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Golden Bay Galapagos is situated in privileged location on the Playa de Oro (Beach of Gold) on San Cristobal Island, directly in front of the sea, where sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and other animal citizens of Galapagos are seen. We are the only hotel on the island registered and approved by Ecuador’s Ministry of Tourism and awarded five stars. We are located less than ten minutes from the archipelago’s best airport, with daily flights from Quito and Guayaquil. Furthermore, San Cristobal is well connected with the other islands, by flight and by sea, for those who wish stress-free interisland travel. We offer 21 rooms which permit our guests the possibility to feel themselves a part of the earthly paradise in a magical environment and in high standards of quality while inside the planet’s most famous national park. Our style is based on the concept of “Luxury without Ostentation.” We create an environment of absolute comfort under international standards of hygiene and presentation.
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
Trendy
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Calle Charles Darwin Lote 3, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno 200150 Ecuador
Golden Bay Galapagos
4.6 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
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So having done a bit of research there only appear to be large hotels on the seafront, this hotel and the IHG. We chose this as it provided the better package. The hotel is on the beach but there is the main pathway that goes along the beach that passes between the hotel and the beach, which we didn't notice in the pictures. It's not a big issue but just to be clear the public beach doesn't directly connect to the hotel grounds.
Our check in was done by Karol who was very helpful and showed us to room 201 which has a balcony overlooking the beach. The room was spacious with a sofa and a large walk in shower. However we noticed during thee night the AC was really loud and the wifi didn't reach beyond the entrance to the room. We spoke to Karol the next day and without us even asking she upgraded us to room 303 which had none of the issues that 201 had. It also had a balcony but is to the side of the building, but had a fantastic freestanding bath in the room.
The beach has a while colony of sea lions on it so there's plenty of activity to hear and sea, we even had one wonder into the restaurant! There are no coffee making facilities in the rooms but you can ask for a freshly ground coffee from the restaurant whenever you want. The breakfast was standard fare with a large selection available to order as well as eggs made to order. On Monday nights they have freshly made pizzas which were veery nice and on subsequent nights the main kitchen is open and the food was tasty.
The hotel is well located for easy access to the main town and shops a short walk away. -Playa Mann beach 8 minute walk - this is a well developed beach with showers and a restaurant on site, but its small and was quite crowded on a Sunday. -Environmental Interpretation Centre 13 minute walk- This is well worth a visit as it gives through the development and colonisation of the Islands. Its much more informative and bigger than the Darwin Research Centre. -Playa Punta Carola 20 minute walk - You can a taxi to drop you along Avenida Alsacio Northia to a point near the beach and then the walk is about 5 minutes from there. This route walked back is shorter than the once shown on google maps. This beach is worth visiting if you want to swim with sea lions as there were plenty around as well as sea turtles. Its also just a short walk from the main harbour where you pick up your tour boats and where the ferry boats arrive from the other islands.
We had excellent service at the hotel, its a boutique hotel remember so you wont get all the frills of a large chain and the service we got from Karol, Nicolas and Josue at the bar was perfect. I'd happily stay here again and would recommend it.
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Date of stay: February 2025
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Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Front facing rooms have balconies overlooking the beach - 201.
Side room 303 on the second floor...
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 liked the Golden Bay hotel, which is modern, and situated just outside the town centre, although within easy walking distance of the restaurants and bars in the town. It is relatively easy to navigate the seals that lay across the footway that leads to the town. We had a problem with our original garden room with a vibrating noise which was coming from plant on the roof. They relocated us to another room after our first night, although you could still vaguely hear the noise, which is something they need to address. We both had a massage whilst we were there from Frankie, the relatively newly appointed spa manager, which was very very good. Frankie was also extremely helpful with suggestions and recommendation for sightseeing and dining on the island. The breakfast was good and selected from a menu, with eggs on demand. We chose not to have dinner at the hotel because the menu didn’t suit our dietary requirements. This is probably the best hotel on the island. Would recommend.
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Date of stay: February 2022
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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 property aspires to be luxury and does it quite well. The location along the shore is perfect - not located in the middle of town where noise and privacy would be sacrificed, but instead at the end of the main boardwalk where the only people walking by your room are fellow guests or occasional far-wandering tourists. Other highlights were the 24 hour refreshment center, professional staff, focus on environmentalism, and crystal-clean room.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Ask for a corner 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.
My family and I stayed here for 4 nights based on the recommendation of a mutual friend. Hotel has a great location, nice design and very friendly staff. Their restaurant MuYu is also very good (no meat options). Breakfast was good but very slow. Only American filtered coffee (not good) plus an assortment of teas. On the days you maybe heading out on early tours, they can provide you “Breakfast Boxes” to go, which are convenient.
For a hotel that charges $652 per night (a triple room that had a Sofa Bed for my teenage daughter), it was disappointing that one could not get any kind of drink until after 400pm. They “opened” the bar until 4pm. Disappointing considering the price we paid. Another very weird thing is that they had no beer of any kind from Ecuador. None. They only had 750ml bottles of a Belgian beer for $23! Heavy carbon footprint to bring beers from Belgium to San Cristóbal. Why not support some of the great micro breweries from Ecuador? They do have a coffee / tea room, but seem to not refresh it during the day (stale coffee and hot water is just warm. This could early be improved upon).
