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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Bedrooms | 3 |
| Bathrooms | 3 |
| Sleeps | 12 |
| House | |
| Suitability |
|---|
| No Pets |
| No Smoking |
| Suitable for Children |
| Suitable for Elderly |
| FlipKey traveler rating |
| 18 reviews |
| Stayed here? Write a review. |
Get the real scoop!
All reviews are written by verified travelers
Details
| Rental type | House |
| Minimum Stay | 1 night |
| Bedrooms | 3 Total |
| Bathrooms | 3 Total |
| Sleeps | 12 |
| Suitability |
Pet friendlyNo Smoking allowedNo Suitable for childrenYes Suitable for the elderlyYes Wheelchair accessibleNo |
| Theme | Luxury, Romantic, Beach, Ocean, Tropical |
Description from the owner
Shangri-La is described as an imaginary remote paradise, secluded hideaway, a haven of idyllic beauty, tranquility, or as paradise on earth.
Now you don’t have to imagine that exotic utopia, you can see it for yourself!
Our Shangri-La is the ideal atmosphere of peace and the feeling of being in your own private sanctuary, while allowing you to discover the Enchanted Islands of Galapagos at your own pace.
We are located in a secluded area of Santa Cruz Island called Punta Estrada,
( an auto-free zone) just a short aqua taxi ride across Academy Bay from Puerto Ayora and only footsteps away from Playa de Los Alemane...Read more
Amenities
Location
GALAPAGOS SHANGRI-LA W/ POOL 2 CASA'S 2 OPTIONS
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
What's Nearby:
Additional Location Information
Barrio Punta Estrada
AUTO-FREE ZONE
Location Type Beach, Ocean, Tropical
Rates
Rates shown in $ USD (change)
| Date | Weeknight | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Minimum Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate Summary | $175 - $375 | $175 | $0 | $0 | 1 night |
| Feb. 27 2013 - Jan. 1 2016 Casita Azul |
$175 | - | - | - | 1 night |
| Feb. 27 2013 - Jan. 1 2016 Main House |
$375 | - | - | - | 1 night |
| All Other Dates | $175 | $175 | - | - | 1 night |
| Can't find rates for your travel dates? Contact the owner | |||||
Availability
AvailableUnavailable Last updated: May 30, 2013 ◀▶
What Past Guests Are Saying
Overall Rating
ExcellentVery Good
Average
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Terri Villani
manalapanBetter than we expected!
Left on 05/23/2013 for a stay in May 2013
Stayed from Sun to Wed. We were 8 ppl.House was beautiful,roomy,clean,private oasis.We were able to enjoy the pool,hammocks and comfortable beds. The location is perfect.We loved it!The owner was excellent in communicating w/us and answering all our questions.The Casita was beautiful too! The entire place was charming. Would highly recommend and would love to return.
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NL917
Middletown, New JerseyOutdoor Paradise
Left on 05/22/2013 for a stay in May 2013
I rented the house with 7 family members for 3 nights in May. We rented both the house and Casita. Janet was wonderful to deal with. Very helpful and quick to respond to all our questions. She wanted to ensure we had the best experience possible. The house is better than the photos. The property is private, clean and well maintained. It is perfect to hang out and relax. The best feature of the house is the outside. The amazing pool, bar area, hammocks, and seating made it the perfect place for us to relax after a long day of tours. To get back and forth to the town you need to take a water taxi which was (60 cents during the day, $1 after 7pm). They are always available and the ride is about 3 minutes.
We loved the Galapagos and wish we were able to stay longer. I truly believe our vacation would not have been so amazing if we had stayed elsewhere. We hope to return one day! -
Travelersr4
CTGreat choice
Left on 05/02/2013 for a stay in April 2013
Our family of four rented the house for a week. We loved the location, close to two hotels and restaurants yet private.
There were several outdoor areas to enjoy. The pool was the best, large and warm. The house was cleaned every other day. We rarely cooked but the house was well stocked with kitchens necessities.
It was absolutely a better choice than any hotel in the area.
