During my stay 3 other people checked out and moved elsewhere as they said it was so bad and I left early also and couldn't wait to go!

Bad points-
We checked in and no one told us the boiler was broken/ no hot water for 24 hours

In one week I had 5 cold showers- after the boiler was fixed

When we arrived we asked for the price of a private room for 2 people, we agreed on the price.

I just booked in two days become arrival First time in ecaudor

When our flight was delayed, and our arrival in Guayaquil became 4:00 in the morning, I emailed from the plane to let them know, figuring we were going to have to wait in the airport until business hours.

Myself and my gf booked in here well in advance of arrival as it would be at the beginning of our year long trip so we decided to pay a bit more for what we expected to be a retreat like experience and get us off to a nice start.

but when I arrived the owner told me she had done some juggling so I got the 4th night in a private:) Rooms cleaned and towels changed daily.

50% deposit via only Paypal was required, non refundable within 72 hours of arrival.

The Casa del Sol is near these landmarks: Mirador Ecologico Salango, Outdoor Ecuador Spanish & Surf School, Vikara Lifestyle, Escuela De Surf Olon, Cascadas de Alex, Kings Olón, Spa del Balsa Surf Camp, Playa Montañita, Playa Montañita, Monumento del Surfista, Lost Beach Club, Discoteca Alcatraz, Montanita Expediciones, Playa Montañita, Nativa Bambu Disco, Ohana Language School, MONTAÑITA EXPEDITIONS, Montanita Spanish School - Day Classes, Comuna Cadeate, Playa la Entrada, Parque Marino Valdivia, Museo Valdivia, Playa de Ayangue, El Pro, Vivero San Jacinto, Playa la Rinconada, Mares Ecuador, Aventuras La Plata, Olaconga, Cabaña Bar Mar Azul, Machalilla Tours, Exploramar Diving, El Artesan, Palo Santo Travel Ecuador, Clara Luna and Pacha Chocolates

The property itself is wonderfully decorated with a number of outdoor areas to congregate, including seating areas, a dining area and two bars.

To more concrete stuff that people might worry about:
- hot hot showers
- rooms are cleaned daily
- bedsheets and towels change every other day
- hammocks right in front of your room
- great breakfast that changes every day & good strong coffee
- all the services you might need - bycicles, surf lessons, spanish lessons, taxis, lost & found :)
- they have good cork wine at the bar - which you will see it is rare in Ecuador:)
- options of having a room with AC
- 20m from the beach
- 10 min walk by the beach or on the road to central Montanita where the craaaazy happens
- family atmosphere

Thank you Tamara, Jackson, Dani and Michelle for unknowingly giving me a kick in the

but I spent much time hanging out at their ever lively little bar watching the goings on.

My favorite hang out spot had to be the bar downstairs.

Loved this place, the bar was so great to sit at and drink and chat.

7-8 minute walk on the beach, into town, which is perfect if you value your sleep. If you saddle up at the hostel bar (and why wouldn't you?)

The bar area is a great social scene where you'll quickly feel right at home.

Staff and guests gathered around the bar and sang happy birthday.

Such a good vibe from Tamara (owner) and the long term guests (Jackson & Mike) helping out at the bar and around the place.

The bar from Casa del Sol is most of the time open and you can get great drinks from the barkeeper called Pirate of Montañita :).

Mike and Jackson run the late show at the bar.

Those saddled up at the hostel bar are endlessly entertaining.

A 5-10 minute walk down the beach takes you into the centre of town with all the bars etc..

but are not limited to: amazingly friendly and hospitable staff who don’t just serve you drinks at the in-house bar but party with your after hours and wake you up in the morning for a sin absolving surf; optimum location on the la punta in Montanita – la punta is close enough to dip in and out of the action in town as often as you like yet secluded enough to escape the rif raf and endless fiesta; spacious rooms (cleaned daily) enclosed within an internal fern garden and courtyard replete with comfy hammocks for relaxing; delicious and diverse breakfasts, a different delight for each day of the week; and fun, informative Spanish classes taken by patient, experienced teachers in an informal setting.

