This 400-year-old hacienda has hosted some illustrious guests, including the French Geodesic Mission, Alexander von Humboldt and Ecuadorian Presidents. A hotel since 1982, it still has hacienda charm: a long, eucalyptus-lined drive, meter-thick walls and an old chapel.
The modern annex is less attractive (but priced the same), so confirm that your reservation is in the original house. The restaurant/bar serves classic (but expensive) Ecuadorian fare, done very well. La Ciénega is 2km west of the Panamericana, about 1km south of the village of Lasso. Bus drivers will drop you at the hotel’s archway along the Panamericana, and you can walk from there.