After travelling all day, our family stepped over the threshold of this home and stopped dead in our tracks. All we kept saying was "wow" - from one room to another. Wow. This is a breathtakingly beautiful home in an equally beautiful setting. It is well furnished and fully appointed with the comforts of home - and then some. It is warm and welcoming - just like our hosts, Janine and David.
This is an ideal destination for those who are looking for a destination - not just some place to hang a hat and spend their energies elsewhere. You come, you stay, you walk, hike, gaze, explore, rest, restore, inhale, and exhale. When we felt like exploring, we hired a helpful driver who took us to neighbouring towns and sites. We were able to create a lovely balance of doing, seeing, enjoying and resting. We explored the market in nearby Otavalo - a must; we shopped for beautiful leather goods in Cotacachi; we looked at wood working in San Antonio de Ibarra; we visited the condor sanctuary and toured a nearby rose plantation. On the property, we helped with tasks, hiked to a waterfall, and just enjoyed being.
The owners, Janine and David, were very responsive to what we needed (which was very little as they had thoughtfully furnished the home already). The property was beautifully kept - lovely gardens and lawns. Janine and David have a love of the land that comes across clearly.
If you're going, bring books, your camera, good walking shoes, and a range of clothes that allow you to layer-up in the evening, and dress lightly in the day. Evenings are cool (they were in March) so have warm slippers, jeans, and a sweater.
I had a hard time leaving, and hope to return!