There’s also a bar at the hotel which provided a great place to meet people and unwind.

but still some lovely bars including fresh sushi and a beer distillery.

but off the main strip where it can get super loud) so you actually can sleep, yoga studio right at the hotel with amazing teachers and classes, delicious breakfasts, great Spanish teachers, surf lessons and board rentals, free use of bikes, on-site bar, and most of all staff that treats you like family.

The Bar at CDS is just a magnet for travellers, ALL of them. .

The bar is a excellent place to make friends and share stories.

The hotel is on the best part of the beach and it’s quiet.

Easy access to the beach and plenty of restaurants around the hostal.

Amazing stay at this fantastic oasis a mere 30 second walk to the beach.

Located 20 m. or 1 block off the ocean and nestled in a forest of tropical vegetation Casa Del Sol has the perfect mix of sun and shade, beach and forest.

Pros: Peaceful part of the Montanita beach.

It's a really beautiful and peaceful hotel located across from the beach and a really good restaurant.

The Yoga classes of Michelle and Tamara were really amazing, I think I took every single class :) 
There are Surf and Spanish classes available and the beach is only 1 minute walk away.

friendly staff, close to beach, good vibes.

The location is toward the end of the beach, just under a 10min walk to the middle of town.

The location is ideal as its a stones throw from the point where the waves seemed most consistant and while its a short walk to downtown along the beach, it was much more chill than the options in town.

The location is in a quiet end of the beach and is lovely and peaceful and the animals at Casa Del Sol were lovely, especially the cat!

The property is an easy walk on the beach into town without being stuck in the middle of it.

The proximity to the city is a quick walk along the beach and there are nearby tiendas and restaurants.

It was a 15 min beach walk north of Montanita, and it was so peaceful and quiet.

The classes vary day to day and are accessible to all 

I hear the accommodations are nice and clean

The owner Tamara and her staff are wonderful

I highly recommend Casa Del Sol, 10 minute beach walk from Montanita.

The place is situated in a great spot at the more tranquil end of the beach with the best surf spot La Punta right next to you.

I booked this yoga retreat with the hope of a refresh and reset after a cold long NYC winter.

Room dark & damp and cold water and there was major construction work going on which wasn't mentioned. Unable to enjoy the outdoor area due to dust (even at breakfast!)

From renting out surfboards, making breakfast, or just offering me a cold beer, everyone at casa del sol made sure that I was having a good day, every day.

Jackson was quick to bring you another cold beer and share his surf report and travel stories.

The boys are often caught with a cold one in hand, and have the music to back up their chat.

The gardens are so beautiful and lush, there are many hammocks for lounging, and the staff is amazing and friendly.

People were friendly and it was easy to strike up a conversation with other travelers.

The friendly and knowledgeable yoga instructor was fantastic.

Each year we are drawn to Casa because of the friendly environment, awesome conditions and great traditions.

From the non-judgmental early lunch beers(c'mon, it's vacation) to the impromptu BBQ's, Jackson's jokes and stories, and Dani's bright and friendly personality, I can see why so many people have made this their home away from home.

The staff is also very friendly and helpful.

What I liked -  nice and friendly atmosphere, nice courtyard, pleasant and very helpful staff , very close to the beach, far enough from the center of Montanita,

All of the people in the retreat or staying at the hostel were so friendly, colorful, adventurous!

), the staff is amazingly friendly and always making sure guests are enjoying and finding nice activities (thank you Jackson!).

We had our own private bath, and everyday was breakfast cooked by Juanito- he is so cute and friendly, not to mention a good cook.

but its a very friendly, layed back place.

I stayed in a private room and it was a really good size, good bathroom, private hammock, well priced and cleaned every day by the friendly staff.

