Hacienda Piman, Ibarra

Waking up in Hacienda Piman, listening to the birds singing in the surrounding valley, or standing on the veranda with the early morning sun on your face, you’ll feel completely at peace. The worn tiled roofs, white walls and balustrade-lined verandas echo the style of the colonial period and seem completely comfortable, nestled amongst the dark greens and towering trees of this Andean valley.

Surprising, then, that the city of Ibarra – state capital of Imbabura Province - is just a few kilometres away along the old Pan American Highway. There’s even more of a surprise at El Chota – an Afro-Ecuadorian community offering lively bomba music and dance. If you want to explore the cultural heritage of the Northern Andes, make Hacienda Piman part of your tailor-made holiday to Ecuador.

Hacienda Piman, at a glance

• Quaint, historic retreat in a luxuriant valley, set in peaceful gardens
• Surrounded by the mighty peaks of the Northern Ecuadorian Andes
• Choice of 17 guest rooms – seven of which are in the main house, 10 arranged in five individual cottages
• Many feature thick stone walls, exposed brickwork and traditional décor
• All have en suite bathrooms and verandas or balconies giving pretty views of the gardens and countryside
• Hardwood floors and chandeliers
• Quaint dining room serving home-cooked dishes that reflect the culinary heritage of the Ecuadorian Andes

For leisure and pleasure

• Tours to explore the culture and life of the White City – Ibarra, the state capital of Imbabura Province
• Discover white walled colonial houses, peaceful squares with flowering trees, cobbled streets with horse-drawn carts
• Scenic train rides through breath-taking countryside to the coast
• Great base for visiting the protected eco-system of Paramo El Angel with its high altitude paperbark trees and frailejon plants
• El Chota has Afro-Ecuadorian communities known for bomba music and dance