Mashpi Lodge

Now: this is the place!!! Amazing is the only word that describe this place: Amazing is the hotel and the architecture; Amazing was the bedroom (11 if you want to know); Amazing was the bathroom (bathtub with a view!!!); Amazing is the landscape; Amazing are the excursion and the guide; Amazingly interesting is the food; Amazing is the engagement with sustainability and eco friendliness; Amazingly kind, considerate and helpful are the staff. A big thank you to everyone and to Mark that was always around to check on our needs and laugh with us…you have been all wonderful! This is of course an unforgettable experience that will stay with me forever….AMAZING INDEED!

Where to start? I suppose firstly to congratulate the originators of Mashpi Lodge on their vision of buying land formerly used for forestry and converting it into a rejuvenated mix of primary and secondary forest . The fact that they have combined that achievement with creating a five star eco hotel is , considering the logistical issues that had to be overcome, mind blowing. The lodge is at the centre of all the activities which include a large variety of trails and experiences. For us the highlight was visiting the humming bird area where we must have viewed at least a dozen species zipping around and being able to see them feeding completely unperturbed by spectators. The bird life throughout the lodge area was spectacular and as well as hummingbirds , I particularly enjoyed seeing numerous spectacularly coloured tanagers and others. The observation tower gives splendid views over the jungle canopy though, on the morning we visited mist intervened. It didn’t stop us using the bike ride above the treeline which was great fun and let us see the vegetation a hundred feet below! The accommodation was outstanding as was the food and drink- Fernando’s Spiced Guava cocktail was my favourite from an impressive and reasonably priced list. We were very fortunate in having Anderson Fernando as our guide. He was a sympathetic presence with a vast knowledge as well as being a magnificent spotter. He also went above and beyond in having the patience to teach me how to transfer photos from my camera to my mobile. It’s opened up whole new opportunities. A memorable experience all round.

After the trip to the Galápagos Islands I was worried that this might be an anticlimax. I should not have have worried as it exceeded my expectations in every way and was a magical way to finish our holiday. What can I say the ethos, staff, hotel and environment were superb and in particular our guide Estuardo was so knowledgeable and considerate he made sure we maximized our time at Mashpi. The staff as a whole were wonderful but Edison and Pamela who served us in the restaurant were amazing and recommended a number of local dishes which were so tasty. I should also mention Diego at the bar who was there whenever we wanted a coffee or something alcoholic and was a great mixologist. We tried the spa and we regretted we could not fit another visit in our 3 night visit. Whilst the dragonfly was not open we were aware of this through our travel agent well before travelling and provides an excuse for a return visit. In summary our only regret with Mashpi was that we did not stay longer than the 3 nights but have resolved to return with our family in a few years.

The Reserva Privada Mashpi in Ecuador is a magical place and the Mashpi Lodge nestles within the reserve with a quiet, respectful grace. Every moment at the Mashpi Lodge felt special from the van ride in, to the welcome drink, to the briefing, to our first lunch*, to our first outing with an amazing guide**, to our first night walk, to our first sleep amongst the trees/clouds, and so on to disembarking the van back in Quito. Highly recommend spending some time in Masphi. *Mashpi Lodge's chefs deserve many accolades--every meal was top notch and creative--as do the servers, who were always ready to assist and happy to share information about Ecuadorian cuisine and ingredients. **Guide Anderson was so knowledgable about every part of the cloud forest, from the vegetation to the animals. We hope we retain a small fraction of what he taught us on our outings.

The way to get there is a trauma !! They do their best to help you forget what you had been through but if i had known, i would not have been there. It is not worth the price of getting sick in the car and the way is so long Apart from that and thanks got they do their best and food service is exellent. The walks are ok but nothing you could not see in Europe. Caraibe . I saw more in Colombia, in some islands … The guides are fine, but not all of them. But as i said the room/ food/ amability are exeptional. The manager very nice but still for me it is not worth it the super long and complicated road …

The hotel itself is so beautiful with its floor to ceiling windows looking out into the canopy from every room as well as the bar/dining room. The food was very good and there was an impressive variety on the menu. Service was impeccable (thanks in particular to Byron). Cocktails and freshly made lemonades were expertly crafted by the amiable Fernando. The forest itself is stunning although much like an African safari and entirely unlike the Galapagos you may or may not be lucky with what you see. Birds and flora are the main attractions, you are quite unlikely to see any fauna. The views from the dragonfly (chair lift) and sky bike are great. You are guaranteed to see a lot of hummingbirds if you go to the station where they congregate around a series of feeders…. Whilst engineered, this is certainly a really cool experience as they fly all around the little shelter from which you watch them. You can even feed them from a handheld feeder (feeling the intense beating of their wings) and are likely to have them land on your hand whilst doing so! It has to be said that the guides and majority of the guests appear to have an almost inexhaustible gusto for birds which we didn’t share…. Eg We would have been happy with 30-45 minutes at the humming bird spot and were really struggling to maintain any enthusiasm by the 1h 15m mark! There will therefore be a bit of luck of the draw if your activities are in shared group rather than just your own party of likeminded birders/hikers. On a similar note, we had a bit of a hiccup on one of our hikes where we ended up being “guided” by a trainee who didn’t speak a word of English. How hotels respond to feedback is always interesting, and when we mentioned this to the head naturalist he responded perfectly, refunding the charge for the dragonfly and acting as our guide for our final activity we did privately. A great response and enabled us to leave on a high note. Other reviews have mentioned the drive and it isn’t that bad so I wouldn’t worry. My girlfriend took a seasickness tablet before the drive as she can be prone to motion sickness and that worked perfectly for her.

Mashpi is an absolutely magical place ! The staff made me feel so welcome, like family. The food, room and guides were beyond amazing ! The humming bird garden is not to be missed ! They were so excited to see us and I took a million photos of them.

Please do try this place! Apart from the great insight that we got of the forest and how it lives, the hotel itself made this a luxurious trip. This was money and time well spent. Its isolation only adds to the magic while the guided tours just made us want to see more.

We added two nights to our Galapagos cruise to stay at Mashpi Lodge. I can honestly say that the only downside is getting there. The road is very windy and rough through the mountains from Quito. The included transportation was very professional and as comfortable as possible. Once we arrived at Mashpi, the staff were waiting. First, came a refreshing drink and washing cloth, then an orientation, followed by lunch and room check in. We met our guide, Gabbi, for our first planned expedition in the afternoon. Her English was excellent, and she was very knowledgeable. After your first outing, she was able to offer what she saw as the best options for us from there - hikes, evening exploration, aerial bike, butterflies, and hummingbirds feeding out of our hands. The rooms were well appointed, and the food was excellent. Everyone working there was friendly and helpful - even though they were working on Chris**as Day! I highly recommend Mashpi Lodge if your travels take you nearby.