Iguana Crossing
Iguana Crossing takes its name from the marine iguanas that make the trip from their shelter in the wetlands near Flamingo Lagoon, to make the journey to the sea. The boutique hotel is on the waterfront of Puerto Villamil, on the island of Isabela. Constructed with materials native to the island by local craftsmen, the hotel is a sleek and chic take on mid-century modern architecture. Each of the 14 rooms are individually decorated, offering guests a bespoke boutique experience.
Surrounded by the national park wetlands and the six shield volcanoes that form Isabela Island, the natural environs become an exquisite part of the décor at Iguana Crossing; the rooms offer stunning ocean views through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the roof-top jacuzzi offers panoramic views over the island and the poolside bar overlooks the pristine white sand beach.
Iguana Crossing
Iguana Crossing is situated on the outskirts of the town of Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island, the largest island of the Galapagos archipelago. Originally named Albemarle Island in 1684 for the Duke of Albemarle, Ambrose Crowley, the island was formed by the joining of six shield volcanos – Ecuador, Wolf, Darwin, Alcedo, Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul. Often referred to as the ‘Island of Volcanoes’, Sierra Negra, the closest volcano to the town of Puerto Villamil, is home to the largest crater in the world.
The hotel is a 10-minute walk from the town centre and enjoys spectacular proximity to the stunning white-sand beaches. This area is also known to be the spot where marine iguanas cross to feed.
Isabela Island is accessible by domestic flight from San Cristobal or Baltra Island’s Seymour Airport or visitors can make the journey over the water by water taxi or a privately chartered boat from Baltra Island. The hotel offers assistance with travel transfers upon request.
- Beachfront location
- Witness the daily ‘iguana crossing’ the hotel is named for
- Relaxing beachfront location
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Personalised boutique service
- On-site restaurant
- Bar with sea views
- Rooftop jacuzzi
- In-room or beach spa treatments
- Free wi-fi
- Air-conditioning
Isabela Island, the largest island in the Galapagos archipelago, has a tropical and semi-arid climate. A hot, rainy season occurs from January to May with average temperatures of 27°C whilst the drier months of July to November are slightly cooler with average temperatures of 23°C.
The Galapagos archipelago has a unique island ecosystem, formed by the environmental conditions. The archipelago is located near the equator but the Humboldt Current brings cold currents from Antarctica and flows down the western coast of South America. These factors make for an incredibly unique mix of tropical and temperate climates and have allowed for the evolution and continued existence of many endemic species, such as the giant Galapagos tortoise and the flightless cormorant which can be found nowhere else in the world.
The jewel in Iguana Crossings’ crown, the Master Suite offers guests a truly luxurious sanctuary from which to explore Isabela Island. The spacious and airy room encapsulates boho beach living, with white-washed walls, cool tiled floors and dark wood furniture adding depth to the otherwise monochromatic space. The Master Suite boasts a large king-sized bed, dressed in crisp white linens and dark satin throw pillows that add a touch of colour to the room. The suite has a rattan day bed for making the most of the indoor-outdoor living while listening to the sounds of the ocean, and hardwood furniture set for in-room dining.
The en-suite is spacious and decorated in neutral tones to compliment the sand-coloured tiles; it is comprised of a large shower, a double sink hardwood vanity unit and a toilet. The suite can accommodate 2 adults and 1 child.
The Master Suite has a spacious, ocean-view balcony with loungers and bistro-style furniture for guests to have an intimate al fresco dining experience, or enjoy a drink from the minibar whilst watching the stunning sunsets over the ocean.
The Junior Suite can accommodate 2 adults and offers guests a spacious and tranquil setting from which to enjoy the beauty of Isabela Island. The Junior Suite is in keeping with the hotel’s modish, mid-century modern beach style with whitewashed walls and sand-coloured tile flooring. The suite’s dark wood furniture and wood-panelled ceiling add a certain cosiness and intimacy to the space, and the earth-toned satin throw pillows and comforter on the Suites king size bed add colour accents and depth to the airy space.
The Junior Suite has floor to ceiling windows that slide back to reveal a spacious balcony with stunning views over the ocean. The balcony is fully furnished with bistro-style furniture for guests to enjoy alfresco in-room dining, or watch the sunset over the glittering ocean. The ensuite is comprised of a hardwood sink vanity unit and self-closing eco-friendly cubicle shower; sand coloured tiles adorn the walls and floors.
