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San Jorge Eco-Lodges and Botanical Reserves Quito, Ecuador (877) 565-2596 Toll Free USA & Canada |
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Cal Poly University Group ~ Los Angeles, California ~ September 1, 2007 ~ Via Holbrook Travel
Name: Erin Shapiro and Jeff Nordin
Country-City: Los Angeles, California USA
Sent: 9/1/07
San Jorge Eco-lodge and Botanical Reserve in Quito was gorgeous and us obviously an asset to both Ecuador and Quito .
The lodging was comfortable and clean. The restaurantwas excellent and all services were
attentive and helpful. Hotel services were WONDERFUL!!!
We participated in an great 4 hour hike tour through the San Jorge de Quito Reserve to look at plants and birds.
Wonderful place with great atmosphere! I wish I could stay longer and hopefully I will be able to in the future.
Name: Kristopher Lappon and Marci Hollenshead
Country-City: Los Angeles, California USA
Sent: 9/1/07
We enjoyed San Jorge de Quito lodge
Great native forest above the eucalyptus ,
Bus up was fun
Good food and great service
Well maintained
Hummingbirds great!
Jorge our guide was very knowledgeable and speaks excellent English.
Name: Cliff Hague
Country-City:Washington, USA
Sent: 9/1/07
San Jorge de Quito was a great experience!!
Jorge is fantastic!!
Continue restoring the habitat.
Name: Lois Buho and Windslow Smell
Sent: 9/1/07
We were very satisfied. This is a special place.
We hope you continue to prosper and confirm your good work.
We enjoyed the birdwatching and nature walk. Jorge, Sr. is amazing.
He is very knowledgeable.
We are glad that you are keeping ancient traditions. We enjoy the performance.
Name: Glen Stewart
Sent: 9/1/07
Nice to see some of the native forest and scrub vegetation preserved and not replaced by eucalyptus!! The lodging and service was very good!!
Jorge, Sr. was very knowledgeable and helpful.
Name: Cliff Stewart
Sent: 9/1/07
Everything has been excellent.
The local dancing show was fun!
The birding and hiking trip in San Jorge Eco-lodge in Quito
Again, all excellent . Great information provided!
Welcome the ability to be flexible with hike locations, durations, etc.
Name: G Mccane
Sent: 9/1/07
S an Eco-lodge in Quito, provides an excellent service.
Good spirit- transportation and guidance were great.
Would be nice to be able to hear more on the trail,
But I don´t know how this could be done. The information was great!
Food was excellent!!
KNOTTY OAK MIDDLE SCHOOL ~ TEACHERS GROUP – Via Holbrook Travel
CULTURAL, SERVICE DAYS, CONSERVATION, MEDICINAL PLANTS, HORSEBACK RIDING & ECO-ADVENTURE TOUR
June 25 – July 2, 2007
We visited San Jorge Ecolodge in Quito, San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Reserve, San Jorge de Milpe Orchid and Bird Lodge and the Quito city tour.
Rooms are very nice, I liked the fireplace. The upper rooms were little difficult to climb (for older folks!!) .
The grounds are beautiful! Would liked extra seating in the patio. Food and services were very good. George is amazing and made us feel very much at home. He tried very hard to help us appreciate the beauty and diversity of Ecuador. I feel that I would want to return – the Hiking tours were beautiful for me.
Yes, the amazing vegetation due to the diversity of the country and the special and attentive care given to us by Dr. George Cruz and his staff.
George made us feel at home, even part of his family, during our wonderful and short stay.
Helene Scola
We enjoyed San Jorge Reserve trails in Quito, the Preinca trail by horse, Tandayapa Hummingbird Reserve, Mud brick factory, Quito City tour
The hotel staff was extremely personable and did their best to accommodate any request that I had. The reserves were beautiful, authentic and unique.
The lodging was comfortable and made us feel that we were in Ecuador and not a transplant from the United States.
Hostería San Jorge and Botanical Reserves are SHINING examples OF THE NATURAL beauty of Ecuador and the hospitality of the personable and friendly ecuadorian people.
