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Hotel Mainao

Customer Ratings
This is a Satisfaction Rating based on our own customer feedback

  • Hotel Mainao
  • Hotel Mainao
  • Hotel Mainao
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Mainao is a cheerful Moorish-style mid-range hotel in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.

This striking white, Moorish style property started life as a family home.  The owners, enthusiastic to welcoming visitors to the Galápagos, have developed the property into a cheerful, family friendly property of 22 guest rooms – some with balcony access -and patios dotted with palms.

The décor is bright and modern, and rooms have shiny tiled floors, air-conditioning and a TV. There’s Wifi, but it is weak and patchy. Upper floors are reached by winding staircases and there is no lift, so if you have an issue with stairs please ask for a ground floor room.

 If you are looking for a place in the lively town of Puerto Ayora the hotel is very well located, just a few minutes’ walk from the centre, with its bars, shops and restaurants, and the waterfront.  There’s a lovely beach in walkable distance too. 

What our clients say

97% of our clients rated their experience with us as Excellent or Good.

  • The most memorable experiences were walking in woodland with wild giant tortoise grazing in clearings, watching wild land iguanas amble through long grasses, peering at eye level into the nests of red footed boobies, watching penguins and sea lions hunting fish whilst snorkelling, and as a finale, watching huge sharks circling in the boat lights during our final evening meal.

    JW, Newcastle

  • The Galápagos Islands were fantastic and beyond our wildest expectations.

    AC

  • Breathtaking

    The Galápagos - just breathtaking - walking in woodland with wild giant tortoise grazing in clearings, watching wild land iguanas amble through long grasses, peering at eye level into the nests of red footed boobies, watching penguins and sea lions hunting fish whilst snorkelling, and as a finale, watching huge sharks circling in the boat lights during our final evening meal.

    JW, Newcastle

  • A truly wonderful and privileged experience!

    RD, Ashford

  • Snorkelling with penguins, turtles, sea lions and marine iguanas. Unbeatable.

    DJ, Saltash

  • A holiday in the Ecuador and the Galápagos is a once in a lifetime experience. A four day cruise whilst being an excellent 'overview' is just not long enough. Encourage all your customers to take the longest possible cruise.

    LF

  • So many (highlights) it's hard to single some out. The Galapagos are a joy from start to finish.

    JC, Littlehampton

  • Wonderful experience

    Isolation on the Islands a feeling of being in the Galapagos by invitation of the inhabitants - the wildlife. A truly wonderful and privileged experience.

    SD, Rochester

  • The Galápagos offer amazing access to stunning wild-life and a great week living on a boat.

    PJ, London

  • Highlights?: Snorkelling with green turtles sea lions and penguins

    PW, Twickenham

  • It's very difficult to pick out one thing. Seeing the animals everywhere we went was amazing. We fell in love with the sea-lions. I loved the walk up to the view over Pinnacle Rock and then being on the beach by the rock afterwards. Seeing a white tipped shark from the beach was something I never expected.

    NR, Swindon

  • Galapagos was incredible. We loved it. The guides were all excellent and we especially enjoyed having guides with a naturalist qualification.

    LE, Poole

  • The trip around the Galápagos was spectacular and I have never experienced anything like it before.

    LB, Enfield

  • The Galápagos Islands are a wonderland. If I say that of all places I have visited in the world only the Grand Canyon is their equal in impact and living up to expectation you will have an idea of how they affected both of us.

    DW Lingfield

  • The Galapagos tour was our highlight because of the proximity and abundance of the wildlife.

    AB, St Neots

  • The Galápagos were above expectation – the best thing we have done.

    DL, Dulwich

  • The Galápagos Islands were something else- quite outstanding for the wonderful wildlife and abundant sea life while snorkelling.

    CP

  • A couple of days in the Galapagos when we didn't see any other people. Intimacy of swimming with sealions, turtles & being chased in the water by a flightless cormorant!

    TC, St Albans

  • Being able to visit the Galápagos with a reputable company was a highlight - the boat was fantastic and everything about the holiday was first rate.

    KF, Norfolk

  • A truly unique place on earth.

    KS, Southampton

  • Highlight?: Probably a sea lion playing underneath me and showing off whilst I was snorkelling.  Beautiful.  

    DD, Uxbridge

  •  Impossible to choose between the Galápagos and Easter Island - both are magical, special places.

    SM, Wandsworth

  • The wildlife on the islands (obviously the major reason for the trip) was spectacular and wonderful to experience. I’m please to have made the trip and would certainly recommend the Galápagos to anyone with similar interests and sufficient money.

    PM, Chesterfield

  • The Galápagos cruise was just so good. I don't think I can remember enjoying a recent trip so much.

    NJ, London

  • "The Galápagos Islands and the amazing Machu Picchu ruins.  A real once in a lifetime experience."

    MCP Richmond

  • Highlight of your trip?: Snorkeling in the Galapagos


  • This was our holiday of a lifetime fulfilling a long held desire to visit the Galápagos Islands, and it lived up to all our expectations.

    SH, Aylesbury

  • How close we could get to the wildlife in the Galápagos.

    DG, Neston

  • Without a doubt, the Galapagos Islands were amazing. We feel very privileged.

    SM, South Croydon

  • Our time on the Galápagos Islands was unique to us, the wildlife was fabulous, we enjoyed every minute of it.

    BT, Ware
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Chris Rendell Dunn
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Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

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    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

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