This small hotel on the beach—a collection of just four cabañas—was incredibly sweet and a great way to close out my trip. A large family owned it—father Feliciano Loor, wife Marian, and five children, each more beautiful than the last. They also had two dogs. I was the only guest there in January, and was treated like family.

I had tried out Cabañas de la Iguana first, as recommended in Lonely Planet, but was disappointed that it wasn't closer to the beach, considering it was $8. Cabañas La Tortuga was another LP rec, and much closer to the beach, but a whopping $15 per night! I was worried I'd made a mistake in coming here with so little info available in guidebooks, when a staff member from La Tortuga rode his bike up behind me and asked me if I needed something cheaper. I was worried there would be no more lodging in town, but he pointed me toward Cuatro Estrellas.

My cabaña was rather large, but for no real reason, since the only furniture was a bed with pink mosquito net. There was plenty of room for tables, chairs, other furniture—but instead I was throwing my things on the floor.

There was a private bathroom, including toilet paper and towels (large beach towels featuring cartoon characters—I assume the children picked them out). For some reason, the water coming out of the tap smelled AWFUL—literally smelled of feces. It was a little disturbing. The shower itself was fine, though.

For $5, this was an amazing deal. This was the closest thing Ayampe had to a beachfront hotel. The hotel was essentially ON the beach but still almost 200 meters from the water. But I had a great view, could see the sunset from my hammock, determine whether the waters were choppy or if the fishermen would be out that morning (which is essentially the only entertainment available in this small village). I was allowed to pay my total bill at the end here—the family is VERY laid-back.

I really felt like I was in a homestay again. Every day when I came home, the family would excitedly ask me about me day, eager to hear about my activities. They would ask me how much I loved Ayampe. They invited me to eat dinner with them one night and continued to offer every night after that. When I was finally ready to leave, the oldest son drove me to the main road so I wouldn't be lugging my big bag too far.

Feliciano told me he is planning to expand the place to include up to four more cabañas and a bar and restaurant. Currently there are two cabañas with double bed and bathroom, and two larger cabañas with two floors with three smaller beds upstairs. At $25, those are perfect for families or small groups. He built the place himself with the help of his son—it's pretty amazing how much they had accomplished in just a year.

Cabañas Cuatro Estrellas (four stars, referring to Feliciano's four gold teeth) is easily reached from the main road. When the bus dropped me off, the assistant pointed me toward the tiny village. The Cabañas is on the right just past the intersection. I really loved this place and recommend it to anyone who wants an off-the-beaten-track beach experience in Ecuador.

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