January 7, 2021
Travel Weekly
January 15, 2021
“Un enorme portón de madera al más puro estilo Jurassic Park da la bienvenida al visitante. Luego de atravesarlo, todavía quedan 20 minutos en todoterreno por un sinuoso camino de tierra. La frondosidad abruma […]. “
“South American tour operator Metropolitan Touring, which focuses on travel to the Galapagos, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, is offering similarly flexible bookings. The company currently requires just a 10%, with full payment due 60 days prior to departure for Galapagos trips, 30 days prior for stays at the biodiverse Masphi Lodge and 10 days at the historic Casa Gangotena in Quito, Ecuador. And in all cases, trips can be rescheduled without penalty”.
“In Ecuador, my hotel in Quito, Casa Gangotena, arranged to have a testing agency come right to the hotel. “
“During the month I spent in Ecuador in December, 2020, I experienced all of this, and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. I can’t wait to go back”.
“For biologists at Mashpi, it means that instead of having dozens of species experts spend months sifting through thousands of hours of audio, the technology will process three months of audio in mere minutes.”
“Francisco Dousdebés, corporate social responsibility manager for Metropolitan Touring, talks with James Shillinglaw about how his tour company addresses social responsibility and sustainable tourism for each of its cruise, tour and hotel products.”
“As the first company to offer Galapagos cruises, Metropolitan has a fleet of three ships and long experience in guiding visitors around the islands. But the company also offers a hotel in the Galapagos, a luxury hotel in Quito, and an acclaimed lodge in the cloud forest near the city.”
“Dominic Hamilton, director of communications for Metropolitan Touring in Ecuador, talks about the trip his company planned for Insider Travel Report, including a tour of Quito, a four-day Galapagos cruise on Isabella II, a stay at Finch Bay Lodge on Santa Cruz, a stay at Mashpi Lodge in the cloud forest and more.”
” In the course of the cruise, guests see many if not most of the exquisite wildlife in Galapagos, including sea lions, marine and land iguanas, Galapagos penguins, blue- and red-footed boobies, and many other bird species. Plus they get to see the vastly different geology and plant life of these volcanic islands.”
“Sobrevuela la selva del Chocó ecuatoriano en el telesilla de Mashpi Lodge”.
“Located in the heart of the Ecuadorian cloud forest, the Mashpi Lodge aims to protect 15,000 hectares by 2040. To reach this target, the lodge has partnered with the tech organisation Rainforest Connection […].”
“Metropolitang Touring, empresa que ofrece los paquetes turísticos denominados ‘Escape’. Mediante el acompañamiento de guías profesionales, pretenden brindar a los ecuatorianos una experiencia diferente para conocer el país de una manera profunda y auténtica.”
“Metropolitan Touring, meanwhile, announced this week that it is among the first companies to resume trips to the Galapagos.”
“Galapagos specialist Metropolitan Touring has resumed operations in the Galapagos archipelago, one of the first major tour operators to return to the region off Ecuador’s coast following a five-month pause triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Mikuy es el primer delivery de cocina ecuatoriana y mestiza, un proyecto del Hotel Boutique Casa Gangotena, creado para acercar lo mejor de la rica y variada cocina ecuatoriana a los hogares de todos los habitantes de la Capital.”
“Metropolitan Touring diseñó una nueva línea de paquetes para el turismo interno denominado Escape, que emplea toda su capacidad operativa y el profesionalismo de sus guías para ofrecer a los ecuatorianos una experiencia diferente, sin salir de nuestras fronteras.”
“La Casa Gangotena, fue reconocida como uno de los mejores hoteles del mundo, galardón entregado por Travel + Leisure, una revista de viajes de los Estados Unidos, que lo distinguió como el Hotel #1 de Ciudad de Centro y Sudamérica.”
“Mashpi Lodge offers guests a luxurious escape that’s rooted in nature and sustainability.”
“When the Covid-19 crisis spread to Ecuador earlier this year, the Metropolitan Touring chairman took matters into his own hands and set up Por Todas, a country-wide emergency initiative supporting the country’s most vulnerable people.”
“Metropolitan Touring, which operates Casa Gangotena, Mashpi Lodge, and Finch Bay Galapagos in Ecuador, will only open 50 percent of its hotels’ hot tubs, yoga rooms, and swimming pools.”
