June 9, 2024

Holiday Inn Quito Airport Review

By In Hotel Reviews

Like most new airports, Quito’s Airport is located on the outskirts of the city, in a town called Tababela. (Quito’s previous airport was right in the middle of the city and closed in 2014. It is now a park called Parque Bicentenario, which we previously wrote about here.)

From Quito proper – such as La Carolina or the Historical Center – it is around 45-60 minutes by taxi or Uber without traffic. With traffic, you are looking at 60-90 minutes. As such, we prefer to stay the previous night at an airport hotel for flights that depart early in the morning. Not only does this allow us to sleep more, it also reduces stress by not worrying if an Uber or Taxi will be available early in the morning to drive that far distance.

Three international hotel chains are located at Quito Airport: a Wyndham, the Holiday Inn Quito Airport, and a EuroBuilding hotel. The Wyndham is the closest, within somewhat reasonable walking distance of the terminal (they also have a free shuttle). The Holiday Inn and the EuroBuilding are further down the highway and are not within walking distance. You will need a taxi or the hotel airport shuttle to get to the terminal.

Note that there are also local hotels near Quito Airport. We stayed at one earlier this year, and it was okay. It was clean and decent and about one-third of the price of the Holiday Inn. But there was a lot of noise as we had to keep the window open for ventilation. The bed was okay but not great, and sleep is crucial to us.

Unlike a local hotel, you won’t find llamas at the Holiday Inn!

The flights to Mexico City and Miami leave around 9 a.m., so we often stay at an airport hotel. Our favorite is the Holiday Inn – we have stayed there on three separate occasions in the past two years – and I will tell you why below.

Holiday Inn at Quito’s Airport.

First Trip: New Year’s Eve 2023

First, the Holiday Inn holds a special place in my heart: it was the first place we went to after arriving in Ecuador for the very first time. We landed just before midnight on December 31, 2022, and the clock struck 12 a.m. while we were in the taxi. Our taxi driver even showed us the fireworks she had on the passenger seat to celebrate later.

When we arrived at the Holiday Inn, we couldn’t believe the noise from the New Year’s Eve parties at the hotel. I had difficulty hearing the Front Desk person because of the partying. The partying was highly annoying for us; we were tired from traveling and way past our bedtime. But if you are into partying on New Year’s Eve, it probably would have been an amazing time.

I was also upset because I had pre-booked the Holiday Inn free airport shuttle to pick us up. They did not show up. The Wyndham shuttle was waiting for passengers, but not the Holiday Inn. That is the last thing you want upon first arrival in a foreign country at midnight and at an airport in the middle of nowhere. That is why we ended up taking a taxi to the Holiday Inn.

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Standard Room at the Holiday Inn

Nonetheless, after we checked in, things got a lot better. The Holiday Inn Quito Airport rooms are modern and nice, with tall ceilings, large windows, and lots of light. The hotel is less than ten years old, so we would expect the rooms to be clean and modern, not dingy and outdated. But it is still nice to experience that then just hoping and wishing.

The bed is very comfortable, and the king has four large pillows. Thanks to the DirecTV connection, we watched a lot of TV in bed. There are many channels, a mixture of local Ecuadorian channels, entertainment channels from the United States, and international channels like Rai Italia, France24, and some Brazilian channels.

If you plan to work from the room, there is also a desk and chair, but only one set. If you are a couple, one will have to work from the bed or the lobby. But the WiFi is fast and free, so we can’t complain.

Our room was a standard king-bed hotel room.

Holiday Inn Quito Airport Amenities

Hotel Restaurant

As a fancy airport hotel, the Holiday Inn also has many amenities. First, there is the hotel restaurant. Our room rate did not come with free breakfast, but you can either pay for the breakfast buffet or pay more for a room rate that does include it. The buffet looked extensive and was a few steps above the breakfast buffet at a Hampton Inn or usual Holiday Inn.

We ate lunch at the hotel restaurant instead. We both got chicken plates, and they were delicious. The price was just under $30 for both of us, which is relatively high for Ecuador. The same meal in town would be $10-$15 for two people at most. But this is a hotel restaurant, and there is nothing else to eat in this area unless you go to the airport food court (which requires taking a taxi or Airport Shuttle).

On another occasion, we ordered chicken stew (seco de pollo) and steak dishes (churrasco) with rice and potatoes. Both dishes were also yummy!