Do not change nothing!!!
Carlton Bradshow
We visited all western San Jorge Reserves and lodges in Quito, Tandayapa and Milpe.
Wonderful cultural emphasis. Great collaborations (bricks, school house, horse rentals)
The trip was active and I took many notes - to which I will follow up on or visit for years to come.
Dr George Cruz is impassioned with the nation, and has successfully transferred the passion to me.
Certainly, though I am not a teacher (with my group) I feel I am a world citizen and feel obligated to help my US
Citizens with an awareness of world cultures and with the basic need of ALL peoples. I feel that Ecuador might
be uniquely positioned to become involved in this awareness------- And I have immensely enjoyed my vacation.
Thank you George and Juan Carlos, the wonderful Hosteria staff, and the friendly nation of Ecuador!!!
Gary Palmer
At San Jorge I felt like a family member and thoroughly enjoyed all it offered…. Great hiking in the middle of the world!
Wonderful guides! I will miss Ecuador, it was alone and beyond what I anticipated …. A wonderful experience . Thank you very much
It was outstanding… Dinner at Dr George Cruz’s was fantastic!!
Add more Milpe nights in tours!!
Erica Holbogen
All was wonderful! Milpe waterfall and hike were spectacular! Horseback riding and natural hikes were so much fun and terrific!
Lodges, preserves were well kept, clean and comfortable.
George, our guide was knowledgeable and hospitable!
I learneda lot! Yes!! Quote me!!
Kathy McKinney
Our group visited San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Reserve to do the trail maintenance and to hike.
We stayed at San Jorge de Milpe Orchid and Bird lodge for one night.
We spent the rest of our time at San Jorge de Quito where we went bird watching and horseback riding
We also went to the medicinal plant and waterfall tour .
The service at San Jorge was phenomenal.
The guides and staff made us feel right at home.
San Jorge is an amazing place . There is so much to see and do in the area. The lodge is beautiful
I felt right at home during my stay at San Jorge. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. I look forward to return to San Jorge.
Abby Paon
We visited San Jorge de Quito, Tandayapa Hummer Reserve, Milpe Orchid Lodge, and the Quito city tour.
I enjoyed all your services . There was a very comforting and personal touch. It was my first time in years out of the USA.
I felt very secure.
The rooms were lovely and very well kept. The food was excellent!!
Just keep doing the wonderful job you are doing.
Thank you so much!!
Judy Giordano
Name: Terry Boudreau
Longwood Graduate Program “Tropical Internship”
Country-City:Holbrook Travel, FL, USA
Sent: 1/16/07
I really enjoyed the medicnal plant walk our first day with Dr. Cruz like a guide, also having
Sr Narváez for our second days walk was great for our group, as we are very interested in plants. II felt that the guided portions of the stay overall were wonderful, especially the hummingbirds. All the servcies were excellent. The food was wonderful, the hotel services were great and the grounds were nice because of its uniqueness to other places that I have stayed in Ecuador. This was a fabulous place. Beautiful to observe.
Name: James Gagliardi Newark
Longwood Graduate Program “Tropical Internship”
Country-City:Holbrook Travel, FL, USA
Sent: 1/16/07
We were connected to this wonderful place by Holbrook Travel.
Medicinal plants tour in San Jorge Ecolodge Quito had a good variety of plants .
San Jorde de Tandayapa Hummingbird Reserve hike, excellent guide. The hummingbirds were a great addition.
All the employees were great and very helpful. The rooms were large and clean.
Name:
Longwood Graduate Program “Tropical Internship”
Country-City:Holbrook Travel, FL, USA
Sent: 1/16/07
Medicinal Plant tour at San Jorge Botanical Reserve in Quito:
-great tour! Interesting plants and information.
-loved the waterfalls and the lunch views in such beautiful pasture was amazing.
-We really liked the hiking on the Inca trail. We felt like we stepped back in history.
San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Reserve
-Wonderful hummingbirds!!
-the plant family quiz was great!
