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4.5
#5 of 29 hotels in Puerto Ayora
Location
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The Ikala Galapagos Hotel was built with a focus on sustainability. Surrounded by beautiful trees and gardens that provide a refreshing ambiance, the hotel has 22 rooms with Suites, Standard Rooms, an 1 Duplex Suite made up of two floors with private living room and kitchen. We invite you to enjoy our open air pool and our delicious dishes in La Terraza Restaurant & Bar while overlooking the Puerto Ayora Bay. Our use of solar energy, energy efficient designs, central location, and the best service team make the Ikala Galapagos Hotel your hotel of choice when visit the Santa Cruz Island in the famous Galapagos Archipelago.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Trendy
Modern
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Tomas de Berlanga # 110 y Moises Brito, Puerto Ayora 200102 Ecuador
Ikala Galapagos Hotel
183 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
The staff at the front desk were extremely helpful. This was our first stop in Galapagos. We did 3 nights with daily breakfast buffet included. It's a typical Ecuadorean buffet - coffee, tea, juice, milk, yogurt and granola, cereal, eggs, omelet to order, cold cuts, cheese, pastries. The restaurant is on the top floor. The buffet is small, but it was a great way to start the day. We did not dine here for lunch or dinner because we wanted to explore the town.
There is a pool with a nearby bar. It seemed very nice, but we didn't use it because it was overcast during our stay, which made it too cold for us to enjoy the pool. The evening's at this hotel were not noisy. We were worried about being on there first floor, but we were able to sleep well.
The room was very clean and had modern furnishings. There's a large and modern bathroom. They provide shampoo and conditioner, soap, towels, robes, a small fridge, hair dryer. They also provided filtered water. There's a modern wall AC and plenty of outlets. There's a small safe which held our tablets, cameras and other valuables. There were no side tables in our room on the first floor. We had to use our luggage as makeshift side tables. There's a nice sized desk with a big mirror and large closets with ample drawes.
On the 4th day we had plans to visit Isabella island for a day excursion (we spent 1 night at Isabella). The front desk allowed us to store our luggage at no cost. They prepared breakfast bags (sandwich, apple juice box, cookies/ crackers) and hot coffee waiting at the bar, since we were taking the early ferry to Isabella. Our bags were safe and secure when we returned and we thanked them and gave a nice tip for their hospitality.
We would definitely recommend this hotel.
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Date of stay: August 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Anahi Torres, Owner at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded Sep 1, 2020
Dear NYCnomads, We truly enjoy reading such positive comments and knowing that you enjoyed your stay and our hospitality. We are happy to know you found your room ample, clean, and well furbished as well as your buffet breakfast and take-away breakfast a good start to your day! We will make sure to adjust our rooms to have side tables for our next guests and hope you visit us again soon hopefully in the warm season to enjoy the pool. All the best from the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel Team.
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We enjoyed our 3 nights stay at the Ikala Galapagos in May 2022. We understand why prominent cruise companies use Ikala on their itineraries when visiting Santa Cruz.
Christian and everyone else at the front desk took very good care of us. They provided helpful information for finding local restaurants and tour companies. They even provided an umbrella we could use to help block the sun during the hottest part of the day. Fresh water for drinking, brushing teeth, etc., was readily available by the poolside bar.
Breakfasts on the top floor were very pleasant. There was a nice assortment of local cuisine, along with eggs cooked to order. We would have preferred more hot options. But, Ikala still offered a greater variety than other places we stayed during our trip. And, coffee or cappuccino requests were taken care of very quickly. Great breakfast service.
Ikala is conveniently located just a short walk from the port and many dining options. If you want to try local cuisine, many small restaurants offer lunch specials for $5. Seafood lovers have plenty of options for dinners. We found many restaurants were prone to overcook their grilled platters. But, Bruja (red fish) looked to be a well-prepared (if pricey) local specialty wherever you went.
The port is particularly fun to visit near sunset as pelicans jump from the railing to catch their dinners, and sea lions climb onto the walkway before laying down to sleep.
Had a great stay, and would recommend Ikala to anyone!!.
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Date of stay: May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jose Andrade, Dueño at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded Jun 5, 2022
Dear Anchier, Thank you for your positive comments, we are very happy to know that you enjoyed your stay at our Ikala Galapagos Hotel, especially our facilities and personalized service. We hope you will visit us again soon. The best of the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel team!
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I loved this hotel for its size and function. The rooms were sizable and very comfortable. The spaces are well thought out and work great for casual conversation. The rooftop restaurant gives you great views of the town and the food is very good. Breakfast there was very nice too as you hear the town come to life. The hotel is located very closes to the town square but far enough off not to be too noisy. I recommend this hotel for two reasons; the staff is very friendly and knowledge of the hospitality industry and its focus on details and cleanness. It was the best hotel I stayed in all of Ecuador.
