Monte Selva - Hotel en Baños Ecuador

Traveling with a school group it’s hard to complain about a hotel because we need to be flexible as to where we stay with 42 people. So the good – it had a pool, pool table, karaoke bar, and a huge lovely reception room and dining room. Our teens adored these amenities. It also was pretty convenient to the main square of Banos, which has a lot of shopping and dining. They arranged for a really nice breakfast and a decent dinner. They also arranged for a “cooking class“ in the reception room, and it was OK. The food was actually quite excellent, but the kids didn’t learn anything except mostly how to cut vegetables and crack eggs. We didn’t receive a recipe at the end. Unfortunately, it was really rainy and cold, which led to the biggest downfall of this hotel. It was freezing. Many, many kids complained of the cold, and I myself was freezing. There are no extra blankets in the rooms – I’m sure I could’ve asked for one but my assumption was that everyone already needed one. There is also no fan of any kind – not in the bathroom or on the ceiling to help dry anything out. So once you got wet, it stayed wet for days. As with many hotels, it had extremely thin walls of noise did transfer pretty easily. I was able to hear people upstairs, almost as though they were in the room with me. All that being said again, the kids loved it. That’s most important when we’re traveling, so I am pleased. Nope, I probably wouldn’t stay here on my own with my husband, but I recognize the value of this place for people with teens.

The hotel is conveniently located. It is at walking distance from the town centre but far enough to avoid the noice. The rooms were ok; clean but nothing great. There were a few guests the days we stayed there, so it was quiet and calm. We couldn't use the indoor pools until someone handed us towels, but that person was not were she was supposed to be. Don't eat there, Baños has plenty of better options close by.