Hotel Plaza Grande
Encyclopedia
Hotel Plaza Grande is a five-star luxury hotel in the historic centre of Quito
, Ecuador
. The hotel is located next to the Carondelet Palace and the Archbishop's Palace and faces the Old Town's eponymous central plaza, Plaza de la Independencia
. It is located in a restored Spanish colonial mansion, which formerly belonged to one of the earliest colonial inhabitants of Quito, Juan Diaz de Hidalgo.
", and is the largest site in Latin America. In 2005 a group of hoteliers provided investment to restore the building to its former glory.
The interior has been described as "exclusive, elegant and even decadent throughout and truly boutique". The hotel is very expensive; rooms are available for $500-$2000 a night. It contains 15 suites, which are divided into Plaza View and Royal suites and its one Presidential Suite is the most expensive.
On the ground floor is the reception and the hotel cafe, popular with businessman and officials, which serves international and Ecuadorian cuisine
. On the first floor is the hotel's flagship La Belle époque restaurant which serves French cuisine
and international dishes. Set in a lavish room inspired by the art nouveau
style, the restaurant stocks over 1,500 bottles of wine.
The suites are located on the second and third floors. The rooms are all of considerable size and luxurious. Frommer's
describes the decor as "refined, with heavy drapes, plush furnishings, fine fabrics, and tasteful art and tapestries on the walls." In the rooms are rich furnishings, containing colonial closets, desks, mirrors and artwork which recreate the old colonial world atmosphere and also contain 42" flat screen televisions. The beds are described as "huge, embellished with Egyptian cotton sheets and fluffed up goose–down pillows." The bathrooms are also large, and feature jacuzzi–shower tubs and luxury robes. The bathrooms are even finer in the Plaza View suites, with marble and wood washbasins. On the top floor is the champagne bar and cognac bar, which have a terrace between them.
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. The hotel is located next to the Carondelet Palace and the Archbishop's Palace and faces the Old Town's eponymous central plaza, Plaza de la Independencia
Plaza de La Independencia
Independence Square, also known as Big Square . Historic public square of Quito , located in the heart of the old city. This is the central square of the city and one of the symbols of the executive power of the nation...
. It is located in a restored Spanish colonial mansion, which formerly belonged to one of the earliest colonial inhabitants of Quito, Juan Diaz de Hidalgo.
History
It was the first building in Quito to be more than two storeys at five, when it was built in 1930. It was one of the first formal hotels in Quito, originally becoming the Majestic Hotel in 1943. As of 1986 it was still the Majestic Hotel, but it later closed and became a bank and then as administrative offices for the municipality of Quito. In 1978, this Old Town area became one of the first UNESCO "World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
", and is the largest site in Latin America. In 2005 a group of hoteliers provided investment to restore the building to its former glory.
Architecture and furnishings
The building is noted for its "eclectic facade and baroque columns".The interior has been described as "exclusive, elegant and even decadent throughout and truly boutique". The hotel is very expensive; rooms are available for $500-$2000 a night. It contains 15 suites, which are divided into Plaza View and Royal suites and its one Presidential Suite is the most expensive.
On the ground floor is the reception and the hotel cafe, popular with businessman and officials, which serves international and Ecuadorian cuisine
Ecuadorian cuisine
Ecuadorian cuisine is diverse, varying with altitude and associated agricultural conditions. Pork, chicken, beef, and cuy are popular in the mountain regions and are served with a variety of carbohydrate-rich foods, especially rice, corn and potatoes. A popular street food in mountain regions is...
. On the first floor is the hotel's flagship La Belle époque restaurant which serves French cuisine
French cuisine
French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France...
and international dishes. Set in a lavish room inspired by the art nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style, the restaurant stocks over 1,500 bottles of wine.
The suites are located on the second and third floors. The rooms are all of considerable size and luxurious. Frommer's
Frommer's
Frommer's is a travel guidebook series and one of the bestselling travel guides in America. The series began in 1957 with the publication of Arthur Frommer's book, Europe on $5 a Day. Frommer's has expanded to include over 350 guidebooks across 14 series, as well as other media including the award...
describes the decor as "refined, with heavy drapes, plush furnishings, fine fabrics, and tasteful art and tapestries on the walls." In the rooms are rich furnishings, containing colonial closets, desks, mirrors and artwork which recreate the old colonial world atmosphere and also contain 42" flat screen televisions. The beds are described as "huge, embellished with Egyptian cotton sheets and fluffed up goose–down pillows." The bathrooms are also large, and feature jacuzzi–shower tubs and luxury robes. The bathrooms are even finer in the Plaza View suites, with marble and wood washbasins. On the top floor is the champagne bar and cognac bar, which have a terrace between them.