Casa Alquimia

Entering through the doors of a house first recorded in 1534, guests at Casa Alquimia pass through five centuries of Quito history before reaching the check-in desk. The building has changed hands repeatedly since the colonial period, held at various times by lawyers, doctors and one family whose members forged a conspiracy inside its walls. Restoration was completed by siblings who took over the property in 2013, converting the house into a small hotel in Quito's historic centre. It sits by La Ronda street, where restaurants, street musicians and museums fill the surrounding blocks. Rooms keep it simple: television, free Wi-Fi, a safe, tea and coffee facilities, heating and a hairdryer. Breakfast is homemade and included with every stay. From the roof, guests look out over Santo Domingo Church and the southern edge of the city; mornings often start with that view over coffee. The hotel arranges airport transfers and city tours through drivers and guides it works with directly, both at extra cost. Quito itself sits at an elevation of 2,850 metres, making it the highest constitutional capital in the world, and its Old Town holds a UNESCO listing for the historic architecture still standing from the 16th century. Check-in runs from 2pm. Luggage can be left at the hotel with no time limit, kept in a dedicated room.