Tanusas

Style

Nurturing tropical nest

Setting

Sitting pretty by the Pacific

Designed with preserving its precious biodiverse surroundings in mind, Tanusas Hotel & Villas in Ecuador has just 15 naturally crafted rooms and thatched villas, coddled by swathes of virgin greenery, set just steps from the Pacific. Surfing, mountain-biking and whale-watching rev up a relaxed beach break here, and lush nature reserves nearby guarantee sightings of native monkeys. And, this sense of place extends to the kitchen, where Alain Ducasse-trained chef Rodrigo Pacheco uses unique local ingredients in his rainforest-and-ocean-sourced cuisine – the paper parasol on top of this piña-colada-hued hideaway’s offerings.

Facilities

Rooms

15, including 10 villas.

Checkout

11am, but late check-out is available until 6pm, subject to availability and a fee (50 per cent of the full rate). Earliest check-in, 2pm.

More Details

Rates include breakfast and a welcome drink.

Also

Manager Pacheco hires staff from the surrounding villages, and he’s embarked on a ‘green’ school project, to raise awareness about rainforest conservation and ethical harvests.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Private beach, 39-hectare forest with walking trails, lounge (with decor inspired by the colourful city of Montecristi), parking, bikes and surfboards to borrow, sauna, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: air-conditioning, ocean views, organic eco-friendly bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

Set a short stroll from the main house, and shielded from prying eyes by palms and cacti, the Honeymoon Villa is the most secluded. Spend lazy lie-ins gazing at panoramic views of sprawling greenery from your bed. Hand-thatched fixtures add an authentic air, and a pair of ocean-view sunloungers accentuates the petite private pool’s deck.

Poolside

Outside the main house, by the bar, there’s an ocean-facing heated pool and a large bamboo-shaded terrace. Stretch out on the sunshine-yellow sunloungers that surround them.

Spa

The spa offers essential-oil massages that’ll leave you as headily scented as the grounds. There’s also a sauna and jacuzzi to round off the pampering options. Be sure to book in advance.

Packing Tips

A pocket-sized Spanish phrasebook if your Español isn’t up to scratch.. Don’t pack that Panama hat: handsome, locally made toquilla hats are sold on-site. A cache of GoPros ensures some action-packed holiday snaps too.

Also

Pacheco’s wife owns a fitness studio in Quito and gives pilates and yoga lessons. Please note visitors to Ecuador are required to show proof of public or private health insurance upon entering the country. Without this, you could be denied entrance.

Children

Baby cots (US$20) or an extra bed (US$40) for five-to-12 year olds can be added to rooms, kids' meals are offered, and babysitters can be hired for an extra fee with one day advance notice. The Two-Bedroom Villas are spacious enough for families.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Sit peering at the ocean through the swaying palms on the clearing just outside the restaurant.

Dress Code

A casual beach-chic look works well; layer it up with a light jacket once the post-summer sea breeze cools.

Hotel Restaurant

Here, the in-house chef’s Ecuadorian cuisine is plucked straight from the source: forest-scavenged fruits, fish and crustacea straight from the nets (often Pacheco’s own) and kitchen-garden goodies that showcase the Manabí Province in full flower. The menu changes daily, but expect carita-fish fillets with curried-artichoke salad, or fig parfait with sea-salt sables and coffee ice-cream. The thatched restaurant is coolly casual with sun-saluting views. Lunch is served here, and a generous buffet – with must-try home-made dulce de leche – is laid out in the breakfast room.

Hotel Bar

The small but sweet, citrus-hued bar – on the pool deck – is strung with kitsch pineapple lights and displays local handicrafts. Signature cocktail Sol de Manabi (rum, passion-fruit juice and cinnamon) is the perfect poolside cooler. If abstaining, sip an iced glass of zingy Limonada del Coco.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served from 8am to 10.30am, lunch from 1pm to 3pm. In the evenings, the chef’s magic comes into play from 7pm to 9.30pm.

Room Service

From 8am to 11pm, burgers, grilled octopus, tempura platters, deep-fill fish sandwiches and home-made ice-cream can be whisked to your door.

Planes

Eloy Alfaro International Airport is the closest, about an hour’s drive away. European flights connect via Quito or Guayaquil and direct flights are available from major US hubs.

Automobiles

It’s not essential to book a car as the hotel can arrange day trips and airport transfers. Ensure you have GPS if you do hire a car as signage is sparse. There are car-hire booths at the airport.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

The hotel’s 43-acre reserve has plenty for nature-lovers. The hotel can arrange trips to vast nature reserve Machalilla National Park, a 45-minute drive away, which comprises of pelican, albatross and booby-populated Isla de la Plata (a sort of mini Galápagos) and protected forest – home to howler monkeys, ocelots, white-tailed deer, armadillos and more. Bike or trek through the trees, take a whale-watching trip, or scuba dive from Los Frailes beach, where manta rays and sharks hang out. The pottery workshop also has guided sessions on the making of traditional toquilla straw hats.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .