In a tell-tale white chef's shirt, David Barriga is leading a group of journalists through the narrow streets of Quito's Old Town on a grocery shopping spree. At the first stop, just around the corner from Casa Gangotena, the hotel sous chef examines corn and beans brimming from plastic bags inside a cramped storefront. He sniffs bundles of dried herbs that hang from the walls and passes them around.
Next, at a nearby public market, Barriga picks through a carefully arranged display of native fruits: yellow granadillas, orange uvillas and red moras. He slices several pieces of fruit and hands them to others to smell and taste. On a more typical day, the personable chef would be collecting ingredients for the next gourmet meal he's preparing for guests of Casa Gangotena, the classy new boutique hotel on historical San Francisco Plaza.
This day Barriga is explaining how a luxury hotel has become an integral part of the city's oldest, most traditional neighborhood. "Buying produce from local shopkeepers is part of Casa Gangotena's mission to keep the Old Town a vibrant place attractive to both visitors and locals," Barriga said. "We believe we can serve the needs of luxury-minded guests and contribute to this community."
The three-story, 31-room Casa Gangotena, which opened last fall, has a rich history that is intertwined with Ecuador's capital city, which was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1978. Located on a cobblestone square dating back to the Incas, the hotel was home to a prominent family that included several Ecuadorean presidents during the 19th century. Rebuilt in the 1920s after a devastating fire, the mansion remained a residence until the early 2000s, when it was bought by a holding company that also owns Metropolitan Touring, a Quito-based tour operator.
Though Quito's historical area is among the best-preserved in South America -- with dozens of ornate churches, expansive squares, museums and artisan shops -- much of the tourist trade had moved north to the New Town where modern high-rise hotels were built. According to hotel General Manager Fernando Delgado, "The challenge was to offer visitors an attractive base from which to explore old Quito as well as a luxurious respite between more adventurous visits to the Galapagos, the Andes and the Amazon."
Casa Gangotena is beginning to do just that. Ecuadorean architect Pedro Jaramillo reconfigured the elegant mansion into a hotel without sacrificing its intimate, family-home feeling. Original moldings, tin ceilings, painted friezes and other art nouveau and art deco elements were retained and restored. Then they were co-mingling with antique furniture, Egyptian marble, ceiling murals, contemporary sofas and modern artwork.
When guests escape the traffic-clogged streets of the Old Town, they are welcomed by a hotel lobby that offers peace and calm. Bountiful light descends from the glass ceiling in the adjoining patio, which opens onto a private hotel garden with a tiered fountain. A ceiling mural by contemporary artist Lucia Falconi adorns the restaurant where Barriga and staff craft inventive local cuisine.
From the third-floor terrace guests can gape at the massive San Francisco Church, the city's signature architectural monument amid a wealth of others. The statue of the winged virgin of El Panecillo as well as the Pichincha Volcano, both of which overlook the city, are also visible on clear days. The terrace offers front-row seats to view traditional religious processions, including an Easter Sunday parade, in the plaza below.
Guestrooms are elegant, many with king-size beds. Tall windows welcome the Andean light and provide private but equally stunning views of the city and surrounding mountains. Bathrooms are expansive, with black-veined white Statuarietto marble, glass-enclosed showers and soaking tubs. Plush robes and slippers (necessary for the marble floors) add to the homey feeling.
To help guests acclimate to the city's altitude of 9,000-plus feet, special mineral water and assorted local fruits are provided. Turndown service includes a plate of sweets.
As inviting as the hotel is, Barriga and Delgado encourage guests to meet the hotel's neighbors by shopping nearby for local produce and artisan crafts and dining in the city's historical cafes. Curious to experience a limpia, or spiritual cleansing? A private visit can be arranged with Mama Rosa, a tiny, indigenous woman with a basket of magical herbs.
Active in the Heritage Guardian program that promotes neighborhood integration, the hotel introduces guests to locals so they can experience life in Quito, which means "navel of the world" in the native Quechua language.
Prices for rooms begin at $375; junior suites are $425; balcony junior suites are $480; plaza views are $480; and suites are $750. Prices include buffet breakfast and afternoon coffee or tea. Lunch is open to the public, but in the evening the dining room is reserved for guests only.
Visit www.casagangotena.com or contact Adventure Associates at (800) 527-2500 or www.adventure-associates.com.