The staff are very welcoming, friendly and the hostel operates with a level of efficiency, yet with a a great attitude that nothing is a problem.

The staff could not have been more welcoming, friendly and fun.

Breakfast was delicious and the people is really friendly and nice.

Downsides:
-the curtains covering room windows are sheer enough that anyone passing by can look right in
-hammocks and shower curtains smell strongly of mildew
-towels/bedding/pillows are old, ratty, and stained
-everything in the rooms and bathrooms stays damp
-there are unsightly exposed light bulbs and random nails in walls
-there is a revolving door of at least 5 cats and dogs roaming all over the hostel.

Examples:  Crud in the shower door track, black mold spots everywhere, doorknob deteriorated, exposed light bulbs in ceiling fan (missing cover), the first day my towel had a big hole in it, soap dispenser

Light switch was not attached to the wall just left hanging by its electric wiring..

A huge thank you to Jackson, Athena and the rest of the gang at Casa del Sol for making my stay memorable and a ton of fun!

Thank you Tamara, Jackson and the whole team for an amazing journey. 🙏

Jackson Jessica and Danny are some of the best people I have ever met!

The owners are very helpful - I wasn't feeling well while in Montanita, so Jackson the owner took me to a doctor in a neighbouring town.

All the people working there are really amazing, Tamara, Michelle, Jackson, Paul and and and. <3 felt like a second home far away from home :)

The hospitality of Tamara, Jackson, Juanito, and Dani are unmatched.

To Tamara, Jackson, Dani, Juanito and Wendy: Thank you again for doing what you do to make this such a magical place.

Thank you so much Tamara, Jackson, Danny, and Juanito.

Jackson is so friendly with hilarious stories and puts a smile on everyone's face.

Extra kudos to Jackson and his jokes, and surfing documentaries.

The staff- Daniella and Jackson were really cool, and very helpful with providing advice and tips for what to do around town.

Breakfasts were home cooked , bartender Jackson was a pleasure to see everyday!

Tamara, Jackson, and Mike all did a great job at making me feel welcome, introducing me to their friends, and making it a great vacation.

Jackson one of the staff told some great stories of the people around Montanita.

Jackson and Mike were great bartenders - very attentive!

Didnt like that much that one member of the staff (i think at least) were smoking (not tupacco) at the front desk.

but with soul as well, in a studio that overlooks the ocean and which take you on a seamless journey through waming up, heavily challenging yourself only to take you back to the state of relaxation just in time for watching the sunset surfers; to enjoying early evenings at the bar, getting to meet everyone and listening to Jackson's crazy stories, facts and sanscrit chanting, ending up going out or just having a quiet night reading in a hammock; to the little bamboo tee pee that served me as a creative nest, everything breathes joy and peacefullness.

ATROCIOUS SMELL :((((((((((((((((((((  Do not give a blanket, only the bed cover, and it was not very warm.

While our room was nice with fan and a/c and had hammocks outside, there was a problem with the toilet leaking which if we didn't keep the door closed would leave a terrible chemical/toilet odour in the room which wasn't/couldn't be fixed despite our requests.

I suspect all the five star reviews here are from the owners friends.. the room was absolutely disgusting.

Upstairs there was a bedroom that smelled like mold, the sheets on the bed looked clean

The staff is so helpful with all of our needs and the rooms are amazing!

however was Jackson and his amazing staff who were willing to help with whatever was needed, from setting up drivers, covid test for return to US, whale watching tours, giving advice on restaurants and every other thing you might need or want.

This was only one time and otherwise the staff was amazing!

The staff is really sweet and chill too (like concierge, bartender, yoga master built in one).

The team here was super nice and helpful throughout my entire 28-day stay.

The land is great,  and you can see toucans, piapias, hummingbirds,  all kinds of

And Juan in the kitchen is so kind and helpful as well.

Tamara, the owner and main yoga teacher, is an amazing woman and an incredible example of what following your dreams means and what in the end yoga is made of - strength and lightness.

