Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel

My husband and I stayed at the Finch Bay hotel for 4 days in November. Apart from accommodation, we also booked private transport to the airport and day trips on Santa Cruz and to Bartolomé Island. On arrival to Baltra airport, we were picked up by our guide (he did...

My husband and I stayed at the Finch Bay hotel for 4 days in November. Apart from accommodation, we also booked private transport to the airport and day trips on Santa Cruz and to Bartolomé Island. On arrival to Baltra airport, we were picked up by our guide (he did not have a name board, we found him by asking other drivers which one came from Finch Bay hotel). After quick introductions, we were put on airport bus, then ferry and then started our tour of the island. Our guide only worked with the hotel and was fantastic. We visited volcanic calderas, giant turtles rancho and had Ecuadorian lunch. After that, we were taken to the hotel. Check-in was quick, but they tried to sell us additional services such as wetsuits for the next day tour and mosquito repellants. Given we travelled overnight and had full day tour before arriving to the hotel at 6pm, we expected a little bit more empathy and space to relax and refresh. We booked a double suite and the room was a disappointment. The finishings were cheap, more in line with a 3 star hotel, bathroom was tiny and amenities provided of low quality. Breakfast in the morning started at 6pm and many tours at 7am which doesn’t leave a lot of time to get ready. Breakfast selection is good but very limited; eggs cooked to order, a few Ecuadorean dishes, pancakes, bread, basic charcuterie and fruit. Second day we visited Bartolome island and I decided to rent a wetsuit for snorkelling (25USD) and it was absolutely worth it given the water was cold in November. Once again, the tour was great (although shared with tourists from the town, not only hotel guests). We had the same guide, Fabian, who was again fantastic. Lunch served on board was of a good quality and was a mixture of fish, seafood and vegetables. The final day, we decided to rest by the pool in a morning before going to Darwin research centre. My husband wanted to order whiskey while we waited by the pool but was quoted £40 which was ridiculous. We settled for cava instead. It is also worth mentioning that due to a river running through the resort, there are a lot of mosquitoes. This was the only place we had to have a repellent on (not outside the hotel). One would think that hotel would provide repellents on the rooms, but that’s not the case, they sell them for 9 USD. Overall this hotel is only worth staying at because of the quality of guides/tours it provides. The rooms are very basic, common facilities are much nicer (and hotel does a great job at making them look nicer than they actually are on Instagram). If you book it, do it with your eyes wide open, know it is overpriced and the service is basic. Your tours will be fantastic which made up for me the shortcomings of the accommodation.

We had a great stay, the hotel, rooms, breakfast were all great. Patty at reception really helped us with all the information and support we needed. Water taxi is very easy also. I would highly recommend the candle light dinner make a reservation for this. Food was incredible and the...

We had a great stay, the hotel, rooms, breakfast were all great. Patty at reception really helped us with all the information and support we needed. Water taxi is very easy also. I would highly recommend the candle light dinner make a reservation for this. Food was incredible and the service by Cesar was probably the best service I’ve ever had, he really added to the overall experience and this was our best dinner in Ecuador.

We didn’t really have any idea about the hotel not even that we would need to take a short boat ride to it. It is really gorgeous, the views are absolutely breathtaking, the rooms so beautiful with the staff so friendly and helpful. The food was wonderful too. Imagine being...

We didn’t really have any idea about the hotel not even that we would need to take a short boat ride to it. It is really gorgeous, the views are absolutely breathtaking, the rooms so beautiful with the staff so friendly and helpful. The food was wonderful too. Imagine being able to sit out under the stars looking at twinkling lights of boats on the horizon whilst eating freshly caught fish! Lots of trips and other experiences can be arranged. Visiting the Galapagos was top of my bucket list but now I would say don’t wait so long to enjoy.

Finch bay is a fantastic hotel that I will definitely recommend to anyone going to Santa Cruz. We stayed for 2 days and I wish I had longer. Firstly it’s on its own little private area (with a free private boat that you can take to go back and forth)....

Finch bay is a fantastic hotel that I will definitely recommend to anyone going to Santa Cruz. We stayed for 2 days and I wish I had longer. Firstly it’s on its own little private area (with a free private boat that you can take to go back and forth). Takes 5 mins. Quiet and relaxing. Also the staff sets you up so you don’t have to worry about getting back to the hotel in case you don’t have service / wifi. Amenities wise it was 10/10. The pool and loungers were great. The rooms were beautiful and clean. Comfy bed and pillows. The staff were all amazing! Very helpful, very nice. The restaurant was one of my fav meals in the Galapagos. Highly recommend the tuna tartar and octopus. If you’re going to Galapagos, definitely stay here!!

