The legendary Casa Opuntia is our landmark hotel in San Cristobal Island. We offer 13 comfort class rooms, some with ocean front balconies, as well as a common seating and lounging area overlooking the boardwalk. You are only a few meters away from Playa de Oro Beach and from the small, lazy port town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Take a refreshing dip in our small, fresh-water swimming pool while you enjoy a cocktail before sunset.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Charles Darwin S/N Playa de Oro, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno 179217 Ecuador
Casa Opuntia Galapagos
313 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Booked 2 rooms for 2 couples, 4 nights each. Very helpful staff at check in and throughout the stay. 2 pools and great outdoor seating area including excellent breakfast. Loved hearing the sea lions from our room. Very convenient location to catch the ferry or any day tour. Galapagos felt very safe and the locals are wearing their masks, providing hand sanitizer, fully vaccinated and waiting for tourists to return.
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Date of stay: January 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â The hotel is waterfront, but to get to the entrance there are quite of few stairs that need to be...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What an amazing experience!! A friend and I had the pleasure of staying here in November 2020 while visiting the Galapagos Islands. The hotel is on the water in the harbor so we had an amazing view from our second floor room. The room was clean, white, airy, and absolutely wonderful! It was HUGE with two queen beds and a large closet. The hotel had working wifi the entire time we were there which was wonderful so we could send pictures to our friends and family back home and make them jealous! We left the windows open to catch the amazing breezes and hear the sea lions! Our balcony also had a hammock which was just perfection! The hotel is walking distance to the majority of the tourist area (restaurants, shops, dive shops, dive boats, all tour offices) while being towards the end of the main drag so you still have peace and privacy. Each morning the hotel offers a lovely delicious breakfast of fresh juice, cheese, meats, eggs (get the loaded omelet!), coffee, tea, and other local foods. I also want to make special note of how amazing Tatiana, the manager, is. She is so friendly, kind, and helpful! She was available to us at any time for anything we needed and frequently came to chat with us and provide us with suggestions and information. She made our trip so much better (and it was already amazing to start!)!! I highly highly recommend this hotel!!
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Date of stay: November 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â If possible, get a second or third-floor room facing the water!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First the views. I can't describe it, you're surrounded by the most amazing views. The pics you see on here are not doctored, it's JUST this beautiful from the hotel.
Then the staff. Tatiana made our stay in San Cristobal perfect. We asked what she recommended and she offered to help us with excursions. We had already checked prices and offers so knew what to expect. She set us up with English speaking (we don't speak Spanish) hosts that were the most amazing experiences and at great prices.
The rest of the staff were great as well, very attentive and helpful.
Breakfast was different every day with a few staples staying the same which was very nice.
When we return to San Cristobal, we will stay again at the Casa Opuntia.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tatiana Jijon, General Manager at Casa Opuntia Galapagos
Responded 3 Mar 2020
dear guest thank you for your kind review, it means the world to us Saludos from the enchanted island of San Cristobal,
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Stayed a Sunday evening/night before boarding the Humboldt Explorer live-aboard for a week of scuba diving. It's basically adjacent to a waterfront area where I saw and photographed lots of sea lions, some marine iguanas and shore crabs, and enjoyed walking around seeing the sights. A simple breakfast selection was included. Most pool looked really nice!
The room was spacious, has a single and a double bed, plenty of windows for sunlight yet the air conditioning was good, big, spacious bathroom, and plenty of storage. There was a safe...but no t.v., phone, mini-fridge or microwave. Really liked the room and didn't need those other amenities.
Monday morning check out time was 10 a.m.; they let me hang around outside till time to catch the boat, which was walking distance even with luggage; went to the waterfront, headed left, 2nd pier and a guy with a sign was there.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tatiana Jijon, General Manager at Casa Opuntia Galapagos
Responded 2 Mar 2020
dear guest thank you for your kind review, it means the world to us Saludos from the enchanted island of San Cristobal,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The Galápagos Islands, famous for their diversity of animal and plant species, are a once in a lifetime destination for some - if they are lucky.
Staying on the Airport island of San Cristobal our hotel was Casa Opuntia that was located on the sea front less than ten minutes drive away from the airport itself. The hotel is divided into two parts, the old building that holds some charm but showing its age in places and the newer building that benefits from a newer pool.
Our room, located in the old part of the hotel, was comfortable enough, however the bathroom was rather tired. The lack of plug sockets was forever present, so was the lack of WiFi anywhere except the reception area where it was slower than an eighty-eight year old tortoise. No fridge and a limited breakfast rounded off the the list that was annoying. Some would say that being in the Galápagos Islands is compensation enough.
The hotel's location is a key plus. Being on the sea front means that you can literally sea several of the animal species from the hotel, or at least its grounds. We clearly saw the Blue-footed Booby, a marine bird that is apparently hard to find, Galápagos Sea Lions galore and more Galápagos Marine Iguanas than you can shake a stick at. Breakfast was interesting after all.
The hotel is also handily placed for visiting anywhere inhabited on the island. Even the absolutely stunning Puerto Chino Beach is achievable by taxi. Using the hotel as a base we were able to visit the David Rodriguez Tortoise Breeding Centre in the morning and swim with at least half a dozen turtles at La Loberia Beach in the afternoon.
