Overlooking serene Santa Clara plaza, dotted with hawkers selling plump avocados and corn, sits art-filled Casa Santa Clara, the latest addition to Quito’s burgeoning hotel scene. Originally a family home, the bright white, two-storey historic building has been meticulously transformed, enabling a relaxed and personal stay within the heart of Ecuador’s cultural capital.
Tour Casa Santa Clara, Quito
Casa Santa Clara
Soon after your enter, a slatted wood and stone passage gives way to the home’s expansive sun-dappled 19th-century courtyard flanked by rounded stone columns and adorned with potted geraniums. It's here that the first pieces of art reveal themselves: a soaring condor sculpture by Victor Delfín, and ‘cirios’ candles moulded into flowers so delicate, it’s difficult to comprehend they’re crafted solely from wax.
A newly added staircase assumes a central and hierarchical role, zig-zagging from the courtyard to the second floor, where five split-level suites radiate out from the centre. ‘Respecting the dialogue between old and new’, architects MCM+A Taller de Arquitectura, looked to ‘contemporary materials such as steel and glass’ to complement the home’s original materials of brick, stone, and wood, creating a harmonious and balanced architectural ensemble in the process.
The property's original proportions have been well maintained, yet Casa Santa Clara’s five suites are far more spacious than those of an average hotel. Polished wood floors and high ceilings create an airy atmosphere with newly added skylights bringing in natural sunlight, along with balcony doors that open wide to overlook the plaza and nearby Santa Clara monastery.
Modern smokestacks have been installed for cooler nights, and a blend of carefully selected contemporary and antique furniture adds interest to open-plan lounge and dining spaces.
But it’s the casa’s dedication to local art and artisans that really stands out, housing its very own private collection of original Ecuadorian art. One of the hotel’s standout pieces is a brooding crimson and cherry red painting by the neo-figurative Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Viteri, commanding attention from the Arupo suite. Higher still, a spiral staircase leads to the double bedroom where the painting Casas de Quito by Jose Enrique, provides a glimpse into the city’s past.
Elsewhere, depictions by Eduardo Kingman invite contemplation, and the bold work of Enrique Tábara coexists alongside the dreamy landscapes of Emilio Moncayo.
As well as these modern masters, present-day artisans are celebrated equally in the form of unique sculptural ceramics and joy-evoking tableware. Quito-based Jervis Studio and Taller El Laberinto, whose stunning pieces fill each of the suite’s well-stocked kitchens, spent time taking inspiration from the home’s original structure before undertaking the unique commissions that now fill kitchens and communal spaces around the hotel.
The result is a seamless blend of old and new, each element complementing the other exquisitely and creating ‘a more personal way to experience Quito, one defined by architecture and cultural depth,’ explains the hotel’s director, Vanessa Teran.
‘Conceived as a house first and a hotel second’, it makes sense then that breakfast often feels like a shared experience, served in a plaza-facing restaurant filled with local wall-hangings and a mesmerising sculpture by David Santillán. Fresh fruits, homemade granola and Andean delights like llapingacho (potato pancakes) make up much of the morning menu, while dinners can be arranged each evening should guests want to linger in the hotel come nightfall.
It’s worth heading up to the compact roof terrace, too, where cacao con queso (Ecuadorian hot chocolate paired with cheese) can be enjoyed alongside views of the city. On clear days, the snow-capped volcano, Cotopaxi, can often be spotted dazzling in the distance as thousands of pastel-coloured homes sit snuggly within the city’s steep mountainous curves.
Casa Santa Clara is located in Plaza Santa Clara, Rocafuerte, Quito 170130, Ecuador