Hotel Cruz del Vado

Located in Cuenca’s UNESCO-protected historic center, Hotel Cruz del Vado offers a glimpse of the city’s past grandeur. The opulent French-inspired façade is made entirely of locally mined pink marble, while exposed brick archways frame the lobby, the doors are made of rich wood carved into relief sculpture, and the windows feature colorful stained glass. Standing on the tiers of wrought-iron balconies encircling an elegant interior courtyard, it’s easy to imagine reporters and secretaries rushing around below: the building was once the headquarters of the city’s first newspaper. In recent years, the property was restored by a local architecture firm and acquired by Art Hotels Ecuador, a family-run hospitality brand with a small collection of boutique hotels located in historic buildings.

The rooms and suites are lavishly appointed, the thick bahreque walls a nod to indigenous tradition and the hand-carved headboards crafted by local artisans. The look is dark and theatrical, with rich brocade, framed oil paintings, and suspended lamps glowing romantically at bedsides. Even the bathrooms have black marble countertops, plus walk-in rainfall showers and organic Ecuadorian bath products. All rooms come with custom Simmons mattresses and coffee stations with locally sourced and roasted beans, and the largest rooms have Jacuzzis and views of the Tomebamba River. Breakfast is included in the third-floor restaurant with big picture windows overlooking the blue domes of Cuenca’s cathedral, and panoramic vistas of the Andes and the city are even more impressive from the hotel’s marvelous rooftop bar.