The Secret Garden Cotopaxi

We loved our experience at The Secret Garden! We couldn’t believe it was a hostel. We did a private room and it was super cosy and the team come in and light a fire for you at night which was such a nice touch. The food is great and abundant meaning you never go hungry! The hostel also offer a range of activities so there is lots to do whether you’re up for more chilling or adventure. I would definitely recommend staying here!

Secret gardenCotopaxi is an awesome location with beautiful views of the mountain. The waterfall hike and horse riding are great too and I would highly recommend! We did loose power for a night which was a bit annoying but I get that it’s a not the hostels fault. The food is also lovely and lots of it so you are never hungry!! I think the Cotopaxi base camp walk needs addressing though, we were told it was a easy walk which is wasn’t and some of the group fell behind. our guide said that we didn’t have time to wait for them so they wouldn’t be able to do the whole walk and miss the glacier. It all felt very rushed so they could get back for the bus. I think maybe it should leave earlier if that’s the case. Also it seems very expensive when the tour from Quito costs only 5 dollars more. I absolutely loved the walk but it definitely needs to leave earlier so it gives people time to do the walk more comfortably and spend more that 10 minutes at the base camp after

Amazing place, one of the best hostels I’ve ever stayed at. The views of Cotapaxi and the other mountains are unmatched. The staff is amazing and always getting people involved. The family style dinner is a great way to meet people. Hot showers, comfy beds, lots of room to hangout inside and out. Stayed 5 nights and could have stayed longer. Do the horse riding!

While we enjoyed our stay at Secret Garden, a lot of this was down to the people we met and not necessarily the place itself. In terms of positives, the location is stunning (even when it’s cloudy), the food is healthy, plentiful and eating family style was a great way to meet people. The beds were very comfortable and the showers were hot with great pressure. There are cute dogs and feeding the llamas was so fun. Marshmallows around the fire was also a highlight. However, what we found was that there was a sense of really churning through guests and activities. When we chose to stay at the hostel instead of doing an activity we felt in the way. Staff were cleaning communal areas, or it was used for a staff meeting and one day they smoked out the whole place barbecuing a staff lunch on a grill that really should have been outside. When the weather is not great there are not many spaces to go, and at turnaround time (old guests leaving and new guests arriving) there simply wasn’t enough room for everyone to sit and enjoy. We did horse riding which was brilliant but we ended up not doing any other activities after speaking to other guests who said they felt rushed through and that some participants were deemed too slow and weren’t allowed to compete walks. This could easily have been solved by starting activities earlier (when the weather was also generally better). Most people came back from walks soaked and freezing and subsequently the whole place was full with damp clothes and boots without many places to dry them. There was quite limited engagement from management and some volunteers (a few were great) which again didn’t create a welcoming environment. Would give 3.5 stars but Google doesn’t allow the half star!

High Expectations, Very Underwhelming Reality - can't believe I paid so much money for this! I came to Cotopaxi Secret Garden with genuinely high expectations due to its reputation and pricing, but unfortunately, the experience was deeply disappointing and did not come close to what is advertised. To begin with, the stay is significantly overpriced for what is actually provided. The experience simply does not justify the cost. The birdhouse accommodation we stayed in was extremely basic, lacking comfort and amenities one would reasonably expect at this price point. The tours and guides were another letdown. The guides were not particularly engaging or informative, and any additional tours came at a very high extra cost. For a place that markets itself as an immersive experience, very little is actually included. The food was also disappointing considering how much you pay. While they highlight complimentary banana bread, it hardly feels “free” when the accommodation itself is so expensive. Overall, the food did not meet expectations in quality or value. There is admittedly a nice community vibe, but it feels unreasonable to justify the high price based on that alone. You can easily find the same sense of connection, atmosphere, and social experience at many other hostels that offer great vibes—without charging anywhere near this much. The staff experience further added to the disappointment. While some staff were acceptable, one of the reception staff members was especially unhelpful. When paying this much, I would expect staff to be attentive, welcoming, and solution-oriented, which was not the case. On top of this, there was no power for the first day and a half of our stay. This was a major inconvenience and not handled or communicated in a reassuring or professional manner. The few positives worth mentioning were the clean toilets and showers, the hammock area, and the nice view, which was genuinely scenic. Unfortunately, these positives were not enough to compensate for the overall experience. Overall, this stay was a major letdown. Given the high price and the numerous shortcomings, I left feeling disappointed and would not recommend Cotopaxi Secret Garden to others.

Absolutely enjoyed our experience! Excellent service of staff, variety of food, plenty of activities to do, stunning views of Cotopaxi and an impressive garden throughout the property. If you love nature, this is the right place for its great facilities and unique accommodation. Special thanks to Joel, our guide for the waterfall hike, for helping me get to the destination. I’d also like to thank Henry, the Cotopaxi guide, for his patience with me as I had a difficult time getting to the base camp. I wouldn’t have done it without him. Thank you, the Secret Garden Cotopaxi! We’d love to come back someday and reunite with the llamas.

Hands down the best hostel I have stayed at! Everything about this place was amazing. From the setting to the views and all the staff and guests there, everything was perfect! Thank you Milu, other managers and especially all the staff and volunteers! You guys are all so wonderful. Highly recommend staying here! 100/10!!

We had a wonderful stay from start to finish, from the free transport from Quito to the welcome on arrival. We stayed in a Birdhouse and it was wonderful. Cosy, with an amazing view. The food was great and plentiful. The staff were amazing especially the manager Craig who was very helpful and great to chat to. We did the Cotopaxi base camp hike, the waterfall hike and horse riding. All were really great. Honestly couldn’t recommend this place enough. Everyone eats together, family style which makes it a fantastic place to make friends from all over the world!