“Fees generated support initiatives in the reserve and with locals in the area, including ground-breaking research projects like this one and in-depth studies to help mitigate the effects of climate change.”
“This news reminds us that there is still much of the world awaiting discovery, and there will be many more beautiful new sites for us all to set our eyes on once the lockdown is over”.
“Ecuador’s extraordinary Mashpi Lodge is an eco-wonder set deep in the amazing Chocó-Andean Cloud Forest.”
“Head of Metropolitan Touring’s Holding Group Launches “Por Todos” Initiative to Aid the Needy & Bolster Healthcare in Ecuador During COVID-19 Pandemic.”
“Xandra Pérez es de Basauri y lleva ocho años viviendo en Quito. Nos muestra Casa Gangotena, uno de los hoteles más prestigiosos de la ciudad, y la iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.”
“Head to Ecuador’s Mashpi Lodge to experience 6,200 acres of cloud forest, soaring through the treetops on the Sky Bike and Dragonfly Canopy Gondola.”
“Luxury eco-hotel, Mashpi Lodge, located deep in the heart of the Ecuadorian Choco ecoregion, is delighted to announce the discovery of a new species of orchid.”
“The new species was found in the protected Reserve surrounding the hotel by the Lodge’s dedicated Research & Biology team as part of their ongoing mission to protect and preserve this sacred corner of the Choco region.”
“The lodge is a luxurious sanctuary after a day of exploring, but the views don’t stop inside – floor to ceiling windows allow you to enjoy the forest’s natural beauty at all times, even from bed.”
“Lepanthes mashpica deemed endemic to Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve within the Choco Ecoregion of Ecuador, one of the most diverse and threatened forests in the world.”
“En algunos puntos, unas cascadas y pequeños remansos sirven de escenarios paradisíacos donde hacer un alto y darse un chapuzón”.
“Lo mejor es que de aquí se sale concienciado y con un espíritu naturalista bien arraigado.”
““Orchid lovers will rejoice exploring this dreamscape fame for its exotic fauna and flora”.
“… a stay here means you can hike and trek to explore the uncharted wilderness of this biodiversity hotspot, where you can swim in waterfalls and rocks pools that feels totally prelapsarian”.
“Get ready to fully immerse yourself in the Ecuadorian jungle, where the forest meets the sky.”
“C’est le lieu idéal pour un retour à l’état sauvage.”
“Tra cielo e terra, c’è una funivia che fa fare un viaggio magico: quaranta minuti di full immersion nella bellezza della natura.”
“The Yaku Suite at Mashpi Lodge has been included in a compilation of the 137 most beautiful and romantic suites in the world.”
“Mashpi Lodge is a luxury hotel perched in the Andean Cloud Forest of Ecuador.”
“Casa Gangotena – Built 1924 as a family home, the Art Deco mansion now provides a unique hotel experience.”
“Mashpi Lodge provides the perfect opportunity for families to re-connect and bring teenagers back down to earth.”
“The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, the only beachfront property in Santa Cruz Island.”
“Mashpi is beautiful and modern with clean wooden lines, concrete floors and acres of glass that ‘cocoon’ you.”
“Arriving at Finch Bay on Santa Cruz island is delightfully romantic.”
“One of the island’s longest-standing hotels, Finch Bay is the closest you’ll get to a Galapagos beach club.”
“Nel Mashpi Lodge, immerso nella splendida Choco, uno dei posti più verdi e piovosi del pianeta, si può ammirare lo straordinario ambiente da una teleferica a bassissimo impatto che corre sospesa a 500 metri per 2 chilometri.”
“Not many places marry the luxury of this lodge with the natural beauty of its surroundings.”
“I marvel at the lodge’s construction: it was built without cutting down a single tree.”
“A three-hour drive from Quito delivers you to a 6,000-acre rain forest reserve that’s dripping, squawking, and buzzing with life.”
“Todo aquello que se considera ideal y perfecto suele nombrarse como paraíso, de ahí que las Islas Galápagos sean consideradas como el edén natural mejor preservado de la tierra.”