My husband and I celebrated our 15th Anniversary here and we clearly made the best decision ever! From the time we left the airport until the time we headed back to Quito, the service at this resort was nothing short of Amazing!! Special shout out to the MVPs of Finch...

My husband and I celebrated our 15th Anniversary here and we clearly made the best decision ever! From the time we left the airport until the time we headed back to Quito, the service at this resort was nothing short of Amazing!! Special shout out to the MVPs of Finch Bay! Cesar, Patty, Miguel, Hilda, Wagner, Jorge, and Ms Grace! They went above and beyond to make sure that we had a wonderful experience! Definitely no need to go anywhere else for food or drinks! Just top notch!

This absolutely beautiful!!! Write on beach and trail to Las Grietas! Worth the price! Breakfast and dinners are delicious! Great spread for an included breakfast. Only stayed one night given we were headed on a cruise. The trek here is easier than expected. We purchased a transfer but not needed....

This absolutely beautiful!!! Write on beach and trail to Las Grietas! Worth the price! Breakfast and dinners are delicious! Great spread for an included breakfast. Only stayed one night given we were headed on a cruise. The trek here is easier than expected. We purchased a transfer but not needed. A must see!

The Best Service and Lodging Experience I Have Had in 40+ Years of International Travel! I’ve never felt this way before, but only rating the Finch Bay with five stars is an injustice to the superb quality of service and experience that my wife and I received during a recent...

The Best Service and Lodging Experience I Have Had in 40+ Years of International Travel! I’ve never felt this way before, but only rating the Finch Bay with five stars is an injustice to the superb quality of service and experience that my wife and I received during a recent stay. If there were the possibility of giving the Finch Bay ten stars, I would give it ten stars, as the experience was definitely a perfect “ten”. Truly exceptional service not only meets a guest’s needs, but anticipates them. I could go on for pages describing each day how the Finch Bay staff anticipated our needs and provided excellent service and solutions, so I will have to limit myself to a few examples. Small examples include a staff member walking by the pool and noticing that my wife had entered with her glasses on, and was setting them on the edge. He volunteered to take them over to the table between the lounges where we had our things. As we were walking to the pool, a staff member passing by picked up towels from the fresh towel bin and offered them to us, or took our used towels graciously from us when we finished swimming and placed them in the used towel bin. The breakfast wait staff learned what we liked to drink in the morning (black coffee for me; chocolate for my wife) on the first morning, and offered us these choices each morning when we sat down for breakfast. I never had to ask for more coffee or catch someone’s attention for some matter; the staff was always looking to see if they might be of service in some way. The Finch Bay breakfast was extraordinary with so many different homemade choices available, breads, rolls, waffles, pancakes, freshly squeezed juices, ceviche’s, build your own omelets, bacon, yogurts, even cooked vegetables and seafood. Travel from the Finch Bay to Puerto Ayora is by Finch Bay’s water taxi, which is at the disposal for guests. If the taxi is not at the dock from which you embark, you can call the front desk and request service. The Finch Bay also has a WhatsApp profile that also allows one to get in contact with the front desk for requesting a taxi and any other matter. However, my wife and I initially struggled to get our US iPhones working to contact the Finch Bay front desk, so the staff just gave us a loaner phone each day to use for free, and re-charged it up each night so that it was ready to go. Have any of you ever had this kind of service? I hadn’t! And it made is so much easier to enjoy going into town each day for shopping, excursions, dinner, and so on. One of the water taxi drivers knew that we wanted to work on our Spanish, and so each time we road with him, he would ask us some simple questions about what we had done or were going to do. His English was fine, but he made an effort to help us in this small way. It was our 50th wedding anniversary, and when we checked into our room, there was a hand-written card welcoming us to the Galápagos and wishing us continued happiness. Moreover, because it was low season and not all of the rooms were occupied, the Finch Bay upgraded us to a suite overlooking the ocean in an effort to make our time more magical and special. They didn’t have to do this, but it was a wonderful, special anniversary gift from them. When we had our final dinner at the hotel, the chef even made us a special dessert with a greeting written in dark chocolate on a piece of white chocolate, wishing us an eternal honeymoon. We had booked some tours and such online before coming to the Galápagos Islands, and there were a series of problems with some of them. The Finch Bay staff called some of the tour operators and worked with them to straighten out some of the issues. They fixed virtually everything. They also offered us some replacement tours through the Finch Bay hotel that were definitely First-Class, and actually cost less than the tours that we had previously booked! The Finch Bay-operated tours were first-rate in all respects, and definitely better in terms of boat, logistics and quality than the other non-Finch Bay tours. In addition to the 10-star service, the Finch Bay property is magical and probably the best situated hotel on Santa Cruz Island.

