Termas de Papallacta Spa & Resort

Overview

Description

Termas de Papallacta is the gateway to Ecuador’s Amazon region, and one of the entrances to the Cayambe–Coca National Park.

The spa offers health, recreation, adventure, and relaxation - it is the only spa in Ecuador with hot springs that have been endorsed by the Federación Medica Ecuatoriana and it has an operating permit as a medical center from Ecuador’s Ministry of Public Health.

The spa is just one hour from the capital city of Quito and 1.5 hours from the indigenous market of Otavalo.

Rooms

32 rooms; 13 cabins

Making a Difference

Number of employees: 130

Percentage of local employees: 42%

Termas de Papallacta signed a strategic alliance with Ecuador’s Ministry of the Environment and the Fundación Rumicocha for the conservation of the Cayambe–Coca National Park. This is the first alliance in Ecuador between a local non-governmental organization, a governmental organization, and a private company.

The shareholders of Termas de Papallacta created Fundación Terra to protect Ecuador's natural resources, focusing on the Fundación’s area of influence, through educational programs and projects that raise ecological awareness and help to develop environmental and social balance.

Rates

$101 – $150

For lodging. The Spa entrance fee is US$18.00.

For more information about rates, please visit:

• www.termaspapallacta.com/tarifas_.htm (available in English).
• www.termaspapallacta.com/es/tarifas.html (available in Spanish).
• www.termaspapallacta.com/de/tarife.html (available in German).

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Quito (UIO)

Travel time to nearest airport: 1 hour 15 minutes

Termas de Papallacta is 44 miles (70 km) from the Mariscal Sucre International Airport. There is public transport service from the city of Quito.

Additional Information

"Termas de Papallacta resort: A haven of sustainability in the clouds." Profiles in Sustainable Tourism available on the Rainforest Alliance website.

Photo credits: The majority of the photos appearing on this profile were taken by Mr. Joaquín Zaldumbide, except for the photo of the bear, which was taken by Patricio Pillajo.

Awards or Recognitions

• Along with five additional hotels, Termas de Papallacta received recognition of merit from the Ministry of Tourism for excellence of its products and services, valuable contribution to national tourism development, management aimed at developing a conscious tourism, and the proper promotion of the destination. September 2011.
• Winner for the second consecutive year of the "2010 Quality Award", awarded by the German tour operator Studiosus, in recognition of satisfaction shown by clients. The hotel received close to 97% in complacency. In recognition of this award, Termas de Papallacta has received congratulatory letters from the Vice President of Ecuador, the Convention Bureau of Quito, and the Banco Bolivariano.

Files

• Smart Voyager - Smart Voyager certificate, January 2011.
• Termas de Papallacta recibió un premio a la calidad - Article published in the newspaper El Comercio on March 24, 2011. In Spanish.

Date This Information Was Provided

October 2011.

Photos courtesy of Termas de Papallacta Spa & Resort, Ecuador, for SustainableTrip.org.