Travel Guides:

Guidebooks rave about Casa Mojanda...

Arthur Frommer ‘s South America Guide, 2003 Edition:
Casa Mojanda: Ever wondered what it would be like to stay in the middle of nowhere? Stay at Casa Mojanda and you’ll find out. The hotel is located only about 10 minutes outside of Otavalo, but the isolated 18-acre property is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains and rolling green hills. The vistas are phenomenal, unspoiled by any man-made structures. The cabins are rustic chic; all of them have either tile or hardwood floors, antique dressers, small reed floor coverings, and tons of personal touches. Several have their own personal fireplaces. You can enjoy the spectacular views from the comfort of your own bed. Number 6 is great for families - it has a kitchenette, a separate living room, and separate bedrooms. The gorgeous dining area, filled with antiques and local crafts, serves as the heart of the hotel. This is where you can enjoy scenic vistas as well as divine home-cooked meals, all made with food grown in the hotel’s gardens. The English-speaking owners are charming. All in all, this is one of my favorite hotels in all of Ecuador.

Also from Arthur Frommer’s South America Guide:
WHERE TO DINE section:
The food at Casa Mojanda is outstanding. The menu is mainly vegetarian, but they occasionally offer a fish dish. All the food served here is fresh from the hotel’s garden, and that freshness makes all the difference in the world. I’ve had some of my finest meals in Ecuador here. As an added bonus, the dining room is nestled into the side mountain; the views are phenomenal. The hotel is located about 10 minutes outside of Otavalo on the road to Mojanda (a taxi should cost about $3).

The Ecuador and Galapagos Guide, Open Roads Publishing, 2002-3 Edition:
The extraordinary cut of the windows is the greatest homage to the mesmerizing views from the Casa Mojanda. Whether you are in the eucalyptus- finished dining room, the upstairs game room, of any of the cabins, your eyes constantly drift to the vista. The hotel is surrounded on three sides by verdant folds of terrain, much of which the local farmers have tilled, against the mighty force of gravity, into a rich, undulating checkerboard of green and earthen squares. If the windows aren’t enough for you, simply slip down to the Japanese hot tub perched on the hillside to broaden the spectacular panorama.

The Casa Mojanda is an ecotourism concern that seeks to exert minimum impact on the environment, while actively promoting local cultures and traditions. The amazing and inspiring accomplishment is that the objective is met while maintaining and extraordinary level of quality and comfort.
The architectural method used to design the main house and cabins is known as rammed-earth. It is comparable to adobe in function, but the process is distinct. A framework of wood is filled with loose dirt, packed down solid; then the wooden frame is removed. Windows are cut out rather than built around. The cabin interiors are ample and homey, finished in eucalyptus, which is grown commercially in the area. Local weavers handcraft the eye-catching wool bedspreads. Most of the furniture is either handmade or antique cedar.

While the comfort and view from your room might seem too perfect to leave, there is a compelling reason to do so, both on and off the property. The cedar shelves of the library are stocked with an excellent selection of books for guests to borrow. The game room draws guests in after their active days either to relax with a movie or to challenge each other in a board game. Vegeterian meals are served in the dining room by the flickering light of the fireplace. Much of the produce comes directly from the organic garden in the back yard.

You’ll find enough walks and hikes throughout the countryside to keep yourself busy for several days. There are crater lakes in the area, as well as Otavalo’s handcraft market. A small rodeo corral was built to help beginning equestrians learn before galloping off into the hills.

The owners of Casa Mojanda are an Ecuadorian/American couple that also created the Mojanda Foundation. The hotel donates a portion of its proceeds to this nonprofit organization that supports local social and environmental initiatives. You can learn more about their positive impact during your visit, which in itself contributes to the organization’s success.

The Lonely Planet, 2002 Edition:
Casa Mojanda is a family run country hotel and organic farm about 4 Km south of Otavalo on the road to Lagunas de Mojanda. The setting is lovely. The Ecuadorian and American owners speak perfect English and are enthusiastic about their projects, which include low-impact tourism to benefit education, and cultural and health awareness in local indigenous communities. Visits to projects can be arranged. A useful library is on the premises. Casa Mojanda is built using rammed-earth construction, and various rooms are available. ... Rental of mountain bikes, kayak and horses can be arranged with advance notice.

The Traveler’s Ecuador Companion, The Globe Pequot Press
Describing itself as an ecological inn and farm, Casa Mojanda is set on 10 hectares of Andean farmland overlooking the mountains of Imbabura and Cotacachi near Otavalo. Visitors are unanimous in their praise of its magical views, friendly welcome, beautiful accommodation and delicious Ecuadorian cuisine made from homegrown produce. ... Owners Betti Sachs and Diego Falconi also run the Mojanda Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to environmental protection in the Mojanda Lakes region and assisting community initiatives in public health, education, organic agriculture and the arts. Betti and Diego arrange excellent village tours, horseback riding trips, and hikes to the lakes.

Ecuador and Galapagos Handbook, Footprints Guide:
Casa Mojanda: Beautiful setting on a mountainside...healthy cooking, cozy, comfortable, quiet, library, horse riding, mountain bikes. Highly recommended.

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
The Ulysses Travel Guide, by Alain Legault
Isolated on the slopes of the Andes, accessible by a rough road eight kilometers before Lagunas de Mojanda, the hotel Casa Mojanda is a veritable little mountain paradise owned by an affable couple: Betti, an American and Diego, an Ecuadorian. The rooms are all bright and equipped with antique furniture, and offer an altogether incredible view of the mountains. Some of the rooms have fireplaces in which logs crackle softly and flames dance from the hearth. There is a playroom for the entertainment of children and the peace of mind of the parents, where videos may also be viewed. Six horses are available on hire for outings in the region. ...In addition the hotel possesses an excellent restaurant which prepares strictly vegetarian meals according to the inspiration of the day. ... The dining room is decorated with a fireplace, and the view of the nearby landscape is superb. Weather permitting, guests may see the Volcano Cotacachi. A taxi from Otavalo costs about $2 for a five minute ride.”

The New Key to Ecuador and the Galapagos
by David Pearson and David Middleton
A place that allows easy access to both Otavalo and the surrounding side is Casa Mojanda (Apartado 160, Otavalo, private bath, hot water, fireplaces restaurant with breakfast and dinner included in the price, horseback and mountain-bike riding...) Located 3.5 kilometers from Otavalo on the road to the Mojanda Lakes (opposite Avenida Sucre in Otavalo) Casa Mojanda is like staying at a very pleasant country inn. There are eight adobe cottages, a Spanish and English library, beautiful gardens and live traditional Andean music almost every night. For nature lovers, this is the best place to stay in the Otavalo area because it is near the Mojanda Lakes and its undisturbed paramo and a protected cloud forest called Cushmirumi. Both spots are within mountain biking distance. Casa Mojanda can also arrange trips to local villages and longer trips into the mountains, as well as classes in Andean music, organic gardening and Spanish and Quechua languages.”