A great base for exploring San Christobal but there is room for improvement.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tatiana Jijon, General Manager at Casa Opuntia Galapagos
Responded 10 Oct 2022
thank you for taking the time to write a review of your stay at Casa Opuntia. We are very happy to know that you enjoyed the hotel´s location and fantastic ocean views, with roaring sealions, coastal birds and marine iguanas strolling by. The archipielago does not have an optical fiber, only a satellite service, this is why it is slower than the internet you have back at home. We do mention this and that it is avalaible in the social area only , during your welcome briefing. saludos from the enchanted island of San Cristobal and from the staff members at Casa Opuntia
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This is a wonderful little gem in San Cristóbal. As a family of six it is sometimes difficult to find a nice place that can accommodate us well.
Tatiana booked us into two beautiful rooms on the top floor right across from each other.
This meant we could freely enjoy our vacation as a family with the most spectacular oceanfront view to wake up to each morning and enjoy the sunset each evening. We had connecting balconies with chairs and hammocks. Absolutely lovely!
The rooms were clean, comfortable and classy. The hotel is small but spacious enough to still spread out and enjoy the nicely decorated quaint sitting areas.
Upon arrival the other Tatiana received us with a beautifully warm welcome and was attentive to our every need. Both Tatianas (administrator and reservations) were kind, helpful and informative. This dynamic duo truly looked after us and were eager to help in any way.
Breakfast was served outside overlooking the bay and surrounded by the pleasant greenery of the opuntia cactus. They were flexible to serve it according to our timeline. It was very filling and had some variety. We also had coffee and tea made available all day long and two pools to enjoy with pool towels.
As a family, we cannot reccomend this place enough. It made our vacation to the Galápagos a truly relaxing and memorable one.
Casa Opuntia is a pretty little treasure and home away home!
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is a no frills hotel with a nice pool that is in a good location and is clean and practical. Breakfast was enjoyable and individually prepared wirh fresh ingredients. There is a fridge in the communal area as well as tea/coffee making facilitirs and water dispenser (hot and cold) for refilling bottles. The rooms are a good size and have air conditioning but for us our visit was enhanced by the service all the staff provide, nothing is too much trouble and it was appreciated.
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tatiana Jijon, General Manager at Casa Opuntia Galapagos
Responded 4 Nov 2022
Thank you Lisa for your detailed review. We are so very happy to know that you enjoyed all the hotel's attributes and its ocean views, but mainly for noticing the staff´s service and effort. Saludos from the enchante disand of San Cristobal
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We have just had four wonderful days at casa opuntia. Tatiana, all the in house and Exoticca staff were wonderful. Friendly and helpful. Tea making and cold water facilities in the lobby were an added plus for us. The breakfast area has a wonderful position overlooking the sea, enhanced by the visiting finches that shared breakfast with us. There wasn’t an awful lot of choice for breakfast but for us it was fine, the view and position fed us. The room we had was in the old sector of the hotel, ours was probably one of the least appealing rooms as we were on the ground floor at the back. This was also near where the food was prepared in the morning so could be noisy as the kitchen bustled into life ( not the staff’s fault) The bed was very clean, comfortable, spacious. For us the pillows were a little too hard. The bathroom was small, very tired and dated and oppressive ( I am a bathroom person ) The shower was not pretty but was powerful and hot, great smelling shower gel. We would stay there again but request a room in the new block. Overall a very homely, warm hotel, Well situated.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tatiana Jijon, General Manager at Casa Opuntia Galapagos
Responded 2 Mar 2023
thank you very much for taking the time to write the review and noticing the staff attentiveness and willingness to assist our guests, the great location and the birds´company during breakfast ( Darwin finches and yellow warblers ). We are very grateful that you chose to visit the Galapagos islands and stayed at Casa Opuntia, saludos from the enchanted island of San Cristobal
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The minute we stepped into the open air lobby of Casa Opuntia we were greeted with the warmest welcome! It was clear that this bubbly woman loved her job and loved the Galapagos. This quaint hotel had spacious rooms (2 twins and a queen). The rooms were quiet, air conditioned and clean! The buffet breakfast of eggs, yogurt, juices, rolls and endless coffee was set up on the patio so we could enjoy the sunrise and sounds of the seal lions. This quaint hotel had easy, safe access to the main street and close to delicious restaurants. We stayed for two nights and felt safe and rested when we departed.
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Date of stay: April 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tatiana Jijon, General Manager at Casa Opuntia Galapagos
Responded 5 May 2023
Thank you so very much for writing this review and mostly for feeling at home at Casa Opuntia! For enjoying all the aspetcs of the hotel : staff members, location, condition, breakfasts and its natural surroundings. saludos from the enchanted island of San Cristobal
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We stayed at Casa Opuntia for a few days prior to boarding a 7 day dive boat. The experience was exceptional, Tatiana couldn't do enough for us, arranging an excursion immediately upon our arrival so no time was wasted looking around this incredible island. The location is perfect, everything you need is a short walk away. We liked it so much upon our return to San Cristobal from our dive trip we booked in for our final 3 nights in Galapagos.
The rooms were spacious, very clean with outstanding views.
All the staff were very helpful and friendly, the breakfast was substantial & being served out on the patio while taking in the views.
Highly recommend staying here.
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Date of stay: December 2020
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello , you can rent surfboards and body boards at hostel Emanuel by The Point, and hotel Casa Opuntia rents both sea kayaks and SUPs.You can find both hotels on the internet, Booking, Instagram, etc
Dear Mark,
Thank you for your message. Distribution of our beds are as follow:
Our Ocean Rooms have queen size bed + 1 single bed
Pool and Extension Room have full size bed + single bed
Yes, we can coordinate daily trips for you and your family.
If you need further information, do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Jacqueline
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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