While we knew from the beginning that we wanted to stay at Iguana Crossing during our time on Isabela, we did a fair bit of searching before settling on Hotel Fiesta on Santa Cruz. Part of this was because there are just more options in Puerto Ayora and part of this was because the really stand-out hotel on the island (Finch Bay) was well beyond our price range. So we read through lot of reviews and poured over pictures before settling on Hotel Fiesta.
And it turned out to be a great choice! It was about a 5 minute walk to the main part of town, and we felt like that was a good balance between being close to everything and being in a quiet area. Although there were plenty of cabs waiting at the pier when our ferry arrived, we opted to walk to the hotel. The distance and navigation were fine but the cobblestone streets were a bit bumpy for dragging along our luggage.
I had emailed the hotel ahead of time to say we were arriving on the morning ferry and hoped to store our bags at the hotel until check in. They kindly responded that they could accommodate an early check-in and we would be able to get in our room when we arrived. (This was perhaps a bonus of traveling during the pandemic when tourist numbers were still very low.)
The hotel is tucked away on a side street behind stone walls. A beautiful courtyard awaits right through the gates. There is a shady area off to the right, the hotel lobby straight ahead, and the restaurant off to the left. The main hotel grounds are through the lobby. The pool is straight ahead, the main building of the hotel is located to the left and the bungalows are off to the right. There is also a covered rec area with a ping pong table and a pool table.
In the main two-story hotel building, they offer single and double rooms with queen beds. And on the back-side of the hotel lobby near the gardens, they have a few twin rooms with two single beds. They also have one triple room that has a king and a twin bed. (The king can also be split into twins.) And finally, they have several individual bungalows that have two rooms, one with a king sized bed and one with two single beds. These aren’t two bedrooms per se – the twin beds are in the front room that you enter into and there is no door separating the two rooms. But we still loved this set-up for a family. While we absolutely loved Iguana Crossing, we weren’t thrilled with all sharing two double beds. So we really appreciated the boys having their own beds and us having a king size bed. And there was a lot of extra space beyond just a single-room hotel room, which we appreciate as well.
The rooms themselves were not fancy at all but certainly nice enough. The floor was tile, the furniture basic and a little run-down, and the whole thing felt a little dated, but the extra space and the beautiful hotel grounds more than made up for the less-than luxurious rooms. The shower was a bit of an adventure as any minor tweak to the water temperature could result in either freezing cold or scalding hot water. (But we didn’t have to hold down a button to keep the water running like at Iguana Crossing so it was an overall win!)
The pool area was really nice. The zero entry pool was surrounded by cushioned lounge chairs and a huge hot tub. Throw in the bar off the lobby, and the outdoor area was a great setup for some parental relaxation while the kids played in the pool.
They also have a huge, three-section hot tub. The different sections were connected so you could pass between them but also separate enough that you could maintain some social distancing (which is nice in a hot tub even during non-pandemic times). Plus the separation meant that the kids could be goofballs without bothering anyone…
We really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Fiesta. We loved the location being off the beaten path a little but still close enough that we could walk everywhere. The rooms, while not fancy, offered a lot of space and were a great setup for families. The included breakfast was fantastic and the staff were all friendly and helpful. But the outdoor space was the real highlight. The pool, gardens, and grounds were beautiful. It felt like a little oasis hidden behind the stone walls. We really thought this hotel was a great value and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a nice place to stay on Santa Cruz at a reasonable price.
