We just returned from a month-long stay at Wantara – we were in the Estrella Suite.

We weren’t necessarily the typical traveling group – in addition to staying for a full month, we also brought two kids. Here are our thoughts on the rental:

· Everything that was in the control of Andi and Wolfgang was phenomenal. The suite was gorgeous, the garden area amazing (and totally welcoming for a game of catch or resting on a hammock), and the shower was always hot (WITH water pressure too…).

· Andi and Wolfgang were always around to help if needed. We had a major internet issue (unrelated to the suites, it was an issue with the internet company) and Wolfgang did everything he could to help remediate the issue. Wolfgang also helped coordinate taxis whenever we needed them.

· The location is fantastic – as another reviewer pointed out, it is a ‘hidden gem’. The view from the street isn’t much to photograph (though we always felt safe) but inside the gate is another story… the layout of the garden gives everyone plenty of their own space (we had our own porch with a great view) as well as common areas. It is much quieter than many other areas in Quito (there is less street noise here given the location and the setup of the apartments and there aren’t as many barking dogs – we didn’t have any problems sleeping).

· More points on the location – since we were travelling around the city quite a bit, it was great to be so close to public transportation. We would just walk over to Cumanda every day and hop on the Trole. Whenever we needed supplies/groceries, we would just walk to the corner stores or down to the big grocery store in Old Town – we could get absolutely everything we needed within 10 minutes of the apartment – groceries, fresh bread, fresh fruit, local food from the lady down the hill, someone to sew patches on the kids’ clothes, ice cream…. Can’t think of anything we couldn’t find!

· Proximity to Old Town – we loved being so close to Old Town. When we weren’t sure what to do for the day, we would just make our way over to Old Town (walking – all safe streets during the day and easy to find). We found live music every single weekend – even a parade and dance performances on some days. Tons of churches are open and free so even without a plan (or with kids who have short attention spans…) there is a ton to see.

· Traveling with kids makes having a full kitchen very high on the priority list – the kitchen in the suite was fully-equipped and we could do everything we needed to feed hungry kids. As is typical in Ecuador, the fridge is small but there is tons of counter/drawer space.