We had the pleasure to stay at this fine resort before and after our diving liveaboard. Everything was just about perfect - the staff was so friendly and kind, the pool area was gorgeous and fantastic restaurant. We had two minor hiccups and I was so impressed on how they...

We had the pleasure to stay at this fine resort before and after our diving liveaboard. Everything was just about perfect - the staff was so friendly and kind, the pool area was gorgeous and fantastic restaurant. We had two minor hiccups and I was so impressed on how they handled things as they really went the extra mile for us. Do not hesitate - this is by far the nicest hotel on Santa Cruz and worth every single penny. If we ever have the occasion to go back, we won't hesitate.

Finch Bay was our last stop before heading back to the UK and provided a great location to rest up before our flight home. The hotel is served by its own private water taxis so access to Puerto Aroyo is very easy. The town itself is lively and inviting. The...

Finch Bay was our last stop before heading back to the UK and provided a great location to rest up before our flight home. The hotel is served by its own private water taxis so access to Puerto Aroyo is very easy. The town itself is lively and inviting. The hotel is set back from a public beach along a winding path from the jetty and has a beautiful pool which the resident pintails took to like ducks to water, which is very appropriate really! It was great fun watching them and the lava gulls chase each other for dominance of the popcorn available from sunning tourists. The pintails had a routine of getting their corn, washing it in the freshwater pool to make it softer and guzzling it straight after. Alongside the pool, there’s a very well run cocktail and snacks bar which is a great place to spend your time. The grounds show off the volcanic nature of the terrain and you know the wild things- none of which are dangerous to humans- are near. In our 24 hours there, we saw a night heron, the aforesaid gulls and ducks, a snake, grey herons and egrets. Some of these we hadn’t seen anywhere on our cruise round the central islands. Breakfast was excellent as was the meal the night before. The room was a little on the small side but the bathroom was ace with a regenerative shower and plenty of unctions and soaps. The staff and GM in particular were extremely hospitable and prepared to engage with tips on what to do and where to go We loved it and would happily have spent longer.

Thank you for making our last few days in Galapagos perfect. After a busy cruise, we chose the perfect place to relax before heading home. The hotel is beautiful. The pool are bar area is spacious and we loved relaxing there. Everything was spotless. The food was all of a...

Thank you for making our last few days in Galapagos perfect. After a busy cruise, we chose the perfect place to relax before heading home. The hotel is beautiful. The pool are bar area is spacious and we loved relaxing there. Everything was spotless. The food was all of a very high standard, including breakfast. But what makes this hotel is the staff and service, which was simply outstanding. Highly recommend.

What an excellent place to stay in the Galapagos islands. The staff are the best I have seen in a hotel for a long while, the food is second to none and the extra care they gave me while I wasn't feeling well was exceptional. I had an infection (nothing...

What an excellent place to stay in the Galapagos islands. The staff are the best I have seen in a hotel for a long while, the food is second to none and the extra care they gave me while I wasn't feeling well was exceptional. I had an infection (nothing to do with the hotel), they arranged a doctor within 30! They went and fetched the tablets I needed, arranged for us to stay an extra night, and contacted the next hotel and all the trips to rearrange them. Now that's exceptional service. Special mention to our waiter who had been at the hotel 25 years. His attention to detail, service and friendly nature made it a very relaxing stay.

Such a lovely hotel. Beautiful location with a safe warm lagoon beach and a lovely swimming pool. We loved the visiting birds and the resident ducks who did laps up and down the pool in the evenings. The rooms aren't huge but they are more than adequate with good storage...

Such a lovely hotel. Beautiful location with a safe warm lagoon beach and a lovely swimming pool. We loved the visiting birds and the resident ducks who did laps up and down the pool in the evenings. The rooms aren't huge but they are more than adequate with good storage and lovely bathroom. They are very comfortable and airy. The food and service were excellent. Friendly staff who all strive to make you as lazy as possible during your stay. Even the man who ferried us to the main town in the hotel water taxi pointed out constellations at night as we crossed the harbour. The location is perfect. Quiet and tucked away but 2 minutes in the water taxi to the bustling town. Jorge, Hilda and Wagner were all wonderful.

We stayed at Finch Bay for 7 nights and enjoyed the peacefulness and serenity of this hotel. The room we had was very comfortable, air conditioning worked great, bed was comfortable, and good WIFI. You have access to a water taxi from the hotel anytime you want to go into...

