Fodor's Expert Review Ali Shungu

The Quichua name of this colorful hotel means "good heart," and indeed the American owners go out of their way to make you feel at home. The spacious bedrooms with terra-cotta floors and local weavings surround a flower-filled courtyard, beyond which is Volcán Imbabura in the distance. Two expansive suites are ideal for families. The bright restaurant has wholesome dishes, including vegetarian lasagna and deep-dish chicken pie served with organically grown vegetables. There's live folk music on Friday night. For a real get-away-from-it-all alternative, these folks operate a lodge 5 km (3 mi) southwest of town. Four sparkling, fully equipped houses ($$$) have terra-cotta floors, cactus-braid rugs and wood-burning stoves to ward off the night chill. (There's even Wi-Fi access, but come on: leave the laptop at home and enjoy the surroundings.) Both properties are entirely no-smoking.