We loved Casa Gardenia, especially the kindness and friendliness of the family proprietors. We had a morning checkout prior to a midnight flight back to the US, but when I felt ill later (altitude plus maybe some suspect shrimp at dinner), they lent me a room, gratis, to lie down in all afternoon while the others went out in search of the Basilica and artisanal chocolate.
Throughout our stays (we were here two weeks earlier on our way to the Galapagos), they were friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Before our arrival, they offered to arrange for transport to and from the airport, and our taxi driver was both friendly and totally reliable.
The hotel itself is an attractive mixture of a newer interior in the partial shell of an older building, with views over the historic part of Quito from an open-air deck and the breakfast area. They serve a generous breakfast: fresh fruit, eggs, juice, rolls, and a side plate with olives, ham, and cheese. Cereal and milk are available, and of course coffee and tea.
We would absolutely stay there again if we revisit Quito.
