Hacienda la Cienega

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.