Latin Finance - April 2008 - 44

Ecuador Quito The second highest capital city in the world, at 2,850m. The colonial Old Town was the first UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Site and home to the main government buildings. Most businesses are located in the New Town, including the best hotels and restaurants. Eating Theatrum. Built in the 1800s over the Plaza de la Canicerias, newly restored Teatro National Sucre is home to the elegant Theatrum restaurant and wine bar. Try one of the two tasting menus, or the highly recommended robalo served with stewed eggplant, potato and olive oil froth, and dry olive sauce. (Calle Manabi between Calles Guayaquil and Flores, Centro Histórico, Tel: 593 2 257 1011). Downtime Sleeping Readers’ Choice Swissôtel. In the commercial and residential district, our readers’ favorite. A business hotel boasting five restaurants, including French, Japanese and Swiss. Large rooms and suites have a Danish feel, pale wood paneling, cream colored wallpaper. Amrita Spa has indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, steam bath, fitness center, racquet sports. Average room $160. www.swissotel.com/quito Drinking Though a little formal for some, our readers voted the bar at Mea Culpa the best bar/lounge in Quito. Great location in a building overlooking the Plaza de la Independencia, the center of Colonial Quito. Sunami is busy with great cocktails (Francisco Salazar 116 at the corner of Tamayo), or hear the best jazz, blues and live music in Quito at El Pobre Diablo. (Isabel la Católica E12-06 and Galavis). Readers’ Choice Zazu. Probably the best restaurant in Quito, serving Peruvian-influenced food in a slick modern (in a 1990s kind of way) interior. Comfortable lounge bar serves great (and great value, at $5) pisco sours. The anticucho camarao is excellent, ceviche en tomate arbol the most generous we've ever seen. Signature ceviche de lenguado aromatizado con maracuyá, vodka mandarina, ají limo y limón is just the right side of overly ambitious. (Mariano Aguilera 331 y La Pradera. Tel: 532 2 254 3559). Papallacta Thermal Springs and Spa. Some 40 miles east and rather higher than Quito at the head of a high Andean valley. Open air thermal baths complimented by treatments including hydrotherapy in ﬁve hot and one cold thermal pools. A variety of thermoludic hydromassages use water jets or air bubbles. www.papallacta.com.ec Keep going on into the Ecuadorian Amazon. More accessible rain-forest areas are Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Huaorani Protectorate, or Yasuni National Park but even here you’ll need a few days. www.surtrek.com Eating Lo Nuestro. Small, elegant fresh seafood restaurant 10 minutes from downtown, possibly the city’s best Ecuadorian restaurant. Top notch ceviche. (Av. Estrada 903 y Higueras, Tel: 593 4 238 6398). El Caracol Azul. Great seafood spot, service either consistently good or a little stiff depending on your state of mind. Seafood soup reliably marvelous. (9 de octubre 1918 and Los Ríos, Tel: 593 4 228 0461). Sheraton. Modern hotel in the business district, short distance from the exposition center, Banco Central Museum and popular Quicentro mall. Rooms are modern with dark wood furniture, bright accents. Outdoor pool has spectacular views of the city and spa has steam bath and additional fitness facilities. Free internet in the lobby. Average room rate $120. www.starwoodhotels.com Hotel Café Cultura. In the heart of New Town, small-renovated boutique hotel offers individually designed handpainted rooms. Rooms lack internet but make up for it with either a fireplace, Capuli tree growing through the middle (room 25), conservatory bathroom or antique bathtub. Beautifully kept garden with hummingbirds, doves and peacocks. Wood-paneled library with leather armchairs, open fireplace two broadband computers. Highly recommended suites starting at $99. www.cafecultura.com 44 LATINFINANCE 2008 Drinking Northern end of the Malecón, bohemian Las Peñas district packed with bars and clubs. Hiding in a restored house, La Paleta draws a friendly crowd from Wednesday through Saturday (Numa Pompilio Llona 174). The city’s trendiest come together at La Proa on the Malecón 2000 (next to Calle Julián Coronel). Party late with the in-crowd at Santé or Suruba, both near the World Trade Center (Avendia Francisco de Orellana). For something more relaxed, the Chillout Lounge (Victor Emilio Estrada 727). Guayaquil Sleeping Hilton Colón. Set by the Guauas river, reliable business hotel and the city's largest convention center near the heart of the commercial and financial zone, a short drive from the airport. Extras include an outdoor pool with swim up bar, new spa, gym squash courts. Average rate $260. www.guayaquil.hilton.com Quito: Holiday Inn Express

http://www.papallacta.com.ec http://www.surtrek.com http://www.swissotel.com/quito http://www.starwoodhotels.com http://www.ichotelsgroup.com http://www.guayaquil.hilton.com http://www.cafecultura.com

Latin Finance - April 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Latin Finance - April 2008