Pool, Gym, and Lounging Areas

The Holiday Inn Quito Airport also has a pool and outdoor lounging area. We hung out by the pool and worked using the free WiFi with zero issues. Note that if you are on vacation, perhaps a pool is cool to use. But it rarely gets above 75 degrees Fahrenheit – maybe 80 degrees during a heat wave – so Quito isn’t necessarily a pool destination. On the other hand, the spa would have been great during the evening. There is also an indoor lounge, which could be a great place to work if you need a coffee shop vibe. 

Photo of the Holiday Inn Quito Airport pool.
Here is the photo, spa, and lounge area at the Holiday Inn.

Additionally, there is a free gym with weight machines and treadmills. We saw several guests use the gym while hanging out by the pool.

The free gym with treadmills, a stationary bike, and weight machines.

Holiday Inn Quito Airport Shuttle

Finally, there is the free airport hotel shuttle. As I mentioned before, I booked it in advance with the hotel, but it was not available when we arrived. However, on our third stay at the hotel, I booked the airport shuttle to pick us up ahead of time by emailing the Holiday Inn front desk after making the reservation. The hotel even asked for our flight information so they could keep track of it in case it was late. After we departed customs, the driver was waiting for us with a nice Holiday Inn sign, which was perfect.

Kevin wanted to eat at the airport instead of the hotel, so the driver was nice enough to take our bags back to the airport and let us eat at the airport. Once we were done, I called the hotel to come pick us up and they arrived within 15 minutes. So easy! Note that the driver told us the shuttle usually comes around every hour to the airport, however I don’t know if I would rely on that without previously notifying the hotel of your arrival.

On our second and third trips, we caught the shuttle going to the airport, and it was also fast, free, and easy. The check-in person asked us when our flight was and suggested a time. The shuttle was right on time and was easy to find in front of the hotel. The shuttle can seat 11 passengers plus luggage, and it was full on the second trip but only had one other person on the third trip. Note that Quito Airport only has one terminal, so no need to worry about notifying the driver where to drop you off.

Photo of the van for the Holiday Inn Quito Airport shuttle.
The Holiday Inn Quito Airport shuttle is free for hotel guests.

The King Suite at the Holiday Inn Quito Airport

For our second time staying at the Holiday Inn, we were upgraded to the King Suite room. The King Suite is a one-bedroom suite with a separate living room and dining area. It also has a small wet bar area with a coffee maker. It is not a kitchenette, as there is nothing to cook with.

The “wet bar” in the King Suite with a mini-fridge.

The suite is very spacious—perhaps almost too spacious. The living room felt like it lacked furniture. There are two desks—one in the living room and one in the bedroom—so two people can work from the room. And because they are in separate rooms, both can take calls or have meetings without disturbing the other person.

King Suite Living Room at Holiday Inn Quito Airport.
Living and dining area in a King Suite.

The bathroom was quite large, with plenty of countertop space, a large walk-in shower, and lots of light. One small touch I appreciated was that the Holiday Inn included toothpaste and a toothbrush in the bathroom. So many hotels offer toothbrushes and toothpaste, if you call them, but that is annoying. Instead, it was just given to you. And it was Crest toothpaste, not some cheap, no-name toothpaste.

The bed and TV are the same as in a regular room, which we enjoyed. There were no parties this time around—it was super quiet! And Quito is a really small airport, despite being located in the capital of Ecuador. There aren’t many planes to even hear!

King Suite Bedroom at Holiday Inn Quito Airport.
King Suite Bedroom.

Our Rating of the Holiday Inn Quito Airport: 4.5/5

We like the Holiday Inn the best because it is cheaper than the Wyndham, closer to the airport than the EuroBuilding, and is very comfortable, clean, and modern. The free Airport Shuttle is awesome, but you may have to double-confirm with the hotel if you expect the shuttle to pick you up from Quito Airport. The breakfast buffet is awesome, but confirm that your room rate includes breakfast. Nonetheless, if you are expecting a modern, international hotel chain experience, the Holiday Inn won’t disappoint.

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1 Comment
  1. DA June 14, 2024

    Really nice article, and it was interesting hearing all about The Holiday Inn and the way it was there. I’m glad you guys had a great time! I can imagine all the noise on New Year’s Eve!

    Reply

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