I spent one night here in late November and felt that it was a great experience. I was traveling with a friend, and we were looking for a reasonable but safe, clean, and pleasant place to stay on Saturday after seeing the market. The staff held our bags for us until check-in time on Saturday and again while we hiked... more

In November 2008 we stayed in Hostel 'Dona Esther' in Otavalo for 8 nights and we have had a wonderfull time! Each time we entered the hostel after walking though the busy streets of Otavalo, we enjoyed drinking something in the beautiful little courdyard, where the atmosphere is quiet and relaxed. The food in the Mediterranean restaurant tastes great. We... more

A comfortable, classic colonial hotel in downtown Otavalo. A fairly good value, well attended. more

My family has stayed in this hotel three times over the last couple of years and we are headed back this July. (We love Ecuador!) Dona Esther is so charming... The inner courtyard is peaceful and inviting. The rooms are large and cheery with bright yellow bedding and spotless bathrooms. Great hot water all day with a wonderful shower...not always... more

Let me start by saying I understand hostals are very basic hotels and you trade off some hotel comforts for a better price. I also understand Dona Esther's intent on "rustic and historic". Finally, I am generally a pretty simple needs guy on my accommodations. That said, I was very unimpressed and only stayed one night of an expected 3-4... more

Beautiful quiet rooms, ours was spacious and simple, spotless. Wonderful staff, run by a young Dutch couple, great pizzas at their restaurant. Great breakfasts, not sure if included in the price. We found the staff exceptionally friendly and helpfull. Very close to the market and beautiful church around the corner. Lovely view from roof terraces. There are interior stairs to... more

We really enjoyed our stay here and ended up staying several days longer than we had planned. The room was spacious, clean, had a view from the balcony, and was above all quiet. I hadn't expected that in such a busy and noisy town. The staff weren't always as helpful or as friendly as i would have liked and the... more

My family used to live in Otavalo and when I and my wife were planning our visit I knew I wanted to stay near the main square. I have to say that everything about Dona Esther was great. The hotel itself is very nice and the courtyard, though small, offers a quiet contrast to the bustle of the town. Our... more

We stayed only one night so that we would be here early for the markets. Room and hotel were okay, but food was only so so in the resturant. I thought the whole market scene was overrated. I have certainly been to better ones. The town does not seem to have enough bars and resturants. We could not find a... more