We would return! -
Bkupcha
A week of luxury and extreme cost savings over overnight cruisin
Left on 03/26/2013 for a stay in October 2012
Staying at Shangri-La offered our group of six, luxury and privacy behind the enclosed tall stone walls plus easy access to the town of Puerto ayora. We opted for observing the famous Galapagos wildlife on one of the day yacht cruises offered by the Finch Bay, then returning to our own private paradise each evening in time to watch the sunset from the rooftop pavilion.
Best of all, our group saved a fortune by doing this land option -- close to five times the cost of going on a "high-end overnight cruises." Yet, we still saw the Blue footed boobies, sea lions, land iguanas, sea iguanas, sea turtles, dolphins, etc. plus the land tortoises that Galapagos on the private yacht day excursions, offered by the Finch Bay resort, which is very close by.
Feel free to contact me with any questions I have been to Galapagos three times and staying at Shangri-La was by far the best part. -
KentMercedes
KentComfortable, spacious and with all amenities
Left on 02/02/2013 for a stay in January 2013
Lovely holiday home - spacious and clean. Pool, hot tub, lovely views from the top deck. Great for extended family because there are so many separate spaces. A few minor things needed attention when we were there - lights in the lounge failed, air conditioning in the main bedroom failed one night, bedside lamp light wouldn't work, dodgy handrails up on the top deck around the hot tub - we were told to be careful of rails but a bit of a safety issue. However, these were all minor irritations and all in all I would definitely recommend this as a fabulous fabulous place to stay. The owner Janet recommended Cristina (Galway Travel) for organising trips and we did use her but I would not recommend her - I'm not even sure she is based in Santa Cruz anymore - she was in Quito when we were in Santa Cruz which made it difficult to get information about trips etc that she had booked. However - this is a separate matter so back to Shangri-la - it really is a fabulous place to stay.
Nb: If you are tossing up whether to do a landbase stay or a cruise while visiting the Galapagagos I would really recommend you do a cruise. Day trips can be very tedious with a 45minute bus trip across the island for most trips and then a couple of hours out to where you are going - much better to do a few days cruising around the islands - waking up to the water gently slapping the side of the boat. Whatever you decide Galagapos is not to be missed. -
GinaTBayport
Bayport, New YorkThe only way to see the Galapagos Islands
Left on 01/24/2012 for a stay in January 2012
My husband, sister and brother in law, and two friends rented Shangi La for 12 nights in January. We rented both the house and the Casita. We always wanted to visit the Galapagos but I am not fond of cruise ships. I like to be on land and be in control of what I do when I want to do it. From the very beginning Janet was wonderful. She guided me through all of the planning, putting at my fingertips all of her resources. She responds to emails immediately and with lots of information. The house is perfectly represented on the website. It is large, clean, comfortable with all the amenities you would want. The only thing it lacked was a hair dryer which wasn't necessary. Your hair dries in minutes in the climate. The pool is fabulous and a welcomed finale to a day of touring. It is safe behind the gated walled property. I would highly recommend Shangi-la and Janet to see the Galapagos Islands. To get back and forth to town you take a water taxi (60 cents during the day, $1 after 7pm). They are readily available. I highly recommend the restaurants Il Gardinia and Isla in town The Rock is also good. But Il Gardinia was our favorite. Also anglemyer at the end of the dock has really good food. For tours, nothing can beat anything on the Sant Fe or Narel boats. The trip to Bartolome is fantastic, but then again they all are great. The trips on the Spendour are a bit rough because they are more like ferries so the ride is rough with no ameneties. But I would still do the trips because it's the tour you are interested in not the boat ride. The cook is available to cook breakfast or dinner if you like. We had her cook breakfast a few mornings. There really is nothing you want for if you stay at Shangi La. The view is fantastic, the decks are perfect, there is a hot tub if you want. I highly recommend staying here. Janet recommended having an airport pickup and the highlands tour on the way to the house. Definitely a good idea. I also recommend staying at the Marriott for your overnight in Quito.
