Hacienda Zuleta

The historic village of Zuleta, near Otavalo, 100km north of Quito.

The hacienda has 21 traditional and cosy bedrooms, each with their own fireplace. The rooms are beautifully decorated with antiques, hand-embroidered linens and authentic family pictures (the building has been in the family of Galo Plaza Lasso, the former Ecuadorian president, for over 100 years).

Hacienda Zuleta sits on a working dairy and cattle farm with over 2,000 hectares of pasture land, as well as protected native forest. The acclaimed, innovative cuisine is made with wholesome local products, including organic vegetables from the hacienda's own organic garden, fresh milk, cheese and cream from their dairy cows, and rainbow trout from the on-site farm. If you’ve been inspired, there are also cooking classes.

The hacienda has several cosy living rooms and reading rooms full of historic books, there are also lovely gardens to explore.

With horse riding the hacienda’s speciality (there are around 100 horses here), this is a great spot for keen equestrians. The Zuleta valley is also a paradise for biking (borrow one of the hacienda's mountain bikes), hiking and birdwatching. For something more serene, take a trip in a horse-drawn carriage around the hacienda's grounds to visit the working farm, take in the mountain views and join in the tranquil life of the local community. You should also visit the colourful embroidery workshops in the village of Zuleta and see the ancient Caranqui pyramids that are dotted around the area.