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Date of stay: March 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Ask for what your looking for and they will try their best to help you.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ikala Hotels, Propietario at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded Apr 12, 2021
Dear William, Your positive words are beyond amazing and truly bring happiness to every single on of our team members :) We are thrilled to know you enjoyed your stay with us, specially our rooftop restaurant, but also our attention to detail and cleanliness. We hope you visit us again soon and are happy to welcome you back. Warm greetings from our entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel team!
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Puerto Ayora is the main island in Galapagos. Usually, your will flight to Baltra island. Then, there is a small bus ride (5$ per person) to the crossing to Santa Cruz (1$ per person in a small boat call “Panga”). Once across a bus ($5 per person) or a taxi ($25) will take you to Puerto Ayora, about 45 min. away. Everything is Puerto Ayora is walking distance but you have taxis or water taxis readily available. The IKALA hotel is conveniently located a few blocks from the main port. This hotel is very well kept and clean. The pool at the property is great amenity to rest and relax at the end of the day. We were a big group with children and they try to accommodate all the needs that we had. The room are very spacious, nicely decorated and clean. They include all the modern amenities for a comfortable stay. They have bikes available for guest is case you want to venture and see the town. Usually, tours start early in the morning so breakfast was ready for us. Luis at the breakfast area was fantastic and always accommodating. The breakfast buffet was well supplied with hot and cold items to choose from, plus eggs were made on request. I definitely recommend staying at Ikala Galapagos Hotel during your visit to Puerto Ayora.
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Date of stay: June 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Pool view room
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jose Andrade, Dueño at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded Jul 15, 2021
Dear Hernan, Thank you very much for taking some time to leave us your positive comments. We are happy to know you enjoyed your stay with us and especially enjoyed the service provided by our staff members, found our hotel well located and enjoyed our free bikes! We hope you visit us again soon in a near future. All the best from the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel Team!
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After a 4-night cruise visiting 3 other islands we booked to 4 nights to stay here on Santa Cruz, to explore some more, at our own pace. Ikala was an excellent base.
As a small & modern hotel it felt relaxed and suited us well. Our room was vast, very comfortable and well equipped. Good wifi in room, by pool and on rooftop. Breakfast was a good buffet – some more unusual hot options, but also cooked to order eggs, plus fruits, yoghurt, cereal and breads. The pool area (and whole hotel) was kept very clean and it was a good spot to relax after a walk.
The location was good – quiet edge of town but very close to the port (water taxi across to Isla Grill), fish market (must see for wildlife!) and local cafes & restaurants (our highlights: Galapagos Deli - brilliant for pizza, juices, sandwiches & ice cream and FraFre - superb fried fish not to be missed). Also not too far from the Charles Darwin Centre (& neighbouring small beaches) across town and very near to the start of the path to Tortuga Bay. Tortuga Bay is a long walk on an excellent path through National Park land. It's 4+ miles there & back from the hotel to the lagoon (where you can swim, snorkel & kayak) at the end of stunning beach, but well worth it – water & umbrella or hat recommended!
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Date of stay: April 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jose Andrade, Dueño at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded May 17, 2022
Dear Trewin, Thank you for your positive comments, we are glad to know that you enjoyed your stay at our Ikala Galapagos Hotel, especially our rooms, location, food, and personalized service. We hope you will visit us again soon. The best of the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel team!
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The only five star stay we had in Ecuador. Rooms are newly renovated, clean with gorgeous balconies, bathrooms had normal water pressure, always had hot water, robes, safes and filtered water in the room. Bikes are readily available and so is filtered water, useful advice, ability to help with day trips and reservations. Clean beach towels that actually smell clean. The staff was helpful and attentive, well trained, and fluent in English. Pricing was transparent. We had two rooms on the second floor, the hotel kept their promise to keep us close to each other with the children next to us. Air- conditioning worked very well and cooled the room in 10-15 minutes. The pool was cool and clean. Breakfast - superb with strong coffee and custom ordered eggs available. If you have dietary restrictions and allergies, the hotel will make a custom dish for you for the buffet. Again, top notch hotel in great location. Cannot recommend more. We stayed in Indigo in San Cristobal and also traveled on Bonita Yacht for four nights. Indigo accommodations were similar BUT the staff could not be compared as they barely spoke English and were consistently untruthful. Bonita Yacht was vastly inferior with all activities cut short to 30 minutes and we were stuck with barely educated guide. If we were to take the trip again, we would stay longer at Ikala and take day trips. Again, cannot recommend more!
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Do not hesitate to ask questions. The staff is knowledgeable and eager to help.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jose Andrade, Sales at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded Apr 7, 2024
Dear Haystackm, Thank you for your positive comments, we are very happy to know that you enjoyed your stay at our Ikala Galapagos Hotel, especially our facilities and personalized service. We hope you will visit us again soon. The best of the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel team!