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Jpachano
Quito, EcuadorJust the perfect stay in paradise
Left on 06/27/2011 for a stay in January 2011
If you are planning to visit Galápagos and stay in Santa Cruz this is possibly the best choice. The house is perfectly located, and offers great comfort. We have rented the house twice and in both occasions everything was perfect.
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Toner02
Calgary, CanadaMagical and much more
Left on 04/28/2011 for a stay in March 2011
We loved it!! Shangri-La is exactly what you walk into. The feeling you get after you cross through the locked gate is pure peace and tranquility.
You never really know what you may get when booking a rental on line, but Janet was a blessing.
She was always there to give advice, extra pics, answer a question etc. and her response was always quick and friendly. You just knew everything would be great...and it was beyond that.
There were six of us, my two teenage children and four adults who stayed in the main house. Not once did we feel crowded. The layout of the house is fantastic. A hose to wash your sandy feet as you come through the gate, private outdoor shower/bathroom near the pool, cloths line out back, access to kitchen by a side door, beautifully shaded lounging areas on lower and middle decks and loads of sun if you prefer that.
There are three patio/decks in total, my favourite being the upper one. A few glasses of wine were sipped while watching the sunset and coffee in the early morning to view the beginning of a glorious day. From here you are able to see the hills, harbour, Finch Bay Hotel, the ocean and surrounding area.
The house is kept extremely clean by Gloria, who will also do your laundry for a small fee.
Narsisa will shop for groceries and make dinner if that is what you would like. For a little $ she will prepare a wonderful home cooked meal which was usually fresh fish.
The gardens and pool area are well maintained and look fantastic. The pool was well used and very much appreciated, especially after a day tour. Lots of floaties, lounge chairs and a great bar area for afternoon snacks, drinks and a few card games. Unfortunately, the boys won too many times.
The location was perfect. You are a short walk to Finch Bay , the water taxi and angermeyer Hotel, which serves a beautiful breakfast if you are not in a hurry.
In town Cafe del Mar has great grilled octopus, The Rock -burgers, and il Giardino was also good.
We had booked two tours with Finch Bay before we left and ended up booking another while there. The Sea Lion Yacht was beautiful. It was clean, well maintained, tons of room to walk on three levels, safety was important, fantastic lunch on board, awesome washrooms, and the staff were extremely friendly, professional and informative. You could walk to the hotel in the am for breakfast (included in price) or you just meet them at the taxi dock. They are a little more expensive then the other tours, but well worth the extra. Janet had mentioned Maria Jose from Matboma Tours, so we arranged with her for airport pick up and delivery to Shangri-La. What a sweetheart!! During our stay we wanted a tour to Isabella and she arrived at the house with information and possibilities for the rest of our stay. I believe she would do anything to make your holiday memorable, followed by a hug :)
We stayed for 8 days and wished for more. Words can not explain how much we loved this trip, but more importantly how much we enjoyed our time at Shangri-La. I truly believe our vacation would not have been so extraordinary if we had stayed else where.
It is a very special place. Thank you Janet for allowing others to enjoy your property. -
skypath
MaineA house that lives up to its name
Left on 03/19/2011 for a stay in March 2011
This is truly Shangri-La. I am convinced there is no better option. My husband and I stayed for 10 days. There is absolutely nothing that we did not like about this place. Here are some highlights:
Island: Santa Cruz is ideally located in the center of the Galapagos and you can get to most other islands on day trips. So if you are not a big fan of regimented cruises and prefer to sleep on land then this is an ideal location. Our experiences included swimming and snorkeling with playful sea lions, penguins, and copious sea turtles, diving with hammerheads and all types of rays and sharks, beautiful and diverse land tours including lava tunnels, iguanas, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, frigates, and other birds everywhere, dolphins playing off bow waves, and of course loads of tortoises.
