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The Galapagos Islands nicknamed the "Enchanted Islands" and described as the "Last Paradise on Earth" is a truly memorable experience. The Pikaia Lodge concept is a luxury land based eco-adventure with the highest level of comfort and services. We offer an experience like no other, in a place like no other, where the guest will encounter some truly fascinating unforgettable moments. Designed for the physically active adventure traveler, who seek close contact with the incredible wildlife, stunning views and the overall beauty that surrounds the Galapagos Islands. At Pikaia Lodge we offer 3-7 night packages, which are ALL inclusive. Complemented by our very own land and marine explorations aboard our exclusive private yacht.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Modern
Family
Location
Km. 13 Via El Camote A 100 M de Cerro Mesa, 200350 Ecuador
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We stayed 6 nights at Pikaia Lodge in the island of Santa Cruz, Galapagos, Ecuador in May 2024. It is hard to put in writing this wonderful experience because you don’t find a service so close to perfection when you travel abroad. Norman, the manager, personally greets you on arrival and every time you return from a trip. The premises are immaculate and the resort itself is brand new. From the infinity pool overseeing a mix of brushes and tropical forest all the way to the sea, suited for a beer after you return from one of the many excursion which are tailored to your likeness and planned beforehand, to the jacuzzi and spa with massage service, everything is new and well maintained. The gym is small and can be upgraded, although you don’t really have much time for it. Special mention deserves the service. The resort is well staffed 24/7 and fast to help you always with a smile and ready to answer questions about the islands. They tend to your room twice a day. Diego the bartender, is ready to fix you a cocktail in the evenings by the fire pit. They have many excursions, by sea and land and they cruise you along the islands in a 115 feet yacht where a you have a full cabin to shower and relax before the a la carte breakfast and lunch. The food is very elaborated and plenty, a mix of international and local cuisine. For those of you who enjoy sport fishing, the place is one the best for the striped marlin although there are blue and black marlins as well. We went on a a trip with a group of close friends and got 3 striped marlins, mine weighting 350 pounds. This could not have been any funnier. If you decide to fish for marlins, you must request the services of Moab, an experienced fisherman and I advice to plan ahead because he may be booked already. We also got a couple of mahis that we took back to the resort and were served to us for dinner. For the rest of excursions I suggest to ask for Mario or Javier (Javy) as guides. They are born and rise from Galapagos, knowledgeable and experienced. There is only one way to rate Kapaia Lodge and it is a five plus.
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Date of stay: May 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Avoid months of June, August
Use sun blockers
Bring comfortable walking shoes, Sun glasses, cameras
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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The hotel is perfect. It offers all the necessary comfort, excellent service, attentive reception, careful, attentive, friendly, very responsible, impeccable services. The accommodation is complete, the room has closet, bath with view and separate from the shower, double cubes, balcony, living room, with all comfort. On arrival, there were fruit, tea, coffee and a typical drink along with the loving welcome card. Beautiful works of art, which interpret the special place where the hotel is located. The restaurant is excellent, a wonderful menu, unparalleled service. The bar offers besides drinks, snacks. The pool is large and with a stunning view. The spa complements the harmonious stay. There's a small shop. Drinking water at will. Thermal bottle and backpack included. The tours are with total safety, the guides are very experienced, polyglot, and the guest has a private yacht, cabins suites with shower, air conditioning, high quality restaurant, jacuzzi and all the necessary equipment to carry out the excursions in the sea. Ideally stay for a week.
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Automatically translated
Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:O ideal é uma hospedagem de uma semana, para ter tempo de fazer os passeios e descansar.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I stayed with Pikaia Lodge for the 7 night package to celebrate our honeymoon and I cannot recommend it highly enough! Everyone at Pikaia made this a once in a lifetime trip and we cannot thank them enough for everything.
Every single member of the staff was welcome, accommodating, friendly, and we had a lot of fun getting to know them. The hospitality staff, including general manager, Norman, and Cindy and Angelica kept us on schedule and were so helpful when we wanted to schedule additional activities, like a bike ride to the beach and additional time in town.
The food at the restaurant was great (the dinner menu rotated every two nights so that we never got tired of the selection) and Jaime, who ran the front of house, had wonderful recommendations for wine pairings for all of the meals. We had a lot of fun getting to know Marco who ran the bar and was experimenting with new cocktails for their upcoming cocktail menu (to be unveiled soon). We were also surprised with a delicious chocolate cake and sparkling wine to celebrate our honeymoon, and it was such a special addition to an already incredible stay.
