More about Cusin
7th-century Andean estate
by bebegringa26 about Haciendo Cusin
You could stay at Hacienda Cusin located about 90 minutes from Quito. Built in the 17th century and artfully restored over the past decade, the walled estate is a haven of whitewashed buildings, 10 acres of perennial gardens and its own stables. Guest rooms are furnished with rustic antiques, colonial art and regional textiles, and most have fireplaces, which the staff comes in and lights each evening. And all against the dramatic backdrop of the Imbabura volcano.
You can hire a driver/take a taxi, or bus and set out for the nearby towns of Agato, San Antonio and Cotacachi for, respectively, textiles, woodcarvings and leather.
Otavalo, located 20 minutes away from Cusin, is the largest and most important indian market in the country, if not the continent, it draws visitors every day of the week, but Saturday's the biggie.
http://www.haciendacusin.com/
Hacienda Cusin - Lovely, Serene and Full of Light
by TripAdvisor Member thestarrynight
My best friend and I had a delightful stay at Hacienda Cusin while visiting the Otavalo markets and surrounding areas. The hacienda is beautifully designed and furnished, our room was airy and clean, and the gardens and monastery were splendid.
Angel, one of Cusin's employees, provided excellent and timely transportation to and from our hotel in Quito. The hacienda's staff was efficient in reserving for us a (1) tour at the nearby Planterra rose plantation, (2) horseback riding with the hacienda's stables, (3) transportation to and from the markets on Saturday morning. Cusin's staff served as tour guides for the plantation and the riding, and they were courteous and knowledgeable. We also rented and watched a movie from the hacienda's large collection while sipping on hot chocolate in the library.
The meals were simple and good, and we enjoyed meeting the hacienda's owner Nicholas Millhouse graciously greets all guests and ensures that they have a positive experience.
We would definitely stay at Cusin again, and I am considering having my wedding and reception at the hacienda.
Magnificent fiesta
by TripAdvisor Member ffirg
Hacienda Cusin recently organized and choreographed a birthday fiesta that included roast pig for 40, folk dancing, fireworks and a 12 piece band. It was a magnificent party. Cusin is a charming hacienda with a terrific staff. Cusin has beautiful gardens, a quiet library, squash, horses, and even bocce. In the immediate area there are endless hiking opportunities and shopping in the nearby villages. And at the end of the day, a perfect pisco sour!
great place to stay
by TripAdvisor Member Bell
We just returned from Ecuador and spent two nights at the Hacienda Cusin. Our family of six loved it. You won't find a nicer more amiable owner than Nick Millhouse, who can be found dining along with all the guests. He has done a great job furnishing the place with tapestries and antiques, and the gardens/grounds are beautiful. We thought the food was excellent and the staff were very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this place to stay!
Very atmospheric
by TripAdvisor Member JJNewJersy
I agree what others have written about Hacienda Cusin. It's top notch and has a wonderful atmosphere. We had cottage #10. I felt like I was living in a hobbit's house in a magical garden. Ask for the water bottle to warm your bed before sleeping. We loved having a roaring fire in our little cottage. Very cozy.
Don't miss this place, it's one of a kind in the world.
An absolute must visit !!!!
by TripAdvisor Member QuitoTrips
I have just returned from a two night (3 day) stay at Hacienda Cusin - (in fact this was our fourth visit there within the last two years) - this time we went with a group of 25 friends as we wanted to share with them the unique beauty of the Hacienda - we had friends from 8 different countries with us and each and everyone was completely in awe of the place. The Hacienda is unique - you will find beautiful gardens, a spectacular monestry and fabulous rooms. Each room is different with the most wonderful paintings and furniture.
The Hacienda is a place to go and completely relax, which you can do in many different rooms - all with big fireplaces and comfortable chairs - and if for some strange reason you find you are too relaxed, you can go horseriding, play squash and many other different activities.
The staff are friendly and helpful and if you meet the owner, Nik Millhouse, who is very often there, take the time to have a chat with him. He is always more than happy to talk at length with you and will give you a greater insight into the history of the Hacienda.
An amazing place and it should be an absolute "must do" for anyone who visits Ecuador - !!!!
wonderful and relaxing
by TripAdvisor Member laika57
Trying to get the full experience of Ecuador, as much as cdan be had in 2 weeks, we decided to stay at Hacienda Cusin for a few days for several reasons. It is very close to Otavalo market so we could use Cusin as our launching point for that. It is also only a few hours drive away from Quito, so we were able to be efficient with our use of time. And of course, it is one of the oldest haciendas and an incredible place to stay.
The hacienda is located in the lake-side town of San Pablo del Lago, but dont be fooled by the town setting--it feels completely excluded once on the grounds. We arrived by transfer from the airport arranged by the Cusin staff. The woman who greeted us was extremely nice and helpful.
The place itself is spectacular, and honestly the many photos I have seen including from Cusin's website really do not do the place justice. The grounds are incredible and quite expansive, stretching to the monastery. There is plenty to do around the grounds, from pool to ping pong to basketball. And of course, just sitting around and relaxing in the truly delightful gardens. Views of Imbabura (i think) in the distance top it all off.