Like on the entire island, internet is extremely poor, so don’t plan on getting any work done during your stay. Average inbound speed was 0.6mb and outbound 0.5mb. Just enough for simple (no attachment) emails. They offer transportation from the airport at $18 per person, but our private taxi from the airport was just $2.50 (for 3 people ).
Again, it is nice hotel but way overpriced and not value for money
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip 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.
The hotel is well located. Looking out at the sea lions from our balcony was nice. Our room, although spacious felt like it was furnished from Ikea, or maybe the cheap version of Ikea. We had one night light. Weird couch. everything just looked cheaply made. Shower wasn't leveled properly so water was everywhere and it was generally slippery. We also had a corner room of the hotel (I guess) so their wifi did not reach the room. The only time it worked was when you stood against the front door to the room. Dinner at the restaurant was good. We personally wouldn't stay here again.
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Date of stay: July 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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 picked this hotel as our first stop in the Galapagos based on its reputation and location. We weren't disappointed. In the Galapagos, you can travel frugally or you can splurge a little. This hotel is definitely marketing to upscale customers. We choose a courtyard room which is part of the hotel's lowest price category and loved it. Our room on the second floor was quiet, clean, and comfortable. We were not concerned with the view because when you leave the hotel the view is everywhere. The hotel's breakfast was excellent. For our first evening dinner, we dined on the hotel's veranda and would definitely recommend the hotel's restaurant. The hotel provided the guests free drinking water, coffee, tea, and cookies all day which was a nice touch. Although we enjoyed this hotel very much, there are competitive hotels that offer similar accommodations, most likely at lower prices, so we recommend shopping around.
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Date of stay: January 2022
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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.
Situated on the bay away from town, this property is beautiful. Traffic noise is not an issue because there are no roads running adjacent to the property. The view of the bay from the bar/restaurant at the front of the hotel is simply gorgeous. There are many sea lions hanging out in the bay and do make a lot of noise. The hotel common area is large and inviting. Coffee, tea, filtered water and oh-so-good cookies are available 24/7. Our garden view room and bathroom are comfortable and average in size. The staff speaks English and is very helpful. The hotel is a short walk from the pier (day tour departure point) and restaurants in town.
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Date of stay: March 2022
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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.
I have recently had an awesome breakfast at Hotel Golden Bay after a surf session at Tongo reef.The food selection has been amazing. The chef and his team definitely knows how to prepare and present a healthy and tasty breakfast option. The dishes are decorated with edible flowers fresh from their rooftop garden. I am impressed about the concept the hotel has in terms of ecological as well as local production. The view is stunning. If you have breakfast outside you can smell the sea brise and you have the view on the harbour. The service was very courteous:) Golden Bay is for me the perfect choice if you like simplicity in combination of luxury and sustainability.
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Close to the pier - easy to access:) Central location
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 loved our stay at the Golden Bay. The rooms were clean and modern. Good air conditioning. The location is right in the downtown area of San Cristobal, walking distance to the beach and shops. Be aware: ocean view rooms are noisy due to the resident sea lions 100 feet from the hotel and non-ocean view rooms face a creek with local homes visible just across the way. Don't let this dissuade you from staying, but it's best to know what you're getting into.
We had 1 lunch, 2 dinners and 3 breakfasts at the Golden Bay, all of which were delicious. Hotel, restaurant, and bar staff are devoted to the establishment and gave excellent service. We would recommend this hotel to anyone seeking a comfortable stay on San Cristobal.
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Date of stay: December 2019
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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 had a wonderful experience staying at the Golden Bay! The property is located right on the beach with all the sea lions resting or playing on the beach. The restaurant and bar below are right on the waterfront with spectacular sunsets. We can easily walk to town, the pier or the beaches. The staff were very cordial and took good care of us. They followed all current protocols and made us feel safe during this pandemic. Would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone visiting San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Value
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.
Dear Jeffrey,
the only thing I can tell You is that the Hotel really exist but unfortunately we booked it via a travel-agency. I really don't know how they paid our stay, but we pay our dinner by MasterCard. So they accept credit Cards of Course.
Have a nice trip, it's a lovely and unique place!
Dubai, United Arab Emirates13 contributions3 helpful votes
There are also shops close by that can help you book tours and trips.
The day trips however are going to suck. Take a cruise. You can usually get them 1/2 off if you book them last minute on the islands.
Yes!! The hotel is in the middle middle of the town. It is a very small town so don't expect big things. But it is just charming. You have small supermarkets, pharmacies nearby and many coffee shops and restaurants.
Dear DaisyDot24, sorry that took us so long to answer your question. You don´t need a travel agency to arrange your trip to Galapagos everything can be done independently. You just have to make sure that you are arriving to the correct airport since there are two airports in the Islands Baltra and San Cristobal
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