Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge & Private Protected Area

A stay at the Bellavista cloud lodge is a real treat. We have a fabulous guide in Rebecca who was incredibly knowledgeable on the birds and wildlife of the area. She took us in many fascinating and fabulous walks. Feeding the hummingbirds was a highlight along with enjoying the swing on the edge of the world. The accommodation was simple and allowed a well desired (self directed) digital detox from the modern world

What an amazing experience! The lodge is stunning, the guides are incredibly knowledgeable and all the staff go out of their way to ensure you have a wonderful stay. I felt like I’d stepped out of this world and entered another one for my overnight stay. Just an incredible place and congratulations to Richard and his team

We spent two days here and it’s a beautiful location for nature and birds , the guided walks are so good and knowledgeable so many different birds. Credit to all the staff who are so helpful and feeding the hummingbirds was such a privilege. The lodges are wonderfully located taking advantage of its natural environment and the food was delicious

Wonderful few days in peaceful surroundings. Fantastic guided walks and amazing birdlife. We spent 3 days here up in the cloud forest. So peaceful and tranquil. We were lucky to have such a brilliant guide who was incredibly knowledgeable and great company!

We were part of a birding group spending the night here. Due to landslide, we had a hard time getting here. Once we arrived, we were surprised that none of the staff wore masks ( in contrast to staff at all other hotels that we have stayed). The room was extremely basic and small for two people. We got a 2nd floor room where it was quite steep to go up. The bathroom sink was leaking so the floor was wet. Breakfast was good, however. Wifi was only available near the shop. In the morning, we saw many birds, including a toucan barbet. On the way to Mindo, we encountered 4 sites of falling trees due to a recent storm. Although our driver was able to use a machete to clear 3 sites, the 4th one was impossible to get through. We ended up going back to the lodge and found an alternative route to Mindo after asking many people. Apparently, it is hard to get in and out during rainy season.

The overall experience at Bellavista was quite enjoyable. The cloud forest is worth seeing, especially if you’re a birdwatcher. Our guide was great, identifying many birds and plants for us, as well as taking us on solid hikes. The food in general was really good - three meals a day and we looked forward to them. The main complaint was the accommodations. Our room was pretty run down and poorly insulated. A small space heater was all there was to provide heating. The cloud forest is damp and at a high elevation, so we were chilled the entire time. The plumbing was something else - impossible to take a shower due to changing water pressures, and at times no hot water. Plus no cold water at all in our shower unit so impossible to regulate the temperature. Note there is a dirt road for quite some time to get to the lodge, quite bumpy.

We stayed for two nights and had a great time. Obviously the lodge is isolated which is part of the experience so make sure your transfer driver is aware of the terrain beforehand! Rosa and Christian are super friendly and helpful and our guide Luke was great fun to spend time with. We are not ‘twitchers’ but appreciate all different forms of nature so really appreciated the whole experience. We especially loved all of the hummingbird activity and hikes at different times of day. The ladies in the restaurant are charming and warm..thankyou. Our room in the German house was as expected..only a new shower head would improve it. We would definitely recommend to anyone visiting Ecuador.

Our group of four experienced a most delightful 2 night/3-day adventure at Bellavista Cloud Forest Lodge. The rooms were large and clean with big picture windows to view the forest and listen to the cacophony of bird song. We were assigned our own knowledgeable and charming guide Jeison who took us on three 2-hour guided tours daily with the uncanny skill of spotting many phenomenal birds in the thick canopy of the cloud forest. The lodge also sports many hummingbird feeders, a platform with bananas and a moth light that draws in the birds for outstanding viewing. The scrumptious, ample meals in the large, airy dining hall, hot showers, transportation to and from Quito and a friendly and accommodating staff topped off a most enchanting experience in this lush, subtropical cloud forest.

Went with a big school group. The lodge and surrounding area is super beautiful but at least a third of our group (about 2 dozen ish kids) ended up with food poisoning after eating three meals at the lodge. We all ate different things too so unfortunately I suspect the sanitary practices.