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The streets of Quito’s Historic Center carry centuries of history beneath every cobblestone. Walking them each day is a privilege we don’t always stop to appreciate. For over a decade, Casa Gangotena has operated a boutique hotel on the Plaza de San Francisco not merely as a host to travelers, but as an active neighbor to one of Latin America’s most significant cultural heritage sites.
A Role That Goes Beyond Hospitality
Staying at Casa Gangotena is not simply about accessing a luxury service — it is about coming into direct contact with everyday life in the historic center. From the hotel’s windows, guests look out over the same rooftops that witnessed generations of Quito’s residents grow, trade, and celebrate. That continuity is no accident: it is the result of a conscious choice to belong.
As part of a tourism group with more than 70 years of experience operating in iconic destinations across Ecuador — including the Galápagos Islands and the Chocó Andino — Casa Gangotena understands that every territory has its own soul. Protecting it is a shared responsibility.
The hotel’s management model is built on four strategic pillars of sustainability. One of them is the Promotion of Local Culture, through which the hotel develops concrete experiences, activations, and partnerships that restore value to the art, history, and urban identity of the historic center — not through statements of intent, but through measurable actions year after year.
The Question That Changed Everything
During one of these collective reflection exercises, a simple yet uncomfortable question emerged: Are we really seeing the Historic Center the way it deserves to be seen?
The answer was sobering. Despite being one of the best-preserved historic centers on the continent — and the first site declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 — many Quito residents experience it on autopilot, without pausing to take in its richness or acknowledge its fragility.
It was in this context that Casa Gangotena chose to actively join De Vuelta al Centro (“Back to the Center”), a civic campaign launched by the Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (AEI). The initiative grew out of a collaborative process involving neighborhood residents, merchants, and local organizations that identified 49 undesirable effects harming the area’s quality of life. The conclusion was unanimous: rebuilding the emotional bond between Quito’s citizens and their historic center was urgent.
The Quito Commitment Charter
One of the most tangible outcomes of the campaign was the creation of the Decálogo del Compromiso Quiteño — the Quito Commitment Charter: a declaration of ten principles inviting citizens, students, merchants, and visitors to build a more respectful and proud community around their shared identity.
Casa Gangotena did not simply endorse the document — it actively co-created it alongside neighborhood residents, cultural organizations, and students from Unidad Educativa La Providencia. The Fundación La Buena Gente facilitated the process, guiding dialogue between participants from different generations and perspectives.
A Story That Comes Full Circle
For Katherine Granda, Casa Gangotena’s Operations Manager, the process carried a deeply personal resonance. She herself studied at La Providencia school — just a few blocks from the hotel — and today leads the day-to-day operations of one of the country’s most recognized establishments, on the very same street she walked as a girl.
“Studying and now working in the heart of this city has had a profound impact on my identity as a Quiteña. It is a privilege to share the cultural and historical richness of this place with our guests. But it is also a responsibility: every story, every space has the power to stir deep emotions and strengthen pride in our roots.”
Katherine also speaks to the lasting value of the civics workshops that the campaign produced, beyond any visible outcome:
“These initiatives build awareness, encourage responsible behavior, and nurture a sense of belonging — both in the people of Quito and in those who come to visit us. The impact isn’t always measured in numbers, but you can feel it in the way people start to look differently at what surrounds them.”
Being a Good Neighbor, Every Single Day
Casa Gangotena’s commitment to the historic center is not a symbolic gesture or a seasonal campaign. It is a daily practice — one expressed in opening its doors not only to tourists, but to students, artists, neighbors, and entrepreneurs who believe in the transformative power of culture.
Because true luxury is not found solely in architecture or impeccable service, it is found in belonging to a place, caring for it, and sharing it.
Quito’s Historic Center is not just a tourist destination. It is a collective memory, a living identity, and a territory with a future. And protecting it is everyone’s responsibility.
Have you made your way back to the center?
