We spent a month here in November – December 2012 and had a wonderful stay.
This is the only place we’ve ever stayed where the description and the photos understated how nice the place is. It is located on the 7th floor of an 8-story building at the corner of Avenida Portugal and Eloy Alfaro and has a 270-degree view to the east, south, and west of Quito. The views are incredible.
The apartment is not where VRBO shows it to be; its location is much nicer. The lat/lon of 0d 10.88’ S x 78d 28.55’ W will show you the building on Google Earth.
The apartment is close to a large upscale supermarket (MegaMaxi) and a very upscale shopping mall (Quicentro). It’s a longer walk or a $2 cab ride to Mercado Iñaquito – a large local market with fruits, veggies, fish, and shellfish that, by themselves, make the trip to Ecuador worthwhile.
There are restaurants everywhere within walking distance. One of the very nicest, San Telmo, is next door. It’s expensive but really good. There are 4 Mexican restaurants close by as well as several local (and inexpensive) places. There are two good bakeries (Cyrano’s and Honey & Honey) very close. The Shorton Grill down by Plaza Chile is a good steak house.
A grassy green space is inside the secured area; it’s about 1/4 acre (~11,000 sq ft, ~1,000 sq m) and has flowers and gorgeous “palm” trees.
One of the main bus lines is at the bottom of the hill – maybe 400m. It runs a straight route north and south through Quito.
The area around the apartment is safe, even after dark. We walked all over at night and never once felt ill-at-ease.
Cabs are everywhere and ridiculously cheap by US standards.
The Quito Botanic Garden (at the south end of Parque Carolina) is a 20-minute walk.
The complex has a 24-hour security guard and card-controlled entrances.
Parque Metropolitano is just uphill; it’s a large, wooded green space with lots of trees, trails, and open areas. Families congregate here on the weekends and bike riders use the trails.
Excellent housecleaning service is available for $15 for about 4 hours.
Wireless Internet, cable TV, and a local cell phone are provided.
There’s a printer with the driver installation CD.
The kitchen is modern and well-equipped with pots, pans, glassware, stemware, silverware, linens, coffee maker, food processor, range, oven, dish washer, refrigerator/freezer, and granite kitchen counter tops.
The master bath has a huge Jacuzzi.
Bar-b-q areas are on the roof.