The rooms are not luxurious per se, but really quite nice and very comfortable. The beds were great, and the in-room fireplace was fantastic. What better than to find a warm fire already made when you return to your room in the evening? They send someone around at a certain time, but you can also request a specific time as well.
The food cannot go without mention. The restaurant which seems busy even with people not staying at the hacienda, has some really delicious food. It is a bit fancier and pricier but well worth it. We enjoyed eating breakfast and lunch in the outdoor areas as well, which the staff was very happy to accommodate.
Additional notes: We did a horseback ride through eucalyptus trees leading to Imbabura--incredible. Some of it was through the town which was an interesting sight, but eucalyptus forest was amazing. Also, we booked a driver through the front desk to take us to Cuicocha, which was very beautiful. The boat ride through the lake was only a couple of dollars and very much worth it.
Amazing... if you are anywhere near here you must stay
by TripAdvisor Member CamJones
My girlfriend and I stayed for two nights and we were very pleasantly surprised... this retreat was a complete escape from it all... The equivalent of an exclusive retreat you would pay so much for if it was not in Ecuador.
Our room had its own fireplace, which is perfectly stacked with wood each day whilst you are out exploring.... When you are enjoying dinner, someone pops into your room and lites it for you.... what a way to come back from dinner, to a cozy room with a crackling fire.
You can spend hours walking around the grounds exploring the beautiful gardens, or you can grab a book from the library and find a piece of privacy in one of the many garden... We explored the whole place and enjoyed every corner we found. If you read the guide in your room there is a 'secret door' to be found somewhere on the grounds... well Elisabeth and I searched hi and low but could not find it... but apparently kids can find it so don't give in.
The food was amazing, the service was exceptional... breakfast, lunch and dinner were more than ample for any active days... and the cozy dining room just perfect.
We went horse riding and had such a great day... the horses are so well trained... but not the kind that just follow a typical tourist rote.. they were responsive and very well behaved. Make sure you let them know if you are a good rider so you can canter otherwise you might just trot most of the way.
This hacienda is so close to Otavalo if you are there for the markets you should extend by a couple of days and go out...
I could not recommend this place enough...
If you are luck the owner Nick will be there and if you have the chance to have a meal with him you will be treated to very interesting conversation.
Perfect!
by TripAdvisor Member Dominique_SF
The hacienda was beautiful - I read reviews and had high expectations but was really wowed by the experience.
The condition of the hacienda and the rooms is remarkable...they are both comfortable and charming at the same time (and one of the few places I stayed at in Ecuador that had reliably hot water). The best touches were at night - while at dinner the staff came in to light a roaring fire and place hot water bottles in our bed. After a rough week at sea in the Galapagos, it was just fantastic.
We also signed up for the horseback riding at Cusin and had a nice trail ride. The horses (and the farm in general) looked well cared for and our guide was fairly helpful.
The only (slight) disappointment was dinner...the food was a little on the salty side and not quite up to the standards of the rest of the hotel.
Forum Posts
Things to do around Quito?
by Ruchei
Hello fellow travellers!
I will be going to Quito to study Spanish for 1 week, but will have a weekend before and a weekend after the week of classes. Could you please recommend me what I could do on a 1- or 2-day trip outside of Quito? I would love to do volcano climbing, jungle travel would be great also and anything with the ocean would be amazing too....
Thanks much!
Re: Things to do around Quito?
by TheTravelSlut
I really enjoyed visiting Mitad del Mundo (about 30 min. by bus) where monuments, equator line and info about the equator can be found.
Also, the gondola up above the city to about 14,000 feet is pretty awesome too.
Re: Things to do around Quito?
by SOLODANCER
If you like markets, the outdoor ones especially, go up to Otavalo, a great market town 2 hrs. away from Quito. The Saturday market is extensive and quite fun. Best to get there a day or two before. The best place to stay at near Otavalo is the Hacienda Cusin. Happy trails.
Re: Things to do around Quito?
by limchour
Definitely head to the historic colonial area and the grand plaza, the views are pretty good and the archetecture is wonderful...........you can also take a ride in the teleferico (a cable car that goes up a volcano)
Re: Things to do around Quito?
by South-America
I'd go to Cotopaxi volcano - the scenery is amazing. It's about 90 minutes from Quito.
Mitad del mundo I found quite tacky and tedious.
Re: Things to do around Quito?
by mickybleck
Of the above mentioned I would do Cotopaxi one weekend and Otavalo market the other weekend, I also recommend to get there on Friday evening. Found Mitad del mundo only worth going when already seen the other places and I guess you will see some of colonial old Quito during the week.
Re: Things to do around Quito?
by Ruchei
Thank you everyone for your great suggestions! I will attempt Cotopaxi then for sure given how high it is on everyone's list!! Thanks much.
Re: Things to do around Quito?
by Krumel
We did some horse riding in the Pululahua crater just north of Quito, which we very much enjoyed.
Re: Things to do around Quito?
by pybound
I have been told over and over to take the train ride to Otavalo, (an hour or so from Quito), and see the scenic views from the train while passing through other mountain towns and cities. I believe the train trip is 2 hours.
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