Privacy & security: Shangri-La (the large house) and Casita azul (small cottage) share a single compound. The Casita is adorable but we elected to stay in the larger house because of the 2nd floor views, the Jacuzzi, and the rooftop deck. The pool and barbecue area is open to both houses – this is a large, beautifully tiled pool in well-kept and attractive grounds, the photos do not do it justice. The compound itself is extremely private due to tasteful but high adobe walls and excellent location. The external door to the compound remains locked but we never once felt the need to lock our house inside.
Reputation: This is not some unknown, obscure, private house – all tour operators in town recognized the name Shangri-La and many complimented us on our good choice of lodging. The owners obviously cared very much about our contentment during our stay and I had no concerns in my dealings with them. They came through on all promises.
Views: Fantastic 360 water views from 2nd floor (bedroom, porch, living area) and rooftop deck. The upper deck also has a 2-person jacuzzi, plenty of hot water, very clean (fills in just a few minutes).
Location: Ideal location, charming and scenic 5 minute water taxi across the little bay from busy Puerto ayora, Shangri-La is just steps (on a foot path) from the taxi dock and angermeyer Hotel in one direction and the beach and Finch Bay Hotel in the other. You can also walk to Grietas from here.
Quiet! Although it was very hot in March, we only turned on the bedroom air conditioner (a very high quality setup) for an hour or two each evening. After that we opened the windows to allow the sea breeze to blow through. It was perfectly quiet every night, except for the lulling crash of the waves. I have rarely slept anywhere this peaceful, no chickens, no barking dogs, no loud neighbors, nothing.
Cleanliness & staff: A lovely housekeeper comes 3-4 days/week and scrubs the place from top to bottom. We were amazed at how pristine this place was until we saw her in action – she is quite thorough! Janet even arranged for her to do our laundry for a small fee every couple of days, so we didn’t have to pack much. Also there is a gardener (who will also shop and cook) and someone who cares for the pool. All staff were great people.
Hosts: Janet (owner) was very patient and helpful, with quick responses to my many emails both before and during the trip. She was traveling in the us during our stay, but Treecy, who stays sometimes in the small Casita, was available to help us locally. Treecy is a very kind and gracious host. She was careful to respect our privacy but also nice to chat with each evening. We would talk about our day and plans for the next day and she would offer suggestions and tips as needed. She would take care of absolutely anything that needed doing. She even met us on in town with some items we had left behind when we went over to another island for a week before heading home. She caught us between boat and taxi to deliver our stuff to us!
Wifi: Wifi is not great in Galapagos in general and does go on and off at times, but Shangri-La’s setup was as good as it could be, very useable, and fast for Galapagos.
Tv: I don’t watch TV but if you do there was a good setup with cable, lots of videos, flat-screen and so forth.
Hot water: Excellent. If you don’t get hot water it isn’t because it doesn’t work, it just means the propane tank needs to be switched out which is a 5 minute job any of the staff will do. We found this out by emailing Janet “where is our hot water” and only a few minutes later someone was there switching the tanks and it was all set. It is an on-demand heater so it is effectively unlimited and instant. That said, unless you use the hot tub you really don’t need hot water much in this tropical location.
Purified water: The kitchen is set up with a giant jug of purified water for personal use.
Beds: The beds in the 2 bedrooms are Olympic Queen. This is basically a few inches wider than a normal queen. My husband and I generally only sleep well in King beds so this was a concern, but this size actually worked fine for us. The mattresses are quite firm which so far we have found to be the standard throughout Ecuador.
Highland tour: Janet suggested a highland tour on the way into town and this turned out to be a great idea. The planes arrive mid-morning and you drive through the highlands on the way to town so it makes sense to do the tour then. If you sign up for the tour then a guide will be waiting for you at the airport. After a long trip from the us, this alone was a great service. Without this service, you navigate on your own through the bus-ferry-taxi-water taxi combination needed to get from airport to town. This isn’t particularly difficult, we did it ourselves no problem on the way back, but when you arrive everything is confusing and unfamiliar and you are tired from a long trip, so having someone meet you and whisk you through it all is great. The highlands tour included the usual elements: giant tortoises, lava tunnels, crater views. If you take it, be sure to have hat/sunscreen/warm-weather clothes ready to wear, as most people coming from Quito are overdressed when they arrive. A note on the cost: we almost didn’t take this tour because it was more expensive than other quotes to take the tour as a regular day trip from town. However the difference is that this is a private tour, and it includes the airport pickup (they have to wait for you), luggage handling, and escort to Shangri-La. If you take the tour with someone else as a separate day trip then you waste half a day going back to the highlands, you ride on a bus with a crowd, and you lose out on the nice escort to Shangri-La.
