EN - Izhcayluma

Frequently asked questions

Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions. If you have any further questions, please send them via E-Mail.

Accomodation

Are the prices per room or per person?

The listed prices on our site are per room or Cabaña / bungalow. Only the prices for the beds in the dorm room are per Person.

What Discounts for children are there?
  • Children 0-2 years: free
  • Children from 3 to 9 years: $ 3 discount on regular prices
  • Children over 10 years: regular price
What does the price include?

The room rate includes: Accommodation, Wi-Fi, use of hotel facilities with swimming pool, billiards, table tennis, board games, mineral water from a dispenser at the restaurant throughout the day...

Which breakfast is there and at what prices?

Breakfast is available daily from 7:30 until 10:00 o'clock.

Our healthy breakfast costs USD 3.90 per person and includes:

  • Fresh fruit salad with homemade yogurt and granola
  • Various home-baked bread, margarine, jam
  • Fresh tropical fruit juice
  • So much tea or coffee from our own cultivation as you like
  • You can choose between 2 eggs to your liking or a german pancake

Extras of your choice such as bacon, ham, cheese or organic honey cost $ 1 per serving.

What is the difference between a room and a Cabaña / Bungalow?

Since there are no big buildings throughout our facility, the rooms are located in small houses with a maximum of 4 units. The rooms share a communal terrace with hammocks. So you have direct neighbors. The double beds in the rooms are 1.35 m wide and 2 m long.

The cabanas / bungalows are single-detached small houses with private balcony. Thus here a greater privacy exists. The double beds are "queen size",  so 1.60 m wide and 2 m long.

What facilities have the rooms?
In none of our accommodations there are televisions, hair dryers and refrigerators. Wireless Internet access is available in every room.
At what time is check-in and can I check in earlier?

Official check-in is at 16:00 o`clock. If your room should be ready sooner, of course you can move in immediately.

If not, you may want to leave your bags with us and enjoy our facilities or explore the valley.

At what time is check out and luggage storage?

Check-out is at 11:00 o'clock, you have to empty the room till then.

But you are welcome to store your luggage with us and still enjoy your time till your departure.

Also, there is a shower facility, if you come back from a hike or horse ride.

Can I leave valuables in the room?

Even though we have not yet had any problems with burglaries, we recommend our guests to leave their travel documents, valuables and large amounts of cash with us at the reception. These will be securely locked in our safe. We are not to be held liable for any loss inside or outside the room.

Is there a room service?

Room service is not available.

How safe is the tap water in the hotel?

Our tap water is a community project together with our local neighbors. It comes to us directly from the cloud forest of the National Park "Podocarpus". It is very rich in magnesium and other minerals and very suitable and healthy for drinking.

The mysterious "waters of longevity" flows directly into your room. In case of persistent heavy rainfall the water can get a bit brownish, but this does not affect the water quality.

But in any case, at the restaurant you have a mineral water dispenser at your disposal at any time of the day.

Additional infos

At what altitude is Vilcabamba and how is the climate?

Vilcabamba has an elevation of 1600 m (5250 feet) and a constant spring like temperature averaging from 18 to 28 degrees celcius (65 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit).

From February to April is the rainy season. It could come to heavy rainfalls, but usually not every day and not all day. The valley is lush green.

From May to July is the transitional period into the dry season. Normaly it is very sunny but still with some few rainfalls. The valley still apears green.

From August to September is the dry and wind season. The valley turns mainly into a brown color.

From October until the end of January is the little summer, with occasional rains and usually much sun.The valley is green again.

Are there mosquitoes and other animals?

There are mosquitoes, but not very many - mainly during the major rainy season. Malaria is not present in Vilcabamba.  You should bring insect repellent , but it is also available in any pharmacy.

At Izhcayluma we have one lovely female Labrador, her name is "Ami".  She loves to play with kids.

As we have a 10-hectare garden, of course there are all kinds of insects and other animals. Tarantulas are sometimes seen during the rainy season, when their burrows are flooded. They are harmless and not fatal. There are also snakes and scorpions. However, we had not had a single incident in all these years. Also, there are possums (which are often get mistaken for rats), rabbits and squirrels.

Since we have reforested our property over a wide area, the variety of birds has quadrupled.

What should I bring?
  • Insect repellent (can be obtained also here in any pharmacy)
  • Sunscreen
  • hat, sun glasses
What type of clothing is appropriate for Vilcabamba?

We recommend light clothes for the day, but also long-sleeved shirts, long pants and a light jacket for cool nights. For hiking and horse riding you need sturdy shoes. A hat as protection from the bright highland sun is just as useful as a pair of sunglasses.