We stayed at Finch Bay for 7 nights and enjoyed the peacefulness and serenity of this hotel. The room we had was very comfortable, air conditioning worked great, bed was comfortable, and good WIFI. You have access to a water taxi from the hotel anytime you want to go into town. You have a nice walk to the hotel where you get to see marine iguanas sunning themselves and a local beach area. The hotel staff are very helpful and customer oriented. The staff want you to feel like you are at home. We want to thank Alfonso for answering our questions about scuba diving, going to Tortuga Bay and generally anything about Puerto Ayora and Ecuador. We appreciated the enthusiasm from Jefferson, Johanna was a delight, Luis makes excellent drinks, Christian, Wagner, Ceasar, Alex, and the staff whose names I don't have made our trip memorable and special. The hotel has a delicious breakfast buffet and the service is impeccable. The food at Finch Bay is very good. There are delicious restaurants in town too if you want a variety. The hotel only works with Scuba Iguana. We dove with them for 3 days and agree with the hotel's assessment that this dive operator is the best. We have dove all over the world and found them to be exceptional. Gracias and we look forward to coming back to stay with you again.

Nice hotel with a good swimming pool but we felt it was hugely overpriced for what it was. We did go over Easter so it was more expensive but the rooms felt basic and the service not up to scratch for the cost. Decent breakfast and lunch and dinner was...

Nice hotel with a good swimming pool but we felt it was hugely overpriced for what it was. We did go over Easter so it was more expensive but the rooms felt basic and the service not up to scratch for the cost. Decent breakfast and lunch and dinner was very good. Boat service to Santa Cruz main island was also very efficient

We had a suite which was really nice and spacious. The air con was fabulous thankfully!! We had dinner twice here and both times very good. We did a day trip on their yacht the Sealion which was really good, great group of people and really good itinerary. We walked...

We had a suite which was really nice and spacious. The air con was fabulous thankfully!! We had dinner twice here and both times very good. We did a day trip on their yacht the Sealion which was really good, great group of people and really good itinerary. We walked on a really unusual lava field and hiked 387 steps up an extinct volcano on Bartolome island for the most impressive view on the islands. We saw one penguin (hoped to see more - but one better than none) a teakky nice day trip We had treatments in the spa which were really nice.. the pool area is nice but just too hot to enjoy if I’m honest and I am a sun worshipper … not the hotels fault but you literally can hardly enjoy the pool area plus the pool is full of ducks…cute at first but pretty unhygienic - must’ve been aroid 15 in there at one point.. To get here from the airport it’s a short bus ride to the ferry, 5 min ferry ride then 45 min via bus to the port then a 3 min water taxi to the hotel - sounds daunting but all works well. The local town is cute, a nice strip with shops, bars and restaurants accessed either via the hotels water taxi or the payable water taxis - 1 dollar per person.

Best resort with beautiful views, clean rooms, fantastic, friendly and knowledgeable staff, all very helpful. The food at restaurant was great - from breakfast buffet to wonderful dinner selection. The bar also made great drinks poolside!

Our trip to Finch Bay was absolutely magical, and exceeded all of our expectations. The hotel staff is wonderful, and was always as helpful and friendly as could be. Our yacht excursions to other islands were amazing, and the guides and crew really made the outings so interesting, comfortable, and...

Our trip to Finch Bay was absolutely magical, and exceeded all of our expectations. The hotel staff is wonderful, and was always as helpful and friendly as could be. Our yacht excursions to other islands were amazing, and the guides and crew really made the outings so interesting, comfortable, and fun. The Galapagos is such a special place, and we really enjoyed experiencing it by staying on land, where we could take walks during our downtime, explore the town of Puerto Ayora, and try a few of the local restaurants (though the food at Finch Bay is wonderful). We planned our trip with Sandy Lara from Metropolitan Touring, and she was a fantastic help. We spent a few days at Casa Gangotena (Finch Bay's beautiful sister hotel in Quito) before heading to the Galapagos, and Sandy worked with us in figuring out all of the details, including arranging our transfers to and from each hotel. Sandy was accessible, informative, and a delight to work with.

We LOVED our stay at the Finch Bay Hotel. We had a suite and it was roomy and clean and so comfortable and we loved that there was no tv. Our view was so nice. The spa services were excellent!! I highly recommend booking a massage. Our food was also...

We LOVED our stay at the Finch Bay Hotel. We had a suite and it was roomy and clean and so comfortable and we loved that there was no tv. Our view was so nice. The spa services were excellent!! I highly recommend booking a massage. Our food was also very good when we ate there.