Value: Obviously this is an ideal choice for a family or group of friends who would otherwise pay much more to stay in inferior hotel rooms. However even as a couple, we felt Shangri-La was the best deal in town if you are looking at high-quality accommodations. We compared this to the nicest hotels in town. The prices were similar but Shangri-La had far more to offer.
Tour options: We opted to select our tours at the last minute, one day at a time, from various local agencies. There is a trade-off for this. Upsides: It is much cheaper to book a tour at the last minute as they want to fill their boats (be sure to bargain), and you don’t have to worry about so much pre-planning, you can just decide what you want to do a day or two before. Downsides: If you have limited time and are focused on a particular tour or tour operator, or don’t want to work on picking tours after you arrive, you probably should book in advance to guarantee a space. We found that what we thought we wanted to do changed when we arrived and so the play-it-by-ear approach worked best for us. However it isn’t for everybody. Just FYI (as Janet predicted), our favorite tour was Bartolome, for spectacular views and great snorkeling (with penguins). Don’t miss that one!
I can’t think of anything else to say except that you can’t go wrong with this place and if I get to return to the Galapagos again then I won’t stay anywhere else. -
Sofia D.
Quito, EcuadorGreat!!!
Left on 01/14/2011 for a stay in December 2010
Ideal house to share with friends or family. Great location.
The house is located on a residential area, near 2 good hotels and a very nice restaurant, no cars or bikes on the area, only accessible by little water taxis, very cheap ($ 0.60 the ride) available 24 hours. and is just 2 mins walking distance from a nice and calm beach where you can snorkel, kayak or just relax.
The house features a nice size pool with BBQ area, nice cover terraces and another one, on the top floor, with a jacuzzi and with a magnificent view of the bay.
We asked for a person who help us buying groceries in town and anything we needed. She also cooked for us and it was great!
We were 12 persons in total, between family and friends, but 4 teenagers that was easy to accommodate, so
I highly recommend this house for families or friends!
Sofia -
nah203
EcuadorA great place to stay - highly recommended
Left on 04/27/2010 for a stay in April 2010
Shangri-La is a great place to stay. It is located only a short boat taxi journey away from the main port in Santa Cruz. It is quiet and relaxing.
The owners, Janet and Juan-Carlos are both great and offer lots of advice. Juan-Carlos has been a Galapagos guide for 17 years so is a wealth of knowledge.
Lovely, clean accomodation with a great pool! A lovely, quiet beach is only 5 minutes walk away and 'Las Grietas' is a 20min walk from the door.
Highly recommended, we would love to go back! -
Serenest
New DelhiBest on the island
Left on 04/03/2010 for a stay in February 2010
Our first trip to Galapagos was made impeccable by Shangri La. We stayed for ten days. We looked around at other options but this was by far the best, in retrospect. The cook/tour guide was both helpful and friendly. The house is well furnished and equipped and we could live like a local, shopping at the twice daily fish market, that is when the fisherman come to dock. Sushi and Ceviche do not come better..... . While everyone says you have to take a tour boat, we are not the tour boat type so we were able to experience both utilizing Shangri La as a base. You can walk to both Finch Bay and other hotels and downtown(such as it is) is a 50 cent boat ride away. We will be back.....
