Lodging options have expanded and made traveling more unique. What used to be hotels, motels, and resorts has now evolved into Air BnBs, boutique hotels, former palaces, and other unique ideas. One of the most unique hotel stays we’ve ever experienced is a former convent that was converted into a boutique hotel. To be honest, when I searched the internet for hotel options in Quito, Ecuador, I was focused mainly on location to the plazas in the heart of the historic areas. I didn’t realize until we pulled into the courtyard (in the midnight hour), that our hotel was so historic. The actual portal we entered intrigued me and I discovered much later how symbolic that portal was to the history of Quito! Portal del Cantuña is steeped in history and folklore.

Up the staircase, we entered into the lush and exotic lobby solarium drenched in greenery and plants. Photosynthesis galore. Nature and greenhouse effect imagery breathed life into the boutique hotel on an earthy level. Yet, the sacred chapel inside the lobby breathed the spiritual vitality into the environment. Our bedroom was rustic and demure but all that we needed. A perfect jumping off point daily to our excursions with ubers and taxis waiting outside. Daily, pedestrian walks on this Plaza de San Francisco also made this boutique hotel such an accessible lodging choice.

Retreating back to Hotel Boutique Portal de Cantuña was a cozy, daily homecoming. Once a Franciscan convent, the structure has original columns, wood-plank floors and a somber chapel inside. Colonial furniture, stained glass metalwork frame on the solar ceiling and interior greenhouse lobby exuded authentic Ecuadorian style. The hotel rooms were once nuns’ quarters and the ornate parlors beckoned us to drink tea and peruse books. Antique irons, a Victrola, and tea sets are among the relics decorating every niche of the building. 5:00 a.m. church bells reminded us of this hotel’s history and chimed authenticity. At breakfast, we were joined by a cat which jumped into our laps offering her own hospitality. Ian regaled us with Ecuadorian history and factoids each evening and Mrs. Sanchez told us of the legend of Cantuña. Legend states that Cantuña was an architect hired by the Franciscans to build the atrium of the glorious San Francisco church. His tenacious work was taking a lengthy and laborious time to accomplish. Also according to the stories, he was worried that he might go to jail if his project wasn’t completed on time. Reportedly, the Devil appeared to him with promises to finish the work overnight with the help of his demons or Cantuña would sell his soul to him.

In his anguish and despair, Cantuña agreed to this pact. Some versions of the story claim that the Virgin Mary appeared to Cantuña and told him to loosen a stone from the atrium wall and hide it. Cantuña pried loose a stone as the Virgin Mary instructed. The next day, the Franciscans were to be presented with the completed atrium, so the Devil asked Cantuña for his payment: his soul. However, Cantuña identified the missing stone proving that the atrium wasn’t complete; thus, the deal was unfulfilled. With the Devil’s plan thwarted, he retreated and Cantuña’s soul was saved. This legend made staying at Portal del Cantuña even more exceptional for us. Adding to the allure was the fact that it was also a Franciscan nunnery which represented the cultural and spiritual history of it. The memory of Mrs. Sanchez telling us a snippet of this legend is Ecuadorian magic!

According to the hotel’s website, the owners and managers of the boutique hotel are traditional Quiteños of many generations. The building was purchased from the nuns 120 years ago by the Sanchez family. Located at the end of an alley, it is situated away from the bustling Quito streets. That was the first thing I noticed when our taxi pulled into the mysterious alley at 1:00 a.m. when we arrived to Quito from the airport far away. It was tucked away from the main street of the charming Plaza de San Francisco. I always marvel at the skills of the taxi drivers in foreign countries and their finesse of maneuvering unusual roads. Also according to the website, the relics and décor of the hotel have such interesting nuances. For example, the mirrors are from Paris and the wood carved dining room is a replica of Quito’s Carondelet Palace dining room.

Across the street was Casa Gangostena, a former mansion. (Both hotels are found in travel books). For those wanting luxury, stay there and visit Portal de Cantuña for an evening cocktail or dinner. And vice-versa, for those staying at Portal de Cantuña, visit Casa Gangostena for a drink or dinner. The architecture and cathedrals of Plaza de Independencia and Plaza de San Francisco impressed us and welcomed us each day that we joined the bustling crowds. Whether watching birds swoop off rafters in their cyclonic flocks or admiring a Quinceñeara procession, each activity delighted the senses.

I highly recommend this experience. Tip: if  you pay in cash vs. credit card, the lodging fees are reduced. The location was ideal, the experience was very authentic and the hospitality was charming. The history was incredibly meaningful. Click on link. http://portaldecantunaquito.com

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

photos by Gina Kingsley