pindi

Hi,

I need to make a choice between Hilton Colon or the Hampton Inn in Quito, Ecuador. They are both 20,000 points a night and their websites don't seem to give too much info to be able to decide. Which is a better place to stay? I'll be there on a vacation, not business.

Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Kamala


[This message has been edited by pindi (edited 10-03-2003).]

Tomphot

I stayed at the Hilton a couple years ago during my Latin Pass run. Very nice rooms, very helpful staff - right across the street from a park that has a market on the weekends. Casino in the basement.
I don't know anything about the Hampton.

uthornsgo

I don't think there's a Hampton in Quito??? I would recommend the Hilton Colon, as it is in a good location close to all the bars popular with the "Gringos" (a half-mile walk in the day and a $1.00 cab ride in the evening). If you are going on a family trip and nightlife is not important, the Hilton is still in a good location, as it is across the street from the trolley (called Ecovia) that goes to the Old Town in the South and to the Northern part of the New Town. Here you can also catch the trolley to Quicentro shopping mall and eat at TGI Friday's and various other American establishments (if you need to get a taste of the USA).

I spent this past summer in Quito studying Spanish and frequented the Hilton there, as they had an excellent restaurant with a superb Sunday brunch (Cafe Colon) and nice rooms if I wanted to get away from the family I was living with. The Hotel is a close stroll from the US Embassy (if that's important) and close to all the shopping malls, movie theatres, etc. If points aren't extremely important, however, the Marriott is newly-built and a bit nicer, but the Hilton is more than sufficient, and the staff is very attentive. Also, there is an American Airlines ticket office in the hotel, which I found to be convenient. The AA crews that arrive on the two MIA-UIO flights each night stay at the Hilton Colon, so you at least it's up to AA standards. One more thing I just remembered, there are $15.00 massages available at the Colon that aren't deep-tissue nor fantastic, but they're relaxing and cheap!

Let me know if you want more Quito info or weekend trip from Quito info, as I consider myself more or less an expert on the town after my summer there.

SkiAdcock

I love FT. I may go through Quito on the GI tour (Galapagos Isles), so this is good input. Thx.

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Sharon

semjeito

Having spent about 30 days worth at the Hilton Colon over the past 10 months, I echo everything said here. Great value and location. The JW Marriott is nicer but costs about 70-100% more. I regularly got into the Hilton for $80-100 / night and was always upgraded to Exec Floor. There are also a Radisson and Sheraton 4 Points in the general vicinity.

If anyone is going to the Galapagos as well you will likely be flying in TAME's brand new A320's which they just leased from me.

Enjoy !!!

XFed2001

I have no idea how long the flight from the mainland to Baltra is but is there a front cabin on the A320? Any idea how much it is? Am planning on going next spring. Thanks

bigjim

JDiver

I'll "third" everything said about the Hotel Colón. Every once in a while you will notice an inefficiency ("mañana" syndrome!) - once, when friends called they were told there was no record of us, etc. - but it's nice, friendly, the park (El Ejido), Amazonas street with all the shipping (I can't walk by the Libri Mundi on nearby Juan León Mera without taking a peek.) The Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana is also nearby (their website lists tons of cultural items and happenings.)

I'd recommend anyone going to the Galápagos visit Quito area for three days (minimum!) en route... Lots of things to do, from native markets, birding, antiques, arts and crafts, visiting "La Mitad del Mundo" at the Equator (slightly hokey, but a very nice museum highlighting the cultures of Ecuadór is "in" the monument building, and you can straddle the equator if you aren't sure which hemisphere you'd rather be in at the moment.)

For those who want to explore more, the non-profit South American Explorers has a helpful volunteer-run office in Quito. And do watch your pockets, especially in the Old Town.

ILuvParis

I'll second everything JDiver says (or is it fourth?). If your stay includes a weekend, you should combine your trip to the Mitad del Mundo with the Saturday morning Indian market in Otavalo - must be one of the great markets anywhere. Another reason to recommend this area, is that it is beautiful - lush and green. Not sure about current prices, but it used to be that you could hire a cab in Quito for the entire day for a pittance - something one could get details about at the hotel. I'm sure any one of the travel agents on Amazonas could arrange an easy day trip to both, as well.

