MASHPI LODGE
LODGE
WELCOME TO MASHPI LODGE
A hideaway in the forest only accessible to its privileged guests and located on a scenic plateau, the lodge features breathtaking views of the surrounding forested mountains right up close through its floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass windows. Like a cathedral to the natural world, it protrudes from the verdant hillside, holding unknown comforts and pleasures within.
LOCATION
It seems unfathomable that such a wild and remote site could even be associated with a city, yet Mashpi actually lies within the Metropolitan District of Quito – the capital of Ecuador. The lodge, which is only about 100 km northwest of Quito as the hummingbird flies, was built at 950 meters above sea level. The surrounding reserve ranges in altitude from 500 meters to 1200 meters above sea level. Despite its remote location, the lodge can be reached from Quito in around three hours.
ARCHITECTURE
Mashpi Lodge was built using the latest techniques in sustainable construction, with much of the structure having been preassembled in Quito. It is designed to blend in perfectly with its natural environment, its glass walls making it virtually invisible at times. Stunningly contemporary and featuring modernist design and décor that mixes warm earth tones, steel, stone and glass in striking perspectives, Mashpi Lodge makes for a true cocoon of luxury in the middle of the forest.
OPEN-AIR PANORAMIC TERRACE
Breakfast and lunch buffets mixing international cuisine with traditional Ecuadorian dishes are served in the Balsa. There are light, healthy options as well as more substantial pasta and meat dishes
An a la carte dinner is served in the restaurant, bringing fine dining to the jungle. Menus change daily, and will often include the popular paiche, a meaty white fish found in the Amazon region – with the all-important Green Seal of responsible fishing.
Vegetarians are more than welcome, and our chefs will be happy to cater for any special needs you may have upon request.
At least one evening during your stay we will hold a barbecue on the lakeside Balsa, with grilled fish, meat and vegetables.
THE RESTAURANT
The Lodge’s towering Dining Room is two-stories high and serves as a spectacular space for a lively gourmet experience. Mashpi’s chefs draw inspiration from the diversity of Ecuador’s cuisine and ingredients, making the most of the Lodge’s location between the coast and the Andes and providing guests with the best of both worlds.
THE BAR
It’s the perfect spot to meet new friends before dinner or share a drink with your guide. The cocktail menu at our Bar has specifically been designed with Mashpi and its surrounding forest in mind. So come have a seat by the Bar and let your palate explore the wide and exotic array of cocktails that we offer, all of them prepared by our expert mixologists. After that, feel free to pair your dinner with any of the fine wines from our extensive wine list.
THE ROOMS
YAKU SUITE
The lodge’s three Yaku Suites (Yaku is a Kichwa word meaning “Water”) extend over an expansive 46 square meters.
They are located on the first floor, at the lodge’s northwestern end. Each one features a large bathroom with twin washbasins and Philippe Starck-designed bathtubs-with-a-view. All of our Yaku Suites have king-size beds.
- Safe deposit boxes
- Bathrooms with luxury amenities
- Hairdryers
- Wi-Fi Connection
- Telephone
- Bathrobe and slippers
- Reusable water bottle
- Fresh, filtered water
WAYRA ROOMS
The 20 Wayra rooms (Wayra is a Kichwa word which means “wind”) all cover a generous 34 square meters.
13 Wayra Twin Rooms have two full-size beds, with three rooms located at the end of the northwestern wing and the rest along the southeastern wing. 7 Wayra King Rooms out of the 20 rooms feature king-size beds.
- Safe deposit boxes
- Bathrooms with luxury amenities
- Hairdryers
- Wi-Fi Connection
- Telephone
- Bathrobe and slippers
- Reusable water bottle
- Fresh, filtered water
Our Activities
- Spa
- The dragon fly
- The sky bike
- The observation tower
- The life centre
- Hummingbird garden
- Strangler fig trail
- Jungle swing trail
- Luminous trail
- Capuchin monkey trail
- Copal waterfall
- Magnolia waterfall
- Healing waterfall
- Torrenteer lagoon
Awaken all the senses
THE RESERVE
Upon arriving at Mashpi Lodge, you are entering far more than just a five-star hotel in an exquisite location: you are accessing a research station that is at the forefront of rainforest protection.
Before the construction of the lodge was even completed, the Mashpi project hired a biologist to carry out an ambitious research project. Said biologist was tasked with finding out as much as possible about the diverse ecosystem that thrives within the 1,200 hectare (3,000 acre) Mashpi Reserve.
The information this biologist gathered became part of the lodge’s conservation and resource management strategy, strengthening the Lodge’s concept of sustainable tourism and forest preservation. Our science and investigation projects are now quite ample and varied in scope.
The final goal of this whole project is to bolster both the importance of research and enrich our knowledge of the lodge’s surrounding ecosystem. This knowledge is then shared with local communities, our guests and the world at large, all with the aim of underlining the importance of conserving this fragile and fascinating bio-region.
Our research efforts have grown over the years. We have signed collaborative agreements with national and international conservation organizations. We have worked with several universities, participating and designing different research projects that involve butterflies, mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles and macroinvertebrates. We have even discovered entirely new species and shared them with the international science community!
All of these initiatives have allowed us to see how our efforts should go beyond merely protecting our reserve and its hotel. Science at Mashpi Lodge must be a combination of research, education, ecotourism and community support in order to truly have the impact that we desire.