Rooms were great. Thank you for the bottle water. Food was amazing and the presentation was beautiful!
What a gorgeous surprise you gave us with the folkloric show the last night.
Food was amazing and the presentation was beautiful.
Guides were knowledgeable and entertaining. Hotel is beautifully kept and the gardens are beautiful.
USA staff was helpful and accommodating.
Just keep doing what you are doing - we love it!!!
Longwood Graduate School Students
Name: Grace Chapman Student
Longwood Graduate Program “Tropical Internship”
Country-City:Holbrook Travel, FL, USA
Sent: 1/16/07
Yes, we enjoyed the medicinal plant tour in San Jorge Eco-lodge and the medicinal plant hike in
San Jorge de Tandayapa Hummingbird Reserve. They were both very informational. The lunches were always great.
The rooms were great, thanks for the bottled water.
The food always great-choices were good. Service was wonderful.
Name: Conservation of Natural Resources Class Lake Tahoe Community College
Country-City:South Tahoe, CA USA
Sent: 8/20/06
Jorge,
Thank you so much for guiding our class through your wonderful country. You are so knowledgeable and passionate about your land and its people that you have helped us to learn about Ecuador and to begin to love this special place, as well.
We appreciate the time and effort you’ve spent to share San Jorge with us.
Name: Dr Betsy Julian, PhD Lake Tahoe Community College
Country-City:South Tahoe, CA USA
Sent: 8/20/06
Jorge,
You are amazing!
I am so impressed by the work you are doing here.
Your love for the lands shows clearly as you lead hikes, and your depth of knowledge makes the hikes fascinating.
You have changed the lives of our students. They will be forever in your debt.
Name: Dayane Silverstein Lake Tahoe Community College
Country-City:South Tahoe, CA USA
Sent: 8/20/06
Dear Jorge,
You have given the World a magnificent gift of beauty and splendor.
San Jorge preserves radiate and reflect your passion, nature and spirit.
There is no greater contribution than the gift of self. It has been a pleasure sharing this moment in time with you!
Name: Sue and Phil Stevenson Lake Tahoe Community College
Country-City:South Tahoe, CA USA
Sent: 8/20/06
Dear Jorge,
Thank you for preserving this precious habitat for the future.
Your lectures have been so informative. We really enjoyed working with you In your hummingbird garden.
Name: Lis Peterson Lake Tahoe Community College
Country-City:South Tahoe, CA USA
Sent: 8/20/06
Jorge,
Thank you so much for having such a beautiful vision to conserve so much of this amazingly biodiverse land and thank you for sharing this with us. You are such a knowledgeable individual, it has been a pleasure being able to learn from
your wonderful tours, and has given me so much hope for the future of
Muchisimas gracias!!
Country-City:South Tahoe, CA USA
Sent: 8/20/06
Dear Jorge,
It is hard to put into words our appreciation for all that you did to make our visit to Ecuador pleasant and meaningful. The lodge was very comfortable and accommodating for our class of 22 from Lake Tahoe Community College. The meals, the service, the staff were great. Your generous leadership and guidance was outstanding! We learned so much from you about the history, flora, fauna, politics,and people of Ecuador. The trips were exceptional....as well as the time spent at the lodge watching the hummingbirds, studying in the comfortable lobby by the fire, or hiking in the reserve. Spending time working at Tandayapa gave us a feeling of being part of a very valuable conservation project. Every visitor should have a chance to get their hands into the earth, planting for the hummingbirds, and clearing the trails.
Of course the best day for me was visiting Milpe with you and your wife and Hugh and Derek. We were treated to one of the most magical days of birding I have ever experienced: tanagers, parrots, hummingbirds, motmots, barbets, toucans, spinetails, foliage-gleaners, woodcreepers, antpitta, tapaculos, tyrannulets, elaenia, flycatchers, kingbirds, manakin, vireos, thrushes, swallows, wrens, warblers, conebills, flowerpiercers, dacnis, euphonia, seedeaters, siskin, hawks, anis, and even nighthawks on the road as we left the reserve. The visit to the hummingbird garden was also amazing; I'll never forget the violet tailed sylph, velvet purple coronet, and sparkling violetear! Too many birds, butterflies, and plants to list. Although it was wonderful to learn their names, it was even more important to learn the ecology and the intimate relationship of all these creatures to their diverse habitats. If there was only one lesson to learn on this trip, it would be the value of habitat preservation.
