Hacienda Cusin, Otavalo

Riding your horse along a high trail, with the valley laid out beneath you and the Ecuadorian Sierras forming a majestic horizon, you could well imagine yourself to be the main character of an adventure novel, or starring in a film. Certainly the Hacienda Cusin has inspired authors and enraptured visitors for generations.

And not just for the wild beauty of its setting, or its manicured gardens. Step inside the hacienda and you’re suddenly plunged back into the colonial period. You’re presented with a huge, ornate fireplace that could have been a decorative altarpiece in a local church. Plus ancient beamed ceilings, flying angels, chandeliers and colourful Andean artefacts. All complemented by sublimely comfortable guest rooms. They’re just part of the Cusin experience – one of the high points of your luxury, tailor-made holiday to Ecuador.