Gay Quito Quito City Guide

Curation by Yasmina Rodríguez, words by Suzi Siegel

Perched in the Andes at the foot of an active volcano and straddling the equator, Quito delivers all kinds of scenic drama. The world’s highest capital city also has one of the largest and best-preserved historic centres in Latin America. Overlooked in the past by travellers who opted for its neighbours Peru and Colombia, Quito maintains an old-school charm with warm, welcoming people, fifth-generation hatmakers and ancestral healers. But Quito is in no way stuck in the past. It was way out ahead on gay rights as one of the first countries in the world to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in its Constitution, and one of the few nations to have banned conversion therapy. The gay scene in Quito is not huge, but it is spirited. The Mariscal district fondly referred to as the Pink Zone is the centre of gay life. You might want to try and make it down there for Año Viejo, which is akin to a transvestite Halloween held on New Year’s. Men dress up as ‘slutty widows’ and accost passersby for change. The longer you refrain from handing over a few coins, the wilder their antics get. We take this tradition as more proof that Quito’s a fun, open-minded place that knows how to have a good time and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Casa Gangotena Boutique

The best hotels in Quito

Casa Gangotena is the undisputed grande dame of Quito’s Historic Centre—a Relais & Châteaux property occupying a gloriously restored neoclassical mansion right on Plaza San Francisco. Soaring ceilings, plush carpets, Art Deco furnishings, and marble bathrooms set the tone, whilst the third-floor terrace and wood-panelled bar confirm this as a property of genuine distinction. The Cocina Mestiza restaurant serves modern Ecuadorian cuisine, and complimentary evening experiences—chocolate tastings, neighbourhood walks—give the stay an immersive quality that outlasts the visit.

A short stroll away in the bohemian enclave of San Marcos, Illa Experience Hotel offers ten individually designed rooms spread across three floors, each reflecting a chapter of Ecuador’s history—Colonial, Republican, and Contemporary. Heated floors, embroidered linens, soaker tubs, and a wine cellar bookable for private tastings make it deeply indulgent, whilst the daily cultural experiences—Panama hat weaving, watercolour painting with local artists, traditional sweet-making—are precisely the kind of programming that transforms a stay into a genuine encounter with the city.

Just steps from the Presidential Palace, the Carlota Sustainable Design Hotel is Ecuador’s first LEED-certified hotel, conceived by architect Verónica Reed. Twelve individually designed rooms sit within a restored nineteenth-century building where exposed brick, vivid bird-inspired colour palettes, and bespoke tile work coexist with the Golondrina spa, a Bistro serving locally sourced Ecuadorian cuisine, and a rooftop lounge with 360-degree panoramas of the colonial skyline.