Hostal Cloudforest was the best accommodation bargain I had in Ecuador - $6 for a private room without bath, including breakfast and dinner. You can also buy lunch there, and I don't think it was more than $2. A dorm room (four bunk beds) is $4; a room with a bath is $8. You can pay your bill at the end, which is convenient, because it's not always easy to have small change on hand.

The room is very small—it basically holds a queen-size bed and a dresser and chair, but very tightly. The bed is quite firm compared to some of the other hotel beds I'd had, with big, fluffy pillows and lots of blankets—you'll need them, as the temperature drops drastically at night in the mountains! There was a small window and a hammock outside the door on the balcony/walkway. This room was located aboveground, while the dorm rooms were on the ground floor.

The showers were iffy. The one on my floor did not have hot water, nor did it have a working light bulb. The sweet couple who ran the place were very kind and accommodating, but busy and a bit forgetful. I asked repeatedly for a light bulb, but in 2 days it was not replaced. The shower with hot water was excellent, with great water pressure, but downstairs, which is a hassle. You must have your own towels and toilet paper.

The owners know that many people who stay in Chugchilan are leaving early in the morning for trips to Saquisili or Quilatoa and are happy to pack you a breakfast the night before. It was simple but sweet: water, rolls, and strawberries. Dinner is served in the warm common area (big wood-burning stove, wonderful as it gets colder), so you definitely have the opportunity to meet the other guests. Ecuadorian food in general is not spectacular, but this was home cooking, hearty and delicious. Beer was cheap as well, with big bottles for $1.

As a final gesture of hospitality, the night before five of us guests wanted to leave on the 3am bus to Saquisili, the owner offered to drive us in his truck. He was on his way to the market himself to buy a cow, as people are wont to do. It was a really tight squeeze with seven of us (including his father!) in the cab of the truck and the bus would have been more comfortable, but we got an extra hour of sleep, no worries that the truck would leave without us, and a funny story out of it.

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