What can I say , the yoga is the best , Tamara is a fabulous teacher , the staff are all so lovely and kind, the vibe is relaxing.

guests from many different countrys, very amicable group.

The yoga itself is excellent - Tamara, the hostel owner took most of my classes and she was brilliant!

Everyone walks around with smiles on their faces and seems genuinely happy to be there.

There's always someone available to answer questions, help arrange travel, sort things out for the diverse mix of guests ranging from families to young back packers.

Casa del Sol

smell

cold

arrival

lighting

beach

show

It is the perfect location because it is right on the beach, far enough away from the party scene of the town so that it is peaceful and quiet

It's ideally located on the beach , easy walk over to town or down to the point where the big surf is.

It was a great location right on the beach.

This hotel located right on the beach just a short walk from the action was perfect for us.

Location right on the beach, views of the ocean from your private patio, super cute and functional rooms, amazing breakfast every morning and super chill live music in the bar every night.

Location on the beach is absolutely amazing.

It is located on the beach and close to the center.

Great room, great beach location and full breakfast with 4 options to choose from included.

Excellent location on the beach,  secure and the room was lovely and clean and well serviced.

The accommodation is located at the beach.

The hostel is located right on the beach in a quiet area about 10 minutes walk from the town center.

Wonderful, friendly staff, AMAZING location right on the beach, great breakfast, good air conditioning and wi-fi.

Very clean, friendly staff and good breakfast (included) it’s also a just a few blocks from the center of activities.

Beautiful atmosphere and super friendly staff!

The room and bed were fine and the staff were so friendly and helpful.

we stayed there November to august it was a very friendly place all the employees were great almost like they were family owned.

The cleaning lady is super friendly, she cleans the room nicely and really tidy.

There is direct access to the beach, the restaurant serves delicious fresh food and the staff was really friendly.

The staff was very friendly and helped us arrange a taxi to the Guayaquil airport.

The stuff is very friendly, the facilities are nice, clean and in good condition.

Staff was friendly, and breakfast was fresh and plentiful.

Also, it is worth noting that all of the staff were excellent - genuinely warm, friendly and helpful.

Wonderful location, friendly staff, delicious breakfast.. just in a perfect spot close enough to town for a 3 min walk.

The staff are SO friendly and helpful, the hotel itself is right on the beach with private hammocks and sun loungers.

I was in this hotel with one of my best friends and I gotta say this hotel is just amazing in front of the beach a bit away from the center, really good service and friendly.

It was very clean, the staff was very friendly and I really enjoyed the free breakfast every morning.

They have:
 Amazing food- especially fresh salads,good fish and meat, good breakfast with a lot of fruits, good wifi connection, you are right at the beach, very good and friendly Service, 
Just perfect for relaxing and chilling!! !

The people in Montañita are very friendly and cheerful.

It has a cozy private beach from where you can order drinks from the restaurant'LIDO.

You are right at the beach, with a very comfy private beach area.

This place has it all, hot showers, fast wifi, comfy beds, great location, private lounging area (with shaded little beds) on the beach over looking the surf, good surf right out in front, 5 minute walk to city, 3 minute walk to the point for surf.

It has a private sand beach away from the sea so your little ones will be playing safely.

Breakfast was delicious and I loved the private beach area.

Nice room with air conditioning and private bathroom.

The supposed private beach translates to a bit of fenced in sand, with some chairs and lounges - very nice to have.

The private beach was definitely the best part of the hotel!

Our room overlooked a lovely garden area with private beach lounge area.

A private beach on which you can lay in the sun, good breakfast, quiet surroundings at a less than 10 minute walk from the busy centre.

Very clean garden with numerous hammocks and a private beach area that has large covered couches, padded sun chairs, and more hammocks.

There is private sandy area in front of the beach with lots of comfy places to sit and lay.

It is a very short walk down the beach to the action, yet removed enough to be private and quiet.

