THANK YOU! And, the hotel is lovely.

Nice elegant hotel with extremely helpful staff. We received an email at 3 o’clock in the morning that our flight had suddenly been canceled the next morning. Genesis the front desk clerk spent over an hour with me at 3 o’clock in the morning finding another flight for not only my wife and me but for several additional couples who were traveling with us. Genesis should be commended and rewarded for her amazing customer service. The food at the main restaurant was delicious, interesting, and creatively presented. The park that surrounded the hotel, however, was shabby and poorly maintained. I do not believe the park was part of the hotel proper.

Beautiful hotel! We stayed there one night before our trip to the Galapagos and then one after our return. The staff was so friendly. The room was huge and the bathroom was even larger. We felt perfectly safe walking around the hotel in the park.

It was an incredible property and the rooms were spectacular, very good service from everybody there. I would recommend 100 percent to anybody looking for a cool place to stay in Guayaquil or the n their way to the Galapagos