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Rebecca
FloridaPrivacy, luxury, relaxation and comfort
Left on 01/27/2010 for a stay in December 2009
My husband and I spent 2 weeks at Shangri-La and we didn't want to leave! We made a ritual of relaxing on the top deck to experience the sunset with a glass of wine or cocktail, watching the frigates, finches and pelicans do their evening dance. The place is magical! It's set on "the other side", very close to town (but far enough away), just a boat taxi away - this really adds to the charm. We spent a lot of time reading in the hammock and enjoying the pool. There's a small beach within walking distance as well. The house itself is beautiful - very Galapagos and with all of the comforts of home. I agree with another comment, that the photos really don't do it justice. We have been to Galapagos several times; we've seen the other hotel and vacation home options and Shangri-La is by far, the best.
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Scott Archer
Oklahoma City, OkDarwins Dream
Left on 01/27/2010 for a stay in December 2008
What can I say.
The Galapagos Islands was a dream trip for me, and my family.
Everyday was full of excitement, and adventure.
At the end of the day coming home to Shangi-La was
a pleasure.
The pool was my kids favorite place to be after a day of touring.
The house had everything we needed, even games for the kids, and tons of dvd's for all ages.
I hope someday to return to Galapagos, and Shangri-La.
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Sarah
LondonBliss!
Left on 01/07/2010 for a stay in March 2009
From the first phone call with Janet, I knew we were in good hands. The house is clean, big, has a terrific pool with a little jacuzzi and a great veiw from the roof terrace. There were four of us on a work trip but it would be a terrific place to holiday. The house is a small taxi boat ride from the main island but that just added to the appeal for us. Within walking distance of a terrific restaurant. But my favourite memory is of our poolside BBQ at Shangri-La.
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Patricia
Michigan, USAParadise in the Galapagos
Left on 01/06/2010 for a stay in October 2009
Imagine waking up to the sound of a soft wind rustling the palm branches, and the early morning call of the native Galapaganian finches and mockingbirds outside your bedroom window as the equatorial sun begins to rise. In the distance, the rhythmic sound of the surf is welcoming you to a new day - your own personal alarm clock as the sun rises in this extraordinary get-away called Shangri La. Shangri La and it's owners provide a beautiful and peaceful retreat home next to the ocean in the Galapagos Islands. It is removed from the hustle and bustle of the main part of town, but close enough to only notice the lack of noise. The home provides all the latest amenities including air conditioning and a full, American-style kitchen. The bedrooms are spacious with ultra- comfortable beds. The house also has a choice of different sitting rooms, both inside and out. Outdoors there is a beautiful pool and lounging area, and also a spacious barbeque and pool bar. It is completely set up for a relaxing stay as well as for entertaining. It is immaculate, with every attention to detail taken care of. The owners are a delightful couple, and make your stay in Shangri La an unforgettable experience. I would go back in a heartbeat. I would highly recommend Shangri La as your rental property in the Galapagos.
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jim
L.A., CaSurfing Safari
Left on 01/06/2010 for a stay in December 2009
I went to Galapagos with 3 of my buddies to surf, and explore the Islands.
The first 4 days we stayed in San Cristobal caught some waves.
After that, we went to Santa Cruz Island and stayed at Shangri-La.
Juan Carlos (the owner) took us to the surf spots that the locals surf, on his boat
Silver One was great, much better than the boats we went on in San Cristobal.
We were lucky there was a great swell, and we managed to all catch some
awesome waves.
Besides the great waves, we had a blast hiking around the island, and hanging
out in town.
My buddies, and I want to thank Juan Carlos for showing us Santa Cruz the way the locals see it.
Jim
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Twright
San Jose, CaOnce in a lifetime experience!!!!
Left on 01/06/2010 for a stay in May 2009
Once in a lifetime experience
MY family and I stayed at Shangri-La in May 2009.
We had the time of our lives!
My 9-year-old daughter is still talking about snorkeling with the sea lions…
All of our tours of the islands were designed especially for my family.
The photos of the house, and its surroundings did not do it justice, it is so much
better in person.
The kids loved the pool, and my wife, and I enjoyed the roof top deck to read, and
relax after a day of exploring Santa Cruz Island.
It was perfect trip.
The Wright family is defiantly planning a trip back to Shangri-La!
Here 1 more rental located nearby.
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