Hospedaje Arvakeni

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed my stay at Casa Arvakeni! Vanessa and her beautiful family are such marvelous hosts, they were always very communicative and as soon as I arrived they sat down with me, showed me a map of San Cristóbal, and told me all about great local spots for hiking and snorkeling! I really appreciated the comfortable room and bathroom to myself in a quiet part of town with decent Wifi, hot shower, and access to the family kitchen. Like all Galapagos, it is very safe and laid back here. Everything is within walking distance in Puerto Banquerizo: the house is just ten minutes from the dock, twenty-five minutes to the airport, and a twenty minute jaunt to lovely Punta Carola... Or walk just a little further and bingo: the Ensenada del Cerro de las Tijeretas is the perfect spot to see undersea life. Or you can cross town and head forty minutes in the other direction to Playa Loberia, where the snorkeling is also excellent. I am very grateful to Vanessa and her family, they are such welcoming and knowledgeable hosts! An excellent choice for any budget traveler who wants to support local folks, prepare their own meals and rest easy in this beautiful, enchanted paradise!

The rolling curtain between the bedroom and bathroom could be fixed to make it easier to use!

I really liked the nice homey feel. It was quiet and relaxing.

The water for the shower is mostly warm, but that's to be expected in such a remote town.

The guesthouse owner is great! She and her daughter are so friendly and welcoming! The location is perfect, next to the hospital, so it's easy to find and less than a 10 minute walk to the town center and beaches. The rooms are clean, bed is comfortable, bathrooms are clean, and WIFI is good for the island. Even with my minimal Spanish, the guesthouse owner tried to explain everything to me in a way that I would understand. She always offered to help. She is a great host! My favorite part of staying in the guesthouse was feeling like I was a part of her family. She and her daughter live in the home. She had other family members come to the home one evening to surprise her other daughter with a birthday and engagement party. It was such a fun experience to be a part of and she also offered me delicious food! I am very grateful for her hospitality.

The room is clean and the neighborhood is safe and quiet, the lady that hosts the house is very kind and will recommend affordable places to visit and affordable transportation from locals, something nice is that they have filtered water available at your arrival since sadly the Galapagos Islands doesn't count with drinking water and you must obtain filtered or bottle water.

the color of the property could be changed to maybe yellow or red since taxi drivers cannot find the streets easily.