Hacienda la Cienega

I feel badly giving a terrible review, but the 2 nights we spent here were uncomfortable and unpleasant. The building - a sprawling place - is 300 years old and has been a hotel for over 30 years. There is very poor heating: the rooms and dining area are cold. There was a small electric heater in our room, with helped a little. Luckily, we are OK with cooler temperatures than most people, but I'm sure most people would find their room, the dining area and other parts of this hotel too cold. There are fireplaces in the rooms, which we didn't use, and might have helped at least a little. Hot water was a problem: it took over 15 minutes (I noted this on my watch) to get hot water in the shower at night, and then it could not be regulated, so the water went between scalding and icy. In the mornings, after letting the water run for over a half hour, it wasn't the least bit less cold than when we turned the hot water on over a half hour earlier. The decor in our room was mostly junky old crap, which I suppose was supposed to pass as antiques and 'period pieces.' The long hallways were decorated with the same crap. The breakfast was very basic, limited choices, and the same on both mornings we were there. The rolls - shaped like croissants, but tasted nothing like a croissant, were cold and sort of damp. Bread was served in a basket and was a bit stale. Dinner had limited options, the same choices both nighta, and was, at best, passable. One evening I ordered grilled chicken in a mushroom cognac sauce, which had no cognac, and was barely warm. There were no service beyond the basic. While the beds were made and towels changed, there was no one to help bring luggage to or from your room. The front desk person was friendly and ignored any request we made with a smile. This was the first hotel we stayed at outside of Quito and have since stayed in a few other hotel in Ecuador, all of which were far better in every way than this place. I would absolutely not stay here. In fact, if you are - as most people - traveling around Ecuador with a driver and guide, and the travel agency you are working with wants to book you a room at this place, I would not only decline their suggestion, but carefully scrutinize any other recommendations they make. I read some of the positive reviews for this place and wonder how anyone could really feel positive about it.

Arriving at the Hacienda de Ceirnegia and driving down the tree lined drive was like stepping back in time. This gorgeous hotel has been lovingly restored and offers guests a real treat of staying somewhere beautifully ornate but with all the modern luxuries. From relaxing in the stunning gardens to playing cards in front of an open fire in the Salon de Cotopaxi, out visit was amazing. The food delicious and the restaurant offers local delicacies and a scrumptious breakfast. The service is delightful and staff very accommodating.

This is painful for me to write because while I loved the hotel itself, these horses (I assume they are decorative to spruce up the dramatic entrance to the property) are suffering. They are tied to trees and in the 4 days we stayed, they never moved location. My sister in law stayed the week before, noticed the same thing and asked if she could pet them. We both asked to whom the horses belong and were told "we don't know, they do not belong to us". If this is true, it doesn't make sense because clearly they are on the property 24 hours per day. One horse had wrapped himself around a tree and was unable to move at all. I untangled him. This picture (attached) is of the female horse with her foal. She is clearly starving and was tied to a tree unable to access fresh grass (again, she did not move locations in the 4 days we stayed). I am not sure if her foal is nursing, but it never left her side. I can only assume these horses are meant to add to the beauty of the property, but please help me remedy this. Again, I spoke with management and voiced my concerns, but this might take some additional pressure as he did not seem to even know who the horses belonged to. Although I'm sure someone must, as the property clearly belongs to La Cienega. The hotel is lovely and every single member of the staff is top-notch. Sadly, all I took away was the feeling that these animals were suffering in order to make our experience more beautiful.

If you wish to experience what it may have been like long ago for the wealthy, this hotel will give you an amazing glimpse. The room is lovely, the shower enormous, and the grounds were beautiful. The authentic decor with modern comforts was splendid. Honestly, stay at a chain hotel anywhere else, why come to the Andes for that? Highly recommend for the traveler who wants that genuine acquaintance with history.

We spent one night here while working our way down to Cuenca. It recaptures a bygone era with its lovely rooms, excellent service, circuitous hardwood halls, pretty central garden, and great service. I would definitely return.