Along with the Compañía de Jesús church and its gold leaf-covered altar, the Plaza de San Francisco is a landmark of Spanish Old Quito.  In the very spot where earlier the Quitu people traded, who were followed by the Incas,  a handsome three-story villa was built in the early 20th-century.

In their day, the Gangotena family  were movers and shakers who for generations  hosted balls and glamorous soirees, and  entertained poets, presidents and high society  in their villa. Until it all stopped.

The Plaza de San Francisco wows guests from the Casa Gangotena terrace.—Courtesy Casa Gangotena

By the 50s and 60s, the elite had largely abandoned Old Quito for new suburbs, and as always happens, decay set in. But today, well after UNESCO declared the old town a World Heritage site in the late-70s, and following massive infrastructure investment over the last decade-and-a-half, Old Quito is all the rage among visitors. And the Casa Gangotena is back in the heart of it all, and quietly reaping accolades since it opened in 2011.

An original 1880s mansion burned in 1914, which prompted the construction of the even more grand present mansion.  From the moment you enter the Casa Gangotena lobby, with its plush sofas and chartreuse chairs,  and are served a glass of agua de frescos, an infusion drink  of herbs and flower petals, the hotel’s heritage hits you.  

The fountain and private back garden at Casa Gangotena.—Courtesy Casa Gangotena

In both iterations of the mansion, plenty of intrigue no doubt passed among Gangotena guests within the courtyard and  garden .  Today, the  glass-covered garden room filled with tropical plants  is the place to enjoy high tea (which, here in the land of coffee and chocolate, could mean espresso or hot chocolate) or cocktails while perusing an illustrated book on Ecuadorean flora and fauna. 

A Terrace Suite at the Casa Gangotena.—Courtesy Casa Gangotena

Nearly 300 people worked on the restoration of the  Casa Gangotena  to convert it to hotel functionality. In addition to soundproof windows and air conditioning going in, Egyptian marble was applied in corridors. Elevators were added, but the elegant central spiral staircase beckons many guests (take it slow as you’re at an altitude of 9,350 feet). Thankfully, the large crew was also responsible for maintaining as many original features as possible, such as Art Nouveau and Art Deco elements, as well as period stucco and plaster moldings.

As high-ceilinged as you’d expect in an historic villa, the 31 large suites come in all manner of configurations that could be retrofitted into a former private home. Some rooms enjoy private balconies, while some of those come with views of the popular Virgin statue on El Panecillo hill, and of the various Old Quito church spires.

Brilliant floral and orchid displays greet guests in their rooms. Damask wallpaper helps keep the  historic motif, while t hick drapery keeps out that bright highland sun. Enormous bathrooms with separate bath and shower (containing L’Occitane products)  are clad in white-and black-veined statuarietto marble.

Many guests pass up the elevator in favor of the elegant Gangotena spiral staircase.—Courtesy Casa... [+] Gangotena

The Casa Gangotena  bar has the feel of an old private club, with dark wood and historic lithographs and drawings on the wall. The bar, in turn, leads to the  bright and airy, white-table cloth Cedrón restaurant which pulls off the fine trick of catering to the palate of international guests while introducing them to Ecuador's rich  cuisine with which few are likely familiar. At lunch, guests might enjoy the popular  locro quiteño soup, made with avocado, cheeses, and fried corn, or the  cazuela de pescado, a green plaintain and peanut fish stew.

At breakfast, a buffet is spread out with fine cheeses, meats, and fishes, along with an array of tropical fruit juices. And should you have an ungodly departure hour of say, 4:30 am, for the Amazon or Galápagos, breakfast will be packed and ready to go.

It is spectacular enough at Casa Gangotena to  have one of Latin America’s most important religious complexes in the Church and Convent of San Francisco in front of you. And then to enter is to discover how spectacular the gilded interior is, and how rich it is in art works produced in the distinct Quito School.

And right around the corner from the Casa Gangotena, an unassuming art museum tucked on little Calle Cuenca  is quite spectacular in its own right. The Casa del Alabado museum of Pre-Columbian art features one softly-lighted room after another in which hundreds of treasures from the truly old world fill the vitrines.

The Casa Gangotena's rebirth has enlivened the Plaza de San Francisco area.—Courtesy Casa Gangotena

Not only is Old Quito once again vibrant, but it is so in ways that mix luxuries à la Casa Gangotena with simple pleasures. The hotel can arrange for a Live Quito Like a Local tour that takes in visits to artisans , sweets makers, even a traditional miller in the San Roque area.

I f you didn’t already know it, you'll discover at  a hat shop  that the Panama hat is Ecuadorean. At the San Francisco public market you can sample fresh juices and elixirs that you've never heard of, and learn about herbal medicines from indigenous women.

By the time you've visited the chocolate house Chez Tiff on the beautifully-restored La Ronda street and learned a few of their artisanal secrets, you'll be ready to plop down and recover in your Casa Gangotena suite from all those rich Old Quito treats. 

The April, 2016 earthquake that badly damaged municipalities on the Ecuadorean coast was felt in Quito too, but the city suffered no significant damage. Quiteños were paramount in the relief efforts by collecting supplies and transporting them down the Andes to the coast.

Not only did Ecuador remain open to visit in the aftermath, but now as much as ever the country welcomes and desires international travelers. Staff from the Casa Gangotena’s parent company, Metropolitan Touring, organized a medical camp, and visitors to the Gangotena might inquire as to how to donate themselves.

As Quito builds a new metro line, a station is being installed under the stone pavement of the Plaza de San Francisco in front of the Casa Gangotena. It causes only an occasional mild inconvenience, but guests are welcome to check the hotel for updates.