Duckman

Just spent a pleasant nite at the Hilton Colon Quito. Paid $100 pre-paid, which was decent value for this property. As a Diamond, I did not get a suite, nor a room on the exec floor. As far as I could tell, what they gave me was a regular room. However, I was invited to use the exec lounge for both free breakfast and free happy hour cocktails. Get to happy hour early for the best selection of free appetizers! I had an early flight (too early for breakfast in the lounge), and so they gave me a cert for the tasty breakfast buffet in the Cafe Colon. Service at the hotel was very nice & also prompt.

PS Get to UIO 2 hours early for your flight, it took FOREVER to get through all the various line-ups, and I barely made my flight. Oh and the AA ticket office is still in the lobby, and the AA crew still stays here.

dc3

Does anyone have any experience with what upgrades and service the Hilton's in Quito & Quayaquil offer to GOLD members?

Billiken

I've stayed at both, many times, but never as a Gold.

The Hilton Colon, in Guayaquil is not downtown it is "out" near the airport and the Mall del Sol, a fast-growing part of town. The building was finished in approximately 1999. It's a top-of-line property and IMHO THE place to stay in GYE. Nice exec lounge on the top floor.

The Hilton Colon in Quito is downtown, near all the embassies. A lot of diplomats stay there, just for the convenience. It's a big, older property, kind of like the Hilton Chicago in terms of character (but not scale/size).

Actually, the top 3 places to stay in Quito are; the Marriott (exact center of town), the Radisson Suites (in the World Trade Center building...really, that's what it's called), or SwissHotel (both on Doce de Octubre).

haricharan

Stayed at the Hilton Colon Quito as a Gold a few years ago and was not upgraded even though rooms were available. Did get breakfast at the restaurant after asking. Not the best treatment of Golds here in my opinion.

Zip

The location shouldn't be too much of a problem, if you have 20-30 min. to spare. The hotel doorman can get you a reliable taxi; the fees are quite inexpensive, so you can go anywhere rather efficiently. You can even make arrangements with the driver (through the doorman is you wish) for the trip back.

kyushuman

As a Gold at the Hilton Quito Colon last week, at check-in (3pm) there were no N/S DBL/DBL rooms on the Exec Floor, as reserved; was with a friend, so we really did want our own beds.
Was offered for $20 to upgrade to a Junior Suite with a cot, and when I said I wasn't sure.... they then offered an Exec Suite with two rooms--one the bedroom, and then they converted the living room to another bedroom, with a "real" double bed--really nice! There was still a separate dining room, too. We were really happy with this, though we did pay an extra $20/night on top of a quite-expensive rate ($165++). They didn't realize that we were using the 4th night free promo, though, until we were already in the room, so I think it worked out well for both sides!
As for the hotel, I was quite surprised at the ugly outside of the building--I doubt it's been touched for about 20 years. Concrete, patchy, ugly--really bad!
Inside, the rooms and furnishings (at least the Club Floor rooms we saw) were quite decent, though not brand new, not tatty though. They were actually completely redoing the floors 2-4 rooms--they were all gutted, being redone.
As for service: from what we saw, the regular front desk is not efficient, knowledgeable, or very friendly. But if you're in the exec floor, you mostly deal with the VERY friendly exec floor agents, so it's OK! Everyone else was amazingly friendly and polite--from room service (fast!) to lounge attendants, and housekeeping. In fact, room service always called about 2 minutes after we got our food to confirm everything was ok. Excellent!

Breakfast for exec floor is only offered in the lounge and it's just OK, with only 3-4 hot choices; you have to pay ($13) to eat in the restaurant downstairs, and there is quite a difference in the spread.
I don't think we were treated any better as Golds here, though--we even had to pay for an upgrade when our (reserved) Exec Floor room wasn't available after normal check-in time.