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We spent three nights at the Ikala. Rooms are large, clean and well furnished. We were on the first floor with a pool view and did not experience any excessive noise. We had lunch poolside one afternoon and food and service was great. Breakfast is served on the roof top with great views of the pier. The property is walking distance to the ferry and into town with many restaurants and shops. The property provides the use of bicycles and we took advantage of this to ride to the Charles Darwin center..
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:There are no lifts so if you don't do stairs stay on a round floor room
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from AnahiT43, Manager at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded Mar 3, 2020
Dear Sandra and Chriss, Thank you very much for your positive comments. We are happy to know you enjoyed your stay and especially profited from our large and well furnished rooms, our food service, our buffet breakfast and our free bikes. We hope you visit us again soon in a near future. All the best from the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel Team!
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This is one of the greatest stays we could have booked for our honeymoon! The service of all the staff was top notch, everything was very safe and COVID precautions were taking at every step. We stayed in a suite which was spacious and very comfortable with a patio overlooking the pool, which was a great option for cooling down after hot days of exploring. The breakfast was so good and the food just kept coming. The location was great as well - a block away from the port so close enough to the action but without the noise of the busy street. Overall we could not have asked for a better hotel!
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Date of stay: April 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jose Andrade, Dueño at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded May 2, 2021
Dear italiabella9, Thank you so much for your positive review, in these hard covid times it really means a lot for us to have international guests with us and more so know that you enjoyed your stay and your experience in our hotel. We are happy to know you enjoyed our central location, our service and your room! We hope you visit us again soon. All the best from the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel team!
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We spent 4 nights in total, leaving in between to fly to Isabella Island, at Ikala and enjoyed both stays very much. We had a lovely suite on the second floor overlooking pool and bar deck. The only suggestion I have for owners is to add some drawer space. We had to live out of suitcases as there was no where to unpack. Breakfast buffet was well stocked with attentive service on the 4th floor of main building. Front desk was helpful and our suitcases were delivered directly to our room before our arrival which we appreciated.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:No elevator so any mobility issues, ask for first floor
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from AnahiT43, Manager at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded Mar 3, 2020
Dear guest, We thank you very much for taking your time to leave us your comments! We are beyond happy to know you enjoyed your stay with us and especially enjoyed your room view, our buffet breakfast and our staff's attentive service. We also appreciate your comments and will take into consideration adding additional drawer space. We hope you visit us again soon! All the best from the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel team.
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We stayed in a suite at this hotel for two nights while we were in Santa Cruz and before we boarded the ship for Galapagos. The location is close to Puerto Ayora and close to many restaurants and shopping. Most things were within a 10 min walking radius. The rooms are clean and spacious. The beds and pillows are quite firm, which I think is the norm in Ecuador since I had trouble finding soft pillows at many of the hotels we stayed at. The breakfast was good and there is a great view from the roof. Sleep quality was okay since we had a noisy bird above us that kept dropping things in the middle of the night that rolled down the roof. The toilet and shower are in separate rooms and they have bathrobes for you to use.
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Date of stay: November 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jose Andrade, Ventas at Ikala Galapagos Hotel
Responded Dec 10, 2022
Dear BellaFromLA, Thank you for your positive comments, we are very happy to know that you enjoyed your stay at our Ikala Galapagos Hotel, especially our facilities and personalized service. We hope you will visit us again soon. The best of the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel team!
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Dear Chaitra, thank you very much for choosing us during your visit to the enchanted Galapagos Islands. Please kindly contact our reservation department which can confirm if we have availability for the dates you require. Diego Alvarez will be happy to assist you via phone: +593 99 972 9265 / +593 2 2220 892
Puerto Ayora, Ecuador3 contributions2 helpful votes
Hi Andrew, yes, you can make a reservation, but it is important to let us know the dates of your reservations as soon as possible since we need to check if we have availability. Will be a pleasure to attend your kind requirement! Best regards.
Estimado Andrew, si, se puede hacer una reserva, pero necesitamos saber las fechas lo más pronto posible a fin de verificar si tenemos disponibilidad. Sera un gusto atenderle en su luna de miel. Saludos cordiales
Dear Guest,
We are very sorry for our delayed response it's been a bit hectic at the office :) At our hotel we usually manage between 1.5 and 3MB of internet depending on occupation, in case your internet connection is faulty during your stay please inform our staff and they will be happy to help as much as possible to offer a stable connection, nevertheless please be aware that the hotel is located in a National Park which means overall in the island the internet might not be very stable.
We hope this is useful and if you require any more help we will be happy to answer any other questions you might have before coming.
All the best from the entire Ikala Galapagos Hotel team!
There are more places to choose from in the Puerto Ayora area.
PRICE RANGE
C$310 - C$416 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
EcuadorGalapagos IslandsSanta CruzPuerto Ayora
NUMBER OF ROOMS
22
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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