Our excursions were phenomenal, we saw amazing landscapes and so much wildlife. Both guides, Xavier and Mario, were fun, engaging, and knowledgeable. We were lucky enough to meet the owner, Herbert (who was a delight to talk to and had amazing stories of his travel around the world), while he happened to be there. He said that Pikaia only hires the best of the best, and I can confirm that they were some of the best guides we've ever had across our travels.
The Pikaia vision was a gorgeous yacht with individual cabins for cleaning up and resting after the water and land based excursions and the food on board exceeded our expectations (Chef Matteo was wonderful and also a really nice guy!).
I could go on and on, but overall this was an unparalleled experience in the most incredible destination. I will be wholehearted recommending Pikaia to friends and family looking to travel to the Galapagos, thank you all again for an amazing experience!
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our family of four, including two teenagers (18 and 14), recently spent five nights at Pikaia Lodge, and, upon reflection, we all concluded that it was the best all-around vacation that we have taken to date, topping our trips to Costa Rica, Iceland and various parts of Europe. The lodge itself is stunning, and the service simply amazing, from the seamless pick up at the airport to the spa treatments. We notified the Pikaia staff of certain food allergies prior to arrival, and the team was all over it. Moreover, the active excursions are thoughtfully designed, with a mix of land/water experiences, and are really spectacular (kayaking with sea turtles, snorkelling with sharks, exploring lava tunnels, just to name a few). Special thanks to Cindy, who was managing the property during our stay, and Xavi, our naturalist guide who the kids proclaimed was a total rock star in terms of his knowledge and overall abilities.
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Date of stay: June 2024
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Excelent place to stay for unwinding with great views, good food, and close to nature . The Rooms are private, individual views,and each with pleanty of room and original designs. The view is great in the day for you can see 4 to 6 islands and the night lighting makes the place real intimate.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:never overcrowded if you want peace and quiet. Very exclusive. They cater very well to your...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This experience was a dream come true. The location is truly fantastic, and the staff takes care of everything so you can focus on your Galapagos adventures. Special thank you to Anji, Christopher, Jonathan, Mateo, and Daniel to name a few. Oh, and our incredibly knowledgeable (and hilarious) guide Luis! From the moment we arrived at the airport to the dining experiences to the excursions to the beautiful and comfy rooms, you cannot beat Pikaia Lodge. I wish I had six stars to give.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Their wetsuits are awesome so don't waste space packing your own lol
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent a week during New Year's. The property is located on at the top of the mountain on a tortoise reserve. The rooms are spacious and modern in design. The food was unbelievable, and the chef was beyond accommodating to the dietary needs of everyone in my family. He even gave out his cazuela recipe to my wife which we were addicted to the entire week. We loved that we had the option of an Ecuadorian dish at every meal, and we tried all sorts of new things. We had Heidy as our server for most of the week, and she was always so cheerful, attentive, and over all so sweet. All the staff that work in the dining area had all the above qualities. The front staff people were equally as attentive and kind, especially Christopher. The yacht crew was also the same- doing whatever was needed to make you comfortable. The excursions on the yacht were phenomenal, and we loved the snorkeling and the topography that changed daily. The only down side is that there is a lot of transit time-- 40 minutes each way to the canal, taking the zodiac to the yacht, then sailing to the destination. My only issue with our entire week is that we went scuba diving one day, and the resort stated they would take care of it. The online price from the diving shop was half of what I was charged so I was upset about that after spending so much to stay there. They did give me some of the money back (not all) so I did appreciate that, just didn't seem right. We have told everyone about our amazing experience and showed tons of pictures. It is a bucket list type of place.