The Volcano View Rooms are situated to the rear of the property with views of the Sierra Negra volcano and the Scalesia cloud forest that surrounds it. The 4 Volcano View Rooms are individually decorated, but continue the chic take on mid-century modern beach living employed throughout the rest of Iguana Crossing with sand tiled flooring, dark wood furniture and panelled ceiling, with colour accents provided through the luxe earth-toned satin throw pillows and soft furnishings.
The ensuite is comprised of a hardwood sink vanity unit and self-closing eco-friendly cubicle shower; sand coloured tiles adorn the walls and floors.
The Rooms are available either with a king-sized bed or two twin beds and can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children.
The 7 Ocean View Rooms are situated at the front of the property; the floor to ceiling windows slide back to reveal a furnished balcony with stunning ocean vistas. Each of the Ocean View Rooms are individually decorated, but continue the chic take on mid-century modern beach living employed throughout the rest of Iguana Crossing with sand tiled flooring, dark wood furniture and panelled ceiling, with colour accents provided through the luxe earth-toned satin throw pillows and soft furnishings.
The spacious ensuite boasts earth tone tiling, a hardwood sink vanity unit and an eco-friendly self-closing shower. The Ocean View Rooms are available with either a king-sized or two twin beds and can accommodate up to 2 adults and 2 children.
Breakfast at the Iguana Crossing is served buffet-style; with fresh bread from the local bakery and a variety of cold options and fresh fruit grown on the island.
The Isabela Island Restaurant offers guests a culinary exploration of regional cuisine, including gourmet fusion dishes and sancocho, an authentic Ecuadorian soup. The kitchen houses a grill carved from magmatic rock, formed by cooling lava. Dishes are served accompanied by organic vegetables grown and harvested in Iguana Crossing’s own hacienda. The hacienda also provides the hotel’s coffee and milk. The menus are rotational, optimising the freshness of ingredients and the availability of seafood.
Accessible only by dinghy (or panga rides), Elizabeth Bay on the east side of the island is made up of several rocky islets which are home to an abundance of marine life. The bay is also home to a colony of Galapagos penguins, the only penguin species that are naturally found north of the equator. Elizabeth Bay is the perfect place for snorkelling, with opportunities to swim with schools of colourful fish, sea lions and even the occasional whale!
Tours of the sulphur mine to the west of Sierra Negra are offered and visitors can choose to hike the trail, bike the trail or ride the trail on horseback! The trail offers unique views over the stunning island and allows guests to experience part of the active volcano in a new way. For those visitors who want to make the most of the trail and the stunning sunrise over the sulphur mine, camping can be arranged to the west of Sierra Negra.
In 1832 the Galapagos Islands were annexed by Colonel Ignacio Hernandez and the archipelago became part of the Republic of Ecuador. Isabela Island was quickly established as a penal colony due to its remote location and isolation from the mainland which made escape almost impossible; the island was used as a prison up until 1952.
In 1946, some 300 prisoners were transferred to Isabela Island from the mainland. The men were forced to labour under the hot sun, cutting the magmatic rock out of the landscape and building it into a testament to their punishment. The wall itself is futile, it goes from nowhere to nowhere, but still stands as a tribute to the men who died building it and the barbarity of their punishment.
The hotel was designed with the goal to contribute to and preserve the nature of the Galapagos; Iguana Crossing was built by local craftsmen utilising materials native to the island which contributed to the communities economy on several levels. The hotel continues to provide for the community by hiring locally and supporting local businesses through the purchase of ingredients and products utilised within the hotel.
‘Using sustainable ecological technology as a base, Boutique Hotel Iguana Crossing’s installations have been meticulously designed using sustainable and ecological concepts, maintaining a perfect equilibrium with the environment. Our mission is to satisfy guests continuously and be recognised by a constant improvement on our services, focused on promoting health, wellness and security to our team and clients; always looking for the environment’s protection and successful development of the company, enclosed in a coherent legal framework and friendly competition.’ – Iguana Crossing Hotel
To reduce water waste throughout the hotel, the ensuite showers have been fitted with specially designed shower heads which reduce the amount of water used.
Children of all ages are welcome at Iguana Crossing