Illa Experience Hotel

What Illa Experience Hotel does

Illa Experience Hotel is a privately held, family-run luxury boutique hotel operating from a restored 17th-century house in Quito's UNESCO World Heritage Old Town (San Marcos neighborhood). Founded in 2017 and operating with approximately 11 employees, the company offers themed accommodations across three tiers (Master Suites, Suites, Luxury Rooms) inspired by Quito's Colonial, Republican, and Contemporary eras, with nightly rates ranging from $459 to over $649. Core technology is an off-the-shelf IPMS247 reservation and property management platform integrated with the company's direct booking website.

The business model is a vertically integrated experience stack unified by the proprietary "ILLA Method" philosophy (five pillars: Rest, Taste, Observe, Remember, Touch). Beyond accommodation, Illa operates INES, a fine-dining restaurant trained by Michelin-star chefs and opened to external diners; ILLA SPA offering signature massage therapies; the ILLA NESTS social initiative that develops Ecuadorian culinary talent; a portfolio of curated multi-day cultural tours (Six Senses Tour, Essence of Quito, Discover Quito Market, Middle of the World); fixed-price special-occasion packages ($400–$450); and an e-commerce shop selling Ecuadorian artisan products ($14.50–$290). Pricing includes complimentary breakfast, airport transfer, daily experiences, and access to spa and gym, with 12% sales tax and 10% service charge layered on.

Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the hotel's own website and IPMS247 booking engine, supplemented by travel-advisor trade partnerships (notably with Ecuadorian luxury tour operator Latin Trails from October 2024, plus co-marketing with Elite Catamaran and La Selva Eco Lodge) and earned media placements in TIME, the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and World Travel Magazine. The company has accumulated multiple industry awards including Travvy Awards (Best Luxury Hotel Central & South America 2021, Bronze 2024), World Travel Awards Ecuador's Leading Boutique Hotel 2019, Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice 2021, and LATA Responsible Tourism Gold 2024 and Silver 2025. Revenue is undisclosed.

Name

Illa Experience Hotel

Legal name

Illa Experience Hotel

Website

https://illaexperiencehotel.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Illa Experience Hotel is a family-run luxury boutique hotel in a restored 17th-century house in Quito's UNESCO Old Town, offering themed accommodations, fine dining, spa, cultural tours, and an artisan shop for high-end experiential travelers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Hotel & Hospitality Services

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (721110)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Wellness & Spa Resorts (THAGACAG)

Keywords

• Boutique hotel
• Luxury hospitality
• Heritage accommodation
• Curated guest experiences
• Historic city hotel

Headquarters

HQ city

Quito

HQ country

Ecuador

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Accommodation: Revenue from room bookings across Master Suites, Suites, and Luxury Rooms with nightly rates ranging from $459 to over $649 per night.
2. Fine Dining (INES Restaurant): On-site restaurant offering fine dining experiences with Ecuadorian and South American flavors, open for lunch and dinner from 12pm-10pm. Open to hotel guests and external diners with reservation.
3. Spa Services: ILLO SPA offers signature massage therapies including ILLA Relaxes, ILLA Drains, and ILLA Warms. Therapies and massages available at additional cost.
4. Retail/Merchandise: E-commerce shop selling Ecuadorian artisan products including Andean bracelets, Panama hats, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, and local crafts ranging from $14.50 to $290.
5. Special Occasion Packages: Curated celebration packages combining accommodation, spa therapy, dining, and experiences at fixed prices ($400-$450).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Illa Experience Hotel is a family-owned boutique luxury hotel operating out of a restored 17th-century colonial house in the Old Town (Centro Histórico) of Quito, Ecuador. The property sells curated overnight stays and experiential hospitality services to leisure travelers seeking an intimate, design-led stay tied to the historic setting. Founded in 2017, the hotel operates with a small team focused on personalized guest service.

