Hostal Pakay

Our family of four stayed here for four nights, and we absolutely loved it. We did two tours with Tony, and he is very knowledgeable and friendly. We did the primary forest hike and a night hike, and both were great experiences. Tony and other staff also recommended great places for us to visit on our own. We were there in April, and Tena offered lots of great tourism activities without crowds. Most of the people we interacted with outside of the hotel itself were from Ecuador. Some of the places we visited are run by Kichwa and Waorani communities. The breakfast was delicious, and they offered optional dinners at a very affordable price. The common areas of the hotel are beautiful and the room was comfortable and had everything we needed. Our family had a rental car, which was nice for visiting areas around Tena. It was fun to practice our Spanish with the staff who did not speak English. Tony did the tours in English since one of our children does not speak Spanish.

We wanted to experience Ecuador's jungle region but didn't have time to travel deep into the Amazon. Hostal Pakay was a great option. Even though you can hear the trucks going by on the highway you still feel like you are in the jungle. We watched a toucan high in the trees from our front porch. Our room was a high ceilinged rustic lodge. There was a bed in a loft area which I was glad we didn't need because it was a steep ladder and we're old. The composting toilet was easy to use and didn't smell. It is emptied every day. Breakfast is served on a porch with great views into the trees. Bring your binoculars to breakfast! Tony and Erin are wonderful hosts. We did Tony's Primary Forest tour and it was fantastic. When I read the other reviews it sounded like the Hostal served dinner but that is not the case. (perhaps they do on the package tour deals?). It's a 15-30 minute walk into town for restaurants. We didn't take a taxi but Erin said it's only about $2. Erin recommended a restaurant where we got a huge meal of barbecue and sides for $5. (unfortunately it was closed on a Tuesday night when we tried to go back)

This place is fantastic! Tony is the perfect host and guide, he knows everything about the area and the rainforest. We booked their 4 day Nature and Culture travel package and it was perfect for our family. Everything was so well organized and we loved both the hostal and the tours! Thank you Tony and Erin for this wonderful experience!