“I believe people will start choosing more sustainable companies in the future, and opt for destinations that respect local communities, conservation, and biodiversity.”
“A bumpy three-hour drive from Quito takes guests to this spectacular eco-lodge, cocooned within the Chocó-Andean cloud forest in the Mashpi Reserve: a 15,000-acre spread of lush mountainous jungle just waiting to be explored.”
“In the Galapagos, Metropolitan Touring was among the first to resume sailing.”
“We’ve opened two of the three hotels (Mashpi Lodge, in the Choco region, and Quito’s Casa Gangotena, affiliated with Relais & Chateaux), and it is Ecuadorians who are coming.”
“Mashpi Lodge and the Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel were included on the top 25 resorts in South America”
“Casa Gangotena was ranked 7th among the 20 best hotels of South America.”
“Metropolitan Touring is the ideal cruise line for those seeking a casual experience in the wildlife hotspot.”
“Tourism is what has made Galapagos not extinct”
“Escape se nutre de las experiencias de Metropolitan Touring al recorrer el país entero, abriendo nuevas trochas y descubriendo rincones remotos.”
“Metropolitang Touring, empresa que ofrece los paquetes turísticos denominados ‘Escape’. Mediante el acompañamiento de guías profesionales, pretenden brindar a los ecuatorianos una experiencia diferente para conocer el país de una manera profunda y auténtica.”
“Metropolitan Touring, meanwhile, announced this week that it is among the first companies to resume trips to the Galapagos.”
“La Casa Gangotena, fue reconocida como uno de los mejores hoteles del mundo, galardón entregado por Travel + Leisure, una revista de viajes de los Estados Unidos, que lo distinguió como el Hotel #1 de Ciudad de Centro y Sudamérica.”
“Mashpi Lodge offers guests a luxurious escape that’s rooted in nature and sustainability.”
“When the Covid-19 crisis spread to Ecuador earlier this year, the Metropolitan Touring chairman took matters into his own hands and set up Por Todas, a country-wide emergency initiative supporting the country’s most vulnerable people.”
“Metropolitan Touring, which operates Casa Gangotena, Mashpi Lodge, and Finch Bay Galapagos in Ecuador, will only open 50 percent of its hotels’ hot tubs, yoga rooms, and swimming pools.”
“Fees generated support initiatives in the reserve and with locals in the area, including ground-breaking research projects like this one and in-depth studies to help mitigate the effects of climate change.”
“This news reminds us that there is still much of the world awaiting discovery, and there will be many more beautiful new sites for us all to set our eyes on once the lockdown is over”.
“Ecuador’s extraordinary Mashpi Lodge is an eco-wonder set deep in the amazing Chocó-Andean Cloud Forest.”
“Head of Metropolitan Touring’s Holding Group Launches “Por Todos” Initiative to Aid the Needy & Bolster Healthcare in Ecuador During COVID-19 Pandemic.”
“Xandra Pérez es de Basauri y lleva ocho años viviendo en Quito. Nos muestra Casa Gangotena, uno de los hoteles más prestigiosos de la ciudad, y la iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.”
“Head to Ecuador’s Mashpi Lodge to experience 6,200 acres of cloud forest, soaring through the treetops on the Sky Bike and Dragonfly Canopy Gondola.”
“Luxury eco-hotel, Mashpi Lodge, located deep in the heart of the Ecuadorian Choco ecoregion, is delighted to announce the discovery of a new species of orchid.”
“The new species was found in the protected Reserve surrounding the hotel by the Lodge’s dedicated Research & Biology team as part of their ongoing mission to protect and preserve this sacred corner of the Choco region.”
“The lodge is a luxurious sanctuary after a day of exploring, but the views don’t stop inside – floor to ceiling windows allow you to enjoy the forest’s natural beauty at all times, even from bed.”
“Lepanthes mashpica deemed endemic to Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve within the Choco Ecoregion of Ecuador, one of the most diverse and threatened forests in the world.”
“En algunos puntos, unas cascadas y pequeños remansos sirven de escenarios paradisíacos donde hacer un alto y darse un chapuzón”.
“Lo mejor es que de aquí se sale concienciado y con un espíritu naturalista bien arraigado.”
