Best Areas to Stay in Quito

Picking the right base in Quito

In Quito the neighbourhood you book decides how much of your trip is spent in transit. Historic centre is walkable + steep — pace yourself the first 48h at altitude. Trole + Ecovía electric-bus trunk lines US$0.35 run Colón ↔ Old Town ↔ south. Metro Line 1 (opened 2023) US$0.45 runs Quitumbe ↔ El Labrador (15 stations) — game-changer. Taxis + Uber + Cabify + InDriver all cheap (US$2–6 in centre). Airport (UIO — Mariscal Sucre in Tababela) 40 km east — Aeroservicios shuttle US$8 / 45 min; taxi US$25–35 / 45 min; new expressway.

Centro Histórico (Old Town)

UNESCO colonial core — Plaza Grande, Cathedral, La Compañía, San Francisco — Casa Gangotena (Quito's flagship), Illa Experience Hotel, Casa El Edén.

La Mariscal + La Floresta

Backpacker + expat + nightlife (Mariscal) meets bohemian + film-cafés (Floresta) — mid-range boutiques + Airbnb dominate; safety varies at night.

La Carolina + Iñaquito

Modern financial + park district — Swissôtel, JW Marriott, Hilton Colón, EB Hotel Quito Airport hub.

González Suárez

Upscale ridge overlooking Guápulo valley — Le Parc Hotel, Dann Carlton, Casa Aliso boutique.

Cumbayá + Tumbaco (valleys)

1,000 m lower + warmer — expat + business district east; airport-side; malls + fine dining but away from tourist sights.

Mindo (cloud forest day / overnight)

2h northwest — hummingbirds, waterfalls, zipline, cacao — perfect 1-night Andean-forest extension.

Which area suits which traveler

• First-time visitors

  10 nights Ecuador flow: 2 nights Quito + 1 night Mindo cloud forest + 6 nights Galápagos (Santa Cruz + Isabela + San Cristóbal island-hop) + 1 night back Quito.

• Families

  TelefériQo cable car ride, Mitad del Mundo Equator + Intiñan museum, Parque La Carolina bikes + boats, Yaku water museum, Mindo cloud forest zipline + butterflies. Family suites at Swissôtel + JW Marriott + Casa Gangotena.

• Luxury travelers

  Casa Gangotena (Old Town — Quito's finest, Relais & Châteaux boutique), Illa Experience Hotel (Old Town boutique — restored 1900 mansion), Swissôtel Quito, JW Marriott Quito, Hilton Colón, Le Parc Hotel (González Suárez ridge).

• Budget travelers

  La Mariscal hostels US$10–20, almuerzo lunch US$3–5, empanadas US$1, cerveza Pilsener US$2, Uber US$2–6 city trips. Free: Old Town walking tours 10:30am + 2pm, Basílica del Voto Nacional exterior, Parque La Carolina, Ciclopaseo Sundays.

Booking hotels in Quito

Rates in Quito move with events and season, so compare live prices across the areas above for your exact dates rather than assuming one neighbourhood is always cheaper.