Ecuador Field Trip: Quito for Beginners

Long-haul travel is tough enough on your body without subjecting it a rock-hard, critter-infested guesthouse mattress. At least, not on your first night in town.

To ensure that my boyfriend Jeff and I would rest and repair in record time, we went the 300-thread count, mint-on-the-pillow route by booking at a weekend's stay at the Marriott Quito. While the room cost us less than $150 online, I later learned that spontaneous types can wander into the hotel and ask for a discounted rate on weekends. (We're talking up to 50 percent off during low season.)

We also liked that the place was a two-minute walk from The Mariscal, a touristy district the locals affectionately refer to as "Gringolandia."

Cram-packed with cocktail bars, dance clubs, coffeehouses, hostels and guesthouses, traditional Ecuador it's not--but The Mariscal provides an optimal spot for Southern Hemisphere newbies to acclimate before taking on tougher travel.

On a Saturday night, the streets were thick with backpackers, students and hip young locals. Most of the activity centered around Plaza Foch, a newly renovated square hemmed in on all four sides by outdoor cafes and anchored by the minimalist Nu House Boutique Hotel.

As the prices of some cocktails back home have spiraled north of $20 we were thrilled to note that no drink here--no matter how strong or how much muddling required--cost more than $4. Sure, that's pricey for South America, but on your first night in a new city, there's no sense in cheaping out on booze!

Related Stories:
· Ecuador Field Trip: Trying to Get off the Groun [Jaunted]
· Jaunted Field Trips coverage [Jaunted]
· Ecuador Travel coverage [Jaunted]

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