Hosteria Izhcayluma, Vilcabamba

Hosteria Izhcayluma is hands down the best place you will stay in Ecuador! It offers a truly resort-style experience on a backpackers budget!

The Location

Hostería Izhcayluma is located about two kilometres out of the town centre of Vilcabamba nestled among the stunning hills. You can get here by taking a bus from the main terminal in Loja and they leave approximately every thirty minutes up until 8 p.m. From the station in Vilcabamba, it is easiest to take a taxi to the hostel (it's not too expensive).

Rooms and Bathrooms

The two dorm rooms here each have six beds, with three beds on the ground floor and three beds on a loft-type floor above. Each bed has an assigned locker that is large enough to lock away all of your belongings. The beds have nice sheets and a thin blanket and are comfortable, but if you need extra blankets they have them on the shelf. There are quite a lot of power outlets along the sides of the shelving in one of the corners so you can charge everything there overnight.

The bathroom is en suite and has a shower with awesome hot water and the pressure is good. The bathroom contains toilet, shower, and sink, but there is an extra sink outside of the room if you want to wash hands or brush teeth.

Out the front of the dorm rooms, they have hammocks where you can lounge around and read a book while enjoying the view or tables and chairs as well.

Common Spaces

The common spaces here are ample. In the reception area, there is a restaurant where you can purchase food all day long for a reasonable price and organise spa treatments or tours for the day. The staff here are incredibly helpful and are always about in this area to help and the food in the restaurant is fabulous!

As mentioned, they have an onsite spa where you can book in for massages, facials, hair treatments, body treatments, manicures, pedicures, and reiki. These are all reasonably priced and the women do a fabulous job. In the mornings they have free yoga in their Yoga Shala building for all guests and they also run extra yoga and mindfulness classes in the afternoons at additional cost.

The pool area is great for hanging about and relaxing on a hot day and has deck chairs around it. They clean the pool daily and it is very refreshing. Next to the pool is the bar, which opens every evening and has pool tables and an outdoor chess set for hanging out and meeting people.

Throughout the property they also have random quiet spots with chairs and tables where you can chill out and enjoy the peacefulness and the view. There are a few hiking trails on the property, but if you are interested in a longer hike or exploring the nearby national park, they can also point you in this direction.

Summary

This place is incredible -- it has stunning scenery, everything that you could possibly ask for onsite, and the most amazing staff! If you are looking for the most beautiful and relaxed time for a really good price, you really can't go past this place. It is the heaven of a resort on a backpackers' budget!