Product overview

Illa Experience Hotel & Spa is a luxury boutique hotel operating from a restored 17th-century house in Quito's UNESCO World Heritage Old Town. The hotel offers a vertically integrated experience portfolio: core accommodation across three room tiers (Master Suites, Suites, and Luxury Rooms) themed around Quito's historical eras; ILLA SPA for wellness therapies; INES fine dining restaurant showcasing Ecuadorian cuisine trained by Michelin-star chefs; ILLA NESTS culinary social initiative; curated cultural experiences (Six Senses Tour, Essence of Quito, Quito Market, Middle of the World); Special Occasion celebration packages; and an e-commerce shop selling local artisan products. All offerings are unified through the hotel's 'ILLA Method' philosophy centered on transformation, renovation, authenticity, and cultural immersion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Illa Experience Hotel - Boutique Accommodation Luxury overnight stays and personalized hospitality services delivered inside a restored 17th-century colonial house in Quito's Old Town. Targeted at individual leisure and experiential travelers seeking an intimate, design-led stay in a UNESCO heritage district.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tripadvisor 5.0 rating from 130 reviews
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Latin TrailscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2024Latin Trails is an Ecuador-based tour operator specializing in luxury travel experiences. Illa Experience Hotel is featured as a key accommodation partner in their South America itineraries including Galapagos sailing trips and Amazon rainforest lodge combinations.
• Elite CatamaranminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2024Elite Catamaran operates 4-day sailing trips in the Galapagos Islands. Featured alongside Illa Experience Hotel in travel advisor familiarization trips.
• La Selva Eco LodgeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2024Luxury Amazon Rainforest lodge in Ecuador. Partnered with Illa Experience Hotel for combined South America luxury travel itineraries.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Awasi Patagonia: Awasi Patagonia is a small Relais & Châteaux-affiliated luxury lodge in Chilean Patagonia with private guides, all-inclusive experiential stays, and a low room count. Comparable to Illa on boutique experiential luxury, premium nightly rates, and curated multi-day programming.
• Casa San Agustín: Casa San Agustín is a luxury boutique hotel in Cartagena's UNESCO Old Town built around restored 17th-century colonial structures, with a fine-dining restaurant and spa. Comparable to Illa on heritage-asset luxury lodging in a Latin American UNESCO city, paired with curated culinary and wellness offerings.
• Casa Gangotena: Casa Gangotena is a luxury boutique hotel also located in Quito's UNESCO Old Town San Marcos neighborhood, occupying a restored heritage mansion with fine dining and curated city experiences. It is the closest direct comparable to Illa in terms of location, heritage-asset positioning, and luxury experiential offering for inbound travelers.
• Mashpi Lodge: Mashpi Lodge is an Ecuador-based experiential luxury lodge in the Andean cloud forest, offering all-inclusive nature immersions with high-touch guiding and premium pricing. Comparable to Illa as a small-team, high-ADR, experience-led Ecuadorian luxury property with international recognition.
• La Selva Eco Lodge: La Selva Eco Lodge is an Ecuadorian luxury Amazon lodge offering curated rainforest experiences with high-end amenities. Directly comparable to Illa as a small, high-ADR, experience-led Ecuadorian luxury property, and explicitly partnered with Illa in bundled itineraries.
• Inkaterra La Casona: Inkaterra La Casona is a restored 16th-century colonial mansion in Cusco's Plaza de Armas operating as a luxury boutique hotel with cultural and gastronomic experiences. Directly comparable to Illa on heritage-asset lodging, cultural immersion programming, and South American luxury positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Explora Patagonia: Explora Patagonia is an established all-inclusive luxury lodge in Torres del Paine with guided multi-day experiential programs. Comparable to Illa on the experience-led luxury model and curated multi-day programming, though at much larger operational scale.
• Belmond Hotel Monasterio: Belmond Hotel Monasterio is a well-established luxury heritage hotel in a 16th-century monastery in Cusco. Comparable to Illa on heritage-asset lodging in a UNESCO/historic South American city, though it operates at much larger scale within the Belmond luxury portfolio.
• Llao Llao Hotel & Resort: Llao Llao is a large luxury alpine resort in Argentina's Lake District combining accommodation, fine dining, spa, and outdoor experiences. Comparable to Illa on the integrated luxury lodging-plus-experience model in South America, but at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Relais & Châteaux properties in Latin America: Relais & Châteaux is a global consortium of independent luxury hotels and restaurants emphasizing heritage, gastronomy, and local culture. Comparable to Illa as a soft-brand and distribution channel for experiential luxury properties of similar scale and philosophy, though not a direct competitor.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illa-experience-hotel

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Illa Experience Hotel