We congratulate you on your sucess in establishing these valuable reserves, and hope the work on your new lodge in Milpe goes smoothly and efficiently.
Thank you for giving our class so much of your time and attention.
Country-City: Duke NC, USA
Sent: 6/10/06
We enjoyed the medicinal plant tours in San Jorge ecolodge, San Jorge de Tandayapa , and San Jorge de Milpe.
EXCELLENT TOURS!!!( all of them!!)
Transfers are friendly, punctual. Guides knowledgeable & friendly
Rooms, rustic, nice authentic feel. Restaurant: first class service and food.
Hotel services: Front desk went out of their way to be helpful.
We took nature tours in Hosteria San Jorge, San Jorge de Milpe, San Jorge de Tandayapa and a cultural tour to Quito market.
I had a great, great time! I found the guides very knowledgeable. I found the pacing of the walks very good. The facilities were excellent.
All of the staff was very polite and very helpful. I liked that Jorge took time to be with us, and I liked the days with multiple guides . This is a great place and I will recommend it to any one!!
Galapagos was fabulous . Again beyond my expectations . 10 days of vacation plus travel was just about right, if not 1-2 days long.
I am very glad we did theEcuador portion first . It was more strenuous and I would have been too tired for it on the way back.
I loved the nature tours. San Jorge de Milpe was especially beautiful and I loved being able to swim in the waterfalls.
San Jorge de Tandayapa was also lovely!
I enjoyed the medicinal plant tours in Hosteria San Jorge reserve inQuito. Especially the headache cure.
Our whole experience here has been wonderful. The tours were outstanding , the service impreccable. Our rooms were very nice. I can not wait to come back.
The tours were wonderful to strenuous . Jorge was a great guide, so was Heike.
Swimmingpool was in restauration. I can not wait to tell my parents about your lodge, they will love it!!
Our tour to Galápagos was wonderful. We were on the Milennium.
The area was fantastic, the food delicious. The boat ran upon some rocks and I was somewhat afraid. Also, they never gave us the clear itinerary of our journey. Our guide was a lovely man but not particularly informative about the plants and animals and diversity in the islands.
Country-City: Duke NC. USA
Sent: 6/10/06
Medicinal plants in San Jorge Ecolodge: wonderful, very informative , beautiful. Loved waterfall , loved view.
San Jorge de Tandayapa: Beautiful, bird sanctuary fabulous , natural history, wonderful, it was hard going uphill.
San Jorge de Milpe Beautiful again, Rivers can not be more spectacular, It was difficult to walk down hill in the rain. We should listen to leave things in the boongalo to not get wet. It was my favorite hike.
Ivette gets gold stars , she was fantastic. All the staff was wonderful . Dining service could not have been nicer and more pleasant . Food was exquisite. You should sell cook books. I am still waiting for the quinua soup receipt. Lunches were also great .Rooms, great, Service always punctual . Grounds beautiful . Airport pick up, wonderful. Liked the dance too. Duck need more water in the pond. That’s all I can think of, honestly like a suggestion, you do a fantastic job!
Galapagos is wonderful . We had fabulous crew on the millennium . The itinerary promised was not the one delivered, but was not their fault.
The boat run into shallow water but hey got us out and served dinner on time!
The islands are incredible ,We have a great trip and we were treated really well.
We enjoy San Jorge de Milpe in the upper lowlands, San Jorge de Tandayapa at the Cloud forest and Hosteria San Jorge Botanical Reserve near Quito.
ALL TERRIFIC!!
Food excellent , service wonderful!
Transport and guides were GREAT . Food was VERY GOOD .Services and hotel maintenance Very good!
Galápagos was dream come true . I Just love it. Each island is very different.