This guest house has free Wi-Fi and has a private lounge.

The location is simply perfect, right close to the beach, with private access to it.

Pros:Great view, Quiet location 5 minutes from the main road, free Breakfeast and private Cabanas on the beach.

They also had him mocks and cool chairs on their private part of the beach sectioned off for us only :)
Loved the cabin with nice wooden structures giving a cool cabin feel.

The rooms were very small and with few leisure activities.

This hotels loses a star because there were now towels to take to the beach offered by the hotel, and the bed in our room was a little on the small side for holding two people as advertised.

The receptionist even took the time to show me the room before I booked it.

Beautiful place, great staff, great food and location.

This hotel was recommended to us by our relatives and they were not wrong: as soon as you step in from the gate and walk through the leafy corridor to the reception you know you're in a special place.

Your host is Juan and what an incredibly welcoming host he is.

Even with masks on, I could  tell they were always smiling!

The staff is amzing very helpful and speak english.

Rooms were clean and staff was amazing as well.

The service is always accompanied by a smile .

The grounds are beautiful, rooms super comfortable, excellent restaurant and great staff.

We appreciated the staff so much, they made a wonderful breakfast for us each day and made us feel comfortable all week.

The hotel is very close to Montañita town, never the less it's enough away from it to be a quiet lovely place.

Self serve beer was nice..just keep track or let them know at the time, etc..  Short walk along wide beach to town.

but super close to be able to access everything in town with a very short walk of just a couple of minutes.

Same as their sister restaurant in town the Italian place (forgot the name) definitely the best food in montanita.

The location was an easy walk into town and the beach was beautiful.

This hotel is on the beach just a few minutes walk from the center of town.

We only spent one night in Montañita and chose Hostal Kundalini due to its location on the edge of town.

If you don't like the hassle of the town, you'll make a good choice with this place.

Located close enough to town yet far enough away that you can sleep easily in your air conditioned room, peacefuly protected with solid mosquito screens not requiring a bug net on the bed.

Located off the craziness of the town for a quiet night’s sleep yet only a short walk for the party goers.

The town of Montañita didn’t have much appeal to me,

Close enough to the action of Montañita, just 5 minutes walking on the beach, Kundalini has the great advantage of being in a calmer part of town.

It is also much cleaner than most of the restaurants in town.

It is only a 200m walk into town where there are restaurants to satisfy most tastes and budgets.

If you go into the cute town, ( which is only a few mins walk) you will experience so many cool things.

The rooms are very clean, pretty new, hot Water for shower, fresh towels
You are very close to Town, just a few minutes walk!

There is no phone, clock, TV or mini-refrigerator, or even complimentary bottled water in the rooms.

All rooms include satellite TV, bed linen.

There are no TV sets, or any fridges or basically nothing excepts the beds and a hamak on the balcony.

Hostal Kundalini

small room

private

beach location

town

The owners are very nice and helpful with recommendations.

They also give you loads of recommendations for food and activities which is really helpful.

They have great recommendations for activities and places to eat/drink.

Daniel and Monika provided me with great recommendations and explained how to get everywhere that I wanted to go.

Niki and Grant, the hosts, were incredibly helpful and friendly and were able to make wonderful recommendations for restaurants, day trips, and sights that were worth seeing.

We really enjoyed their company and all the advices they gave us for places to go/eat.

They have great recommendations for all of their guests.

Monika and Daniel are amazing people,super friendly, helpfull, caring about the guests and their needs,they will give you advices about everything.

They could not have been more helpful in terms of recommendations and activity-planning.

We stayed for 5 nights in August and they gave us great recommendations - food, surfing, etc.

We are so pleased that we followed up the recommendation, I know I will always have the fondest memories of the El Cielo family, pets included.

She knows the town extremely well and will give you recommendations for whatever it is that you seek to get out of your stay.

My boyfriend and I stayed with Monika and Danny after hearing a good recommendation from another traveler.

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