Also don't forget bathing suit and sandals.

What about the environmental friendliness?

Before purchasing the grounds of Izhcayluma, it was used as pasture. Back then it was quite dry and not much more of vegetation than gras for the cattle. Meanwhile, we have reforested and the hostel is a year-round oasis.

As far as possible everything is reused or recycled, also compost . Kitchen waste is delivered to our neighbors, which get feed to their pigs.

Is the area wheelchair accessible / suitable for people with mobility problems?

Because of the uneven and large grounds with stairs and paths made of natural stone, our hotel is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties. Our accommodations are not equipped for wheelchairs.

Are pets allowed?
We don´t charge any money for pets, but because of misconduct and not following our house rules of some pet owners, we require a deposit of $50.00, which will be refunded in full if you do not break any of the these rules:

1. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES are any pets allowed to get into the bed. The person with the pet MUST rent a cabin with private balcony and the pet must sleep there (it is covered). Also they are NOT allowed inside the restaurant or the bar.

2.For dogs, they should not bark during your stay.

3.They must not be aggressive or have threatening behavior towards people or other dogs, nor bother other hostel guests at the restaurant. Begging for food for example or sitting under other people tables.

4. Owners are responsible that they do not damage or leave dirty rooms, especially beds.

At the time of check-out we ask for patience so we can do a thorough check of the room to determine if it has failed the forth point.

 
Is smoking allowed in the hotel?

Inside the rooms, the spa and restaurant smoking is strictly prohibited. At the bar smoking is allowed. If you are a smoker you can smoke outside the room, on the terrace or balcony.

Arrival

How do I get to you?

Detailed information how you get to Vilcabamba and Izhcayluuma you'll find here.

In between what time of the day can I check IN?

Our reception desk is open from 07:30 - 12:00 hrs and from 16:00 - 20:00 hrs.

An arrival outside this time table is only possible by prior arrangement.

Distance to the center of Vilcabamba and how to get there?

We are located on a hill, 2 km (1,2 miles) above the center of Vilcabamba. It is a 25-minutes walk down to the village. There you will find white pick-up taxis, which will you bring back to us for $ 1.50 / ride, if you don't want to walk back uphill.

If you don't want to walk into the village, we'll gladly call you a taxi to take you there.

Payment

When do I pay you?

Upon arrival only a key deposit of 20 USD is required.
Accomodation, food, drinks and SPA-services you can pay the day you'll leave us.

Only organized trips, like horse back riding, must be paid directly to the tour provider.

Which credit cards do you accept?

Unfortunately we can not accept credit cards, because we don't have a phone land line. In the village you'll find two ATMs which even work from time to time. It is best to arrive with enough cash.

Payment options

We accept only cash.

Is there a bank or ATM in Vilcabamba?

There is no bank in Vilcabamba, only two ATMs of  "Banco de Guayaquil" and "Banco de Austro". Both machines are filled only once a week.

We recommend you to bring enough cash to Vilcabamba.

How much should I tip?

Tipping is not included in our prices. There is no tip rule in Ecuador, we recommend to reward good service with a 5-10%. You'll find a tip box at our front desk.
The money will be fairly distributed among all our employee, so that even the gardeners and caretaker get their share. Each of our team contributes equally to make your stay as pleasant as possible.

Reservations

How far in advance should I book?
As soon as you have your exact arrival day and you know the length of your stay with us.
Is it possible to arrive without a reservation?

"Drop in" is possible but not recommended, as we might are completely booked.

Is my reservation request already a booking?

Your reservation request is only binding after it has been confirmed by us by e-mail.

How long does it take you to answer my reservation request?

If there are no problems with the internet connection in Vilcabamba, you'll get the answer within a few hours.
Just in case, if you don't get any response from us after 24 hours , we kindly ask you to write us again.

Is there a discount for a longer stay?

Starting from a stay of 7 nights, breakfast is included in the room price.

We have special monthly prices, but we kindly ask you to check with us personally.

Do you require an advanced payment to hold my reservation?

We believe in the bond of trust between us and our guests, so we don't ask anything from you in advance, your word is more than enough.

We just ask you to inform us in case of a change or a cancelation of your booking.

FAQ - Restaurant

What are the opening times of the restaurant?
  • Breakfast   7:30 - 10:00
  • Lunch:      13:00 - 17:00
  • Evening:   17:00 - 19:30 (Deadline for the last order)

Every monday the restaurant is closed for lunch.

Are there any vegetarian / vegan dishes?

We have an ample selection of vegetarian dishes and a smaller one of vegan dishes.

Where do we source our ingredients?
 Where possible our food is supplied by local farmers.