Galapagos Hotels
If you’re really not a sailor, there are a small number of high quality hotels that offer a bed that doesn’t move and day trips to nearby islands. Many guests also choose to extend their stay in the Galapagos by adding a few nights at a Galapagos hotel at the end of a cruise – quite literally experiencing the best of both worlds.
Finch Bay
Overview:
Location: Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Favouring a modern design that incorporates the natural elements of the Galapagos, the Finch Bay Eco Hotel is the ideal alternative to a cruise for those who want to experience the islands’ wildlife wonders but prefer to sleep ashore.
This first class hotel sits on a quiet private beach across the bay from bustling town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. It offers 27 spacious rooms – six of them Ocean View Suites – a restaurant, indoor and poolside bars, comfortable lounge, outdoor jacuzzi and a large swimming pool that is sometimes visited by friendly herons and pelicans. After a day’s exploration ashore or aboard the hotel yacht, swinging in your hammock looking out to sea from an Ocean View room is hard to beat!
Galapagos Habitat Eco Lodge
Overview:
Location: Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador.
The Galapagos Habitat Eco Lodge (formerly Red Mangrove Lodge) is situated right on the water and close to the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. This Superior-Tourist Class hotel is an eco-friendly lodge that exudes a warm island ambiance and has been designed to blend with the surrounding wild red mangroves. Simple white-washed rooms feature a décor of bright ‘sun-sea-earth’ colours and are distributed in two areas – standard rooms among the mangrove forest and superior rooms and suites, some with a private balcony, facing to the sea.
The delightful restaurant Almar by Isla Grill, offers fresh seafood and meat cooked with an Argentinean and Galapagos-Ecuadorian flare. The restaurant looks out across the bay – and don’t be surprised to be sharing the wide elevated deck with basking sea lions and marine iguanas!
Scalesia Hotel
Overview:
Location: Puerto Villamil Highlands, Isabela Island, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Scalesia Galapagos Lodge is situated in the highlands of Isabela Island on the slopes of a volcano, about 20 minutes from the town of Puerto Villamil. The modern, luxurious, safari-style tent resort is in the middle of 16 a hectare (40 acre) property of a magical forest with a spectacular view of the coast of Isabela Island, the Pacific Ocean, and other Islands of Galapagos dotting the horizon.
Accommodation is in luxury safari camp style tents with decks and panoramic forest views. The main lodge is a modern and minimalistic social area with a restaurant, different meeting areas, a conference room and wrap-around decks. The Hotel also offers a range of activities including kayaking, snorkelling, fishing, surfing, bike riding, bird watching and trekking.
Galapagos Safari Camp
Overview:
Location: Highlands, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Galapagos Safari Camp was conceived and built with passion. The African-styled tented camp is a creative alternative to exploring the archipelago and soak nature in all comfort. Nestled in the wild highlands of Santa Cruz Island with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and the National Park, the stylish camp offers a panoramic lodge, nine charming tents, a family suite and an infinity pool under a canapé of endemic trees.
There is a 55-hectare farm, rich in birdlife, includes finches, warblers, mockingbirds, Galapagos doves, egrets and owls. This farm also provides the chef with the necessary ingredients to design our farm-to-table menu full of fresh, organic ingredients.