About this hotel
General information
Pikaia Lodge sits on the rim of an extinct volcanic crater in the highlands of Santa Cruz, at the centre of the Galápagos archipelago, and belongs to Relais & Châteaux. Its 14 rooms surround a lava-stone courtyard; the architecture is spare and contemporary, with Peruvian travertine, bamboo floors and floor-to-ceiling glass framing the Pacific and the islands. The name honours Pikaia gracilens, a Cambrian creature thought to be among the first vertebrates — a nod to Darwin's islands.
The lodge is a land-based alternative to a cruise: guests keep one room and head out daily with a naturalist guide, alternating excursions on Santa Cruz with full days aboard the lodge's yacht, M/Y Vision Pikaia, which calls at two islands per outing. Stays are all-inclusive packages of three to seven nights with full board, excursions, guiding and transfers; over Christmas and New Year the minimum is seven nights. The lodge runs on alternative energy and closes for several weeks each autumn (roughly September to early November).
Location
The lodge stands 450 m above sea level on Santa Cruz island, where the arid lowland savannah meets the misty forests of the volcanic highlands, giving it a gentle microclimate that is sunny and breezy for most of the year. Its 31 hectares form a private reserve in which wild giant tortoises roam freely. Guests fly from Quito or Guayaquil to Seymour airport on Baltra island; the transfer to the lodge and the VIP lounge on arrival and departure are part of every package.
Spa
Sumaq Spa, named after the Kichwa word for beauty, occupies the crater rim at the eastern end of the main building, finished in travertine in a minimalist, Japanese-inspired style with views of the ocean. Treatments draw on Ecuadorian rituals and Amazonian ingredients: a shamanic massage with a rainmaker stick and palo santo oil, warm candle-oil, aromatherapy and deep-tissue massages, reflexology, facials, scrubs of sea salt, passion fruit, coffee or mother of pearl, wraps of volcanic mud or marine algae, manicures, pedicures and a soothing after-sun treatment. A dedicated room handles couples' massages, treatments can also be given in the room, and the jacuzzi looks straight out to the Pacific.
Sports & leisure
Days revolve around guided exploration, and the lodge adds plenty of its own:
- M/Y Vision Pikaia — the lodge's 44 m private yacht for up to 16 guests: full-day outings landing on two islands, with snorkelling; each family has its own cabin with a shower for a rest between landings, plus a sundeck and jacuzzi on board.
- Land excursions on Santa Cruz, from lava fields to mist forest and beaches.
- Half-day fishing and snorkelling trips on small boats crewed by local fishermen (up to 8 guests, charged separately): the catch is released, or one fish goes back to the lodge for the chefs to cook.
- Mountain bikes and helmets free of charge, with a map of roads and trails; a favourite ride is the 10 km descent to El Garrapatero beach.
- More than 3.5 km of private paths for walking and running through replanted endemic forest, where giant tortoises are often met along the way.
- A gym with treadmill, elliptical trainer and spinning bike.
- On request, day dives with Park-authorised local operators (certification and at least intermediate experience required) and catch-and-release deep-sea fishing.
For children
Children are welcome. The minimum age is eight; younger children are accepted only with a private naturalist guide and private transfers. Guests aged 17 and over count as adults; children aged 12 and under sleep on a rollaway bed in their parents' room, each room takes at most two adults and two children, and children must be accompanied by an adult on every excursion. Car seats and booster seats are available on advance request.
Restaurants & bars
Food is treated as part of the expedition: dinner menus change every two days, and the restaurant asks for smart casual dress.
- Evolution Restaurant — Ecuadorian flavours blended with international cooking at breakfast, lunch and dinner; a walk-in cellar of South American and international wines, lunch on the shaded terrace by the pool and dinners under the stars beside the fire pit.
- DNA Bar — cocktails and Ecuadorian drinks, set between the restaurant, the lounge and the pool terraces, open daily 10:00–23:00.
- Lobby Lounge — a calm sitting room with island views for the end of a day in the field.
- Homo Sapiens Explorers Lounge — a 24-seat room with a large 3D screen for Galápagos documentaries, a library on science and evolution and exhibitions by local artists and photographers; the welcome briefing is held here on arrival day.
Swimming
The infinity-edge pool, ringed by travertine decks and loungers, is placed to catch sun all day, which keeps the water pleasantly warm; it is open 7:00–21:00, and the Pool Suite has its own plunge pool. The sea comes with the excursions: every yacht day includes snorkelling (wetsuits are provided in the cool season), and Santa Cruz has two white-sand beaches that can be visited without a guide — Tortuga Bay, a kilometre of fine sand with a calm, mangrove-fringed lagoon for swimming and kayaking, and the small, secluded El Garrapatero, 10 km from the lodge.
Pets
Animals of any kind may not be brought to the Galápagos under the islands' strict biosecurity rules.
Rooms
The lodge has 14 rooms: six Terrace Rooms on the ground floor and six Balcony Rooms above them around the lava-stone courtyard, plus the Garden Suite and the Pool Suite. All have floor-to-ceiling windows facing the ocean, the islands and the volcanic highlands, and are designed for natural cross-ventilation.
Air conditioning and ceiling fans, bamboo floors, a 21–22 m² travertine bathroom with bathtub, separate shower, twin basins and walk-in wardrobe, minibar, tea and coffee station, safe, direct-dial phone, bathrobes and slippers, biodegradable toiletries and terrace furniture.
Terrace Room
A ground-floor room with a private shaded terrace and panoramic windows over the ocean and the savannah; one king or two queen beds.
Balcony Room
An upper-floor room with a private balcony looking out to the Pacific, the islands and the mist-wrapped volcanic highlands; one king or two queen beds.
Garden Suite
A suite with a king bed and a sofa bed, opening onto a shaded ground-floor terrace with its own private garden; the bathroom alone measures 22 m².
Pool Suite
A suite with a king bed and a sofa bed and a ground-floor terrace with plunge pool and private garden, looking out towards Santa Fe island.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.