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Date of stay: December 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andrew Balfour, General Manager at Pikaia Lodge
Responded 26 Jan 2022
Dear Jdsilv97 Thank you very much for this great review! Not only Heidy, Chris and Cristian (Executive Chef) but the whole Pikaia Lodge team was more than happy to host and attend you. We hope other families can find motivation from your description and can have this Galapagos experience as you have. We regret you went through the experience with the diving, no apologies or refunds whatsoever will ever make over for the mistakes. We have surely learned from it, and now have the commitment not to let it happen again. Truly hoping that your path brings you back, I bid you a farewell.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Beautiful location, attentive staff, phenomenal food and drinks. The day trips aboard Pikaia I (we had one hike and one snorkel each day) gave us closer encounters with sea lions, iguanas, penguins, sharks, and birds than we had anticipated. The lodge managers helped us coordinate our dive days with Scuba Iguana and seemlessly rolled with our occasional change of plans. The naturalists employed by Pikaia who accompanied us on each excursion (as they must in the Galapagos) were interesting, engaging, and fun. We were two families traveling together with kids ages 8 through 14 and each staff member was as attentive to the children as they were to us adults, always going the extra mile when they could to ensure everyone was getting something out of each excursion, adventure, meal, and day. This level of luxury is not common for our family vacations and we enjoyed each moment and every penny was worth staying here and experiencing the Galapagos Islands with their staff. The only negative point was the necessary time spent traveling from the lodge each morning to the marina (either 30 or 50 minutes depending which marina). But this is a pretty light negative - the journeys on the bumpy roads allowed us to learn more about the naturalists with us for the day as well as more about the Galapagos in general.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:This place is so small that there is no such thing as a bad room!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our family of 2 daughters. husbands and 4 teenage grandsons stayed at this lovely resort. Everyone enjoyed the trips that were very active and full days. The days included viewing the huge, old tortoises, snorkeling with hammerhead sharks, watching the blue footed boobies nesting and general nature walks.
The lodge itself is spectacular with outstanding accommodations, extremely good and varied food and, perhaps, the most helpful and knowledgeable hotel staff I have ever seen. One son-in-law commented that it felt like an Aman Resort.
Likes: accommodations, food, tours and staff
Dislikes: weather all week in late June was cloudy with rain and cool every morning, road into Lodge was unpaved and very bumpy
Good to know: the Lodge is a difficult place to get to but we’ll worth it when you arrive
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andrew Balfour, General Manager at Pikaia Lodge
Responded 9 Sept 2021
Dear jaylytle Many thanks for taking the time to write your review. I will share with our team, they are really a special group of people. June through mid October is usually our cooler season, and it does get overcast with occasional blue skies. Luckily the experience with wildlife is just as good if not better in some cases. Underwater life is at the most active with the Humboldt current bringing reach nutrients that feed all kinds of species. Good news regarding the access road to the property, after many years of waiting IT HAS BEEN PAVED.. Yes, I put this in capital letters, can’t hold the excitement. Pikaia is always her for you, we hope you return. Kind regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I would rate the staff, service, food views, rooms as 6*. It really is a special property with great people; the chef is remarkable. nothing is too much.
The dedicated boat is fabulous, again staff are great.
Be aware that the lodge is a fair bus ride (45 mins) away and that can make the days feel rather long. The tranquility of the lodge does make up for it though. If I were trying to find an area for improvement its that the trip schedule seemed rather rigid. I would've skipped the tortoise farm for another Dayton the boat - I suspect that's because of the small number of guests but I prefer more flexibility and don't really like to be scheduled. Also helpful for the schedule to tell you what to wear.
But this shouldn't detract from a truly remarkable trip. thank you to the staff in particular.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:If you go for the pool suite (fabulous) make sur the pool is properly heated otherwise its not...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Andrew Balfour, General Manager at Pikaia Lodge
Responded 9 Sept 2021
Dear DavidhJ819KU Many thanks for your comment and for your wonderful rating of our staff, service food and room. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your stay at Pikaia Lodge. Regarding your comment about flexibility, we will take this in mind and find ways to improve. I will share your thanks with our great staff. Kind regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Washington DC, District of Columbia14 contributions2 helpful votes
We cruised 1/2 day to Bartolome & Sullivan Bay, hiked and did some scuba diving on our yacht day. We were 10 guests (8 adults & 2 kids).
Among the crew were 2 servers and a cook that I could see. While wondering around the I happen into the captains control room. Three men were part of the navigation team there. When we anchored to snorkel 3 men helped us suit up, one guy drove us to the cove on a smaller boat accompanied by our guide.
It felt well supported. There may have been more crew behind the scenes. What I mentioned is what I saw, specific crew numbers were not made known. Hope this is helpful.
There are more places to choose from in the Santa Cruz area.
LOCATION
EcuadorGalapagos IslandsSanta Cruz
NUMBER OF ROOMS
14
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