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Weekly UpdatesBEST HOTEL
JW Marriott. This member of the Marriott stable satisfies most of the business traveler's needs: Great location, several meeting rooms and work areas, helpful multilingual staff and a soothing atmosphere, in the spacious and comfortable bedrooms the wish list continues to be checked off: Enough telephones and outlets and fabulous marble bathrooms with separate power shower spaces and oval tub. The rooms lack a bit in terms of interior design, but it's made up by a vast glass-roofed atrium lobby decorated with enormous bouquets of local rose varieties, or the restaurants, which serve a fantastic buffet breakfast set among an indoor oasis of flowering plants, ferns and palms around flowing water. The extravagance extends to a large outdoor heated swimming pool amid gardens of exotic flowers. For after hours there is a popular bar that serves sushi, and a gym with sauna and massage. Rooms from $149. Phone: [593] (2) 297-2000. www.marriotthotels.com
BEST BUSINESS HOTEL
Dann Carlton Quite. In the heart of the business center, not far from Quito's financial district, Hotel Dann Carlton looks over Quite. LATIN TRADE readers chose it for its business services and for its after-work comfort and calm. With tasteful, hinted decor, the 130-room hotel offers guests a range of business-friendly perks: in-room fax machines, Internet connections and a cutting-edge telephone system (with direct dialing for domestic and international calls). For US$100 you get a regular room; for $180 you can upgrade to a luxury suite. Corporate and board meetings--for 20 to 400 people--can be scheduled in a number of business rooms. After work, guests can work out in the gym, unwind in the sauna or hot tub, sign up for a massage or schedule an aromatherapy treatment. There's also a hair stylist in the hotel. Avenida Republica de El Salvador No. 513 at Irlanda. Phone: [593] (2) 224-9008. www.hotelesdann.com
BEST RESTAURANT
Mosaico. This cafe bar overlooking the colonial heart of the capital majors in liquid refreshment, although the limited menu still satisfies. UNESCO declared Quito's old term a World Heritage Site 25 years ago. Quito's Mayor Pace Moncayo has been in Mosaico in recent months entertaining the movers and shakers to help him restore the casco cololonial to its former splendor. The cafe perches on a hillside above the old Spanish settlement, seemingly a model village of plazas, churches illuminated at night as part of the restoration project, and the bullring and a grid of narrow streets extending towards the lower slopes of the Pichincha volcano. The balcony is ideal for watching the sunset around 6 p.m. Within an hour or two, the place in normally full and doors are locked to latecomers. Open Monday and Tuesday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Samaniego N8-95 y Antepara, Itchimbia. Phone: [593] (2) 254-2871.
BEST GIFT BUYING
Artesa stores. Artesa sells ceramics, updating an art form that dominated pre-Colombian civilizations. The broad range of kitchen crockery and household items are popular with international embassy staff. A dozen or more designs are hand-glazed. Purchases can be wrapped and boxed for safe transport home. There are several outlets, including one on the ground floor at Quicentro, among the best shopping malls in Quite. Avenida Naciones Unidas y Shyris. Phone: [593] (2) 246-4484.
BEST BUSINESS RESTAURANT
Mare Nostrum. Low lights and a medieval atmosphere set the tone at this discreet eatery, one of the best spots in the city for fish and shellfish, although ceviche is conspicuously absent from the menu. House specialties hint at European influences and include bouillabaisse, paella and a number of fish stews. The dish called el arroz del capitan, the only truly Ecuadoran offering on the menu, combines rice and fresh seafood seasoned with soy, cilantro and onions. Tropical fruits leave their mark on other dishes, such as shellfish with coconut. The chef's biggest strength is his ability to combine fruits of the sea with fruits of terra firma. For those who aren't fans of fish, keep in mind that the only non-maritime meal option is tripe. Mariscal Foch E10-5 and Tamayo. Phone: [593] (2) 2528-686.
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