(La Pinta) “Newly renovated, this 48-passenger vessel has one of the top five guest-space ratios in the Galápagos. I could always find a quiet spot, with communal areas including a sundeck, library and bar/lounge area”.
““Orchid lovers will rejoice exploring this dreamscape fame for its exotic fauna and flora”.
“… a stay here means you can hike and trek to explore the uncharted wilderness of this biodiversity hotspot, where you can swim in waterfalls and rocks pools that feels totally prelapsarian”.
“Get ready to fully immerse yourself in the Ecuadorian jungle, where the forest meets the sky.”
“C’est le lieu idéal pour un retour à l’état sauvage.”
“Tra cielo e terra, c’è una funivia che fa fare un viaggio magico: quaranta minuti di full immersion nella bellezza della natura.”
“The Yaku Suite at Mashpi Lodge has been included in a compilation of the 137 most beautiful and romantic suites in the world.”
“Mashpi Lodge is a luxury hotel perched in the Andean Cloud Forest of Ecuador.”
“Casa Gangotena – Built 1924 as a family home, the Art Deco mansion now provides a unique hotel experience.”
“Mashpi Lodge provides the perfect opportunity for families to re-connect and bring teenagers back down to earth.”
“The Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, the only beachfront property in Santa Cruz Island.”
“Mashpi is beautiful and modern with clean wooden lines, concrete floors and acres of glass that ‘cocoon’ you.”
“Arriving at Finch Bay on Santa Cruz island is delightfully romantic.”
“One of the island’s longest-standing hotels, Finch Bay is the closest you’ll get to a Galapagos beach club.”
“Nel Mashpi Lodge, immerso nella splendida Choco, uno dei posti più verdi e piovosi del pianeta, si può ammirare lo straordinario ambiente da una teleferica a bassissimo impatto che corre sospesa a 500 metri per 2 chilometri.”
“Not many places marry the luxury of this lodge with the natural beauty of its surroundings.”
“I marvel at the lodge’s construction: it was built without cutting down a single tree.”
“A three-hour drive from Quito delivers you to a 6,000-acre rain forest reserve that’s dripping, squawking, and buzzing with life.”
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This small, secret rooftop of the restored Casa Gangotena mansion peers over Plaza San Francisco in the center of Quito’s colonial Old Town, the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Order a Cedrón Spritz, a refreshing mix of rum, lemon, sparkling wine, and fresh lemon verbena (cedrón) syrup and leaf, then revel in the mesmerizing, real-time montage of daily life in Ecuador’s capital as it parades past.
A Font of information, Klaus has spent decades in the field, leading tours in the Amazon, Andes and Galapagos Islands. He hung up his guiding boots a few years back and now creates itineraries for the tour operator, Metropolitan Touring. Adrift in the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from mainland South America, Galapagos is one of the most biodiverse locales on Earth.
Santa Cruz II is a replacement for the much-loved Santa Cruz, which plied the waters of the Galapagos for 36 years. It is not a new ship; it was built in 2002 and sailed as Mare Australis under the Australis cruise brand, operating expedition cruises around Cape Horn and to Antarctica. Metropolitan Touring bought the ship in 2015 and completely refurbished it, launching it as Santa Cruz II in October 2015.
When this modern, minimalist, glass-walled jungle lodge opened in 2012, it changed the accommodation game in South America. Arquitect Alfredo Ribadeneira’s “protective cocoon” would impress in a modern city; in the depths of an Andean cloudforest, it is wild, audacious and beautiful. Though only 70 miles from Quito, Maspi Lodge sits in splendid isolation, perched on a cliff at the end of an unsealed road.
Itinerario de 5 días / 4 noches: Basado en la tarifa regular (4214 USD + impuestos por persona)
Itinerario de 7 días / 6 noches: Basado en la tarifa regular (5672 USD + impuestos por persona)
No reembolsable. Aplica únicamente para residentes ecuatorianos en nuevas reservas directas realizadas, hasta el 30 de junio del 2022, con un ejecutivo de ventas del hotel. Válido para estadías hasta el 31 de agosto de 2022. No puede ser combinada con otros descuentos, promociones u ofertas. El descuento no aplica para otros servicios. El precio no incluye recargo de combustible de $20 por noche de crucero.
