DSC_8486 Cuenca_9-24-14_Dave_Harbour_Photo-jpg-0000 (12) 7378x4924Cuenca, Ecuador is a delightful, colonial town set like a jewel surrounded within a circle of high, green and golden Andean mountains.

Feel free to contact us here if you wish private consultation on vacationing or moving to Ecuador.

For all the information you’ll ever need to know about Cuenca, Google, “Cuenca, Ecuador, Retirement Capital of the World”.

Those planning a trip would be well advised to start reading the daily emails from www.gringopost.com.

As to vacation rentals under a month or two, we do not believe there is a more accessible, safe or better appointed one than ours: picked four years ago after traveling the whole country and spending two weeks fully investigating what we believe to be the best city in Ecuador.

You may find our vacation rental listing here and reserve our Andean home on Air BnB.  SEE MORE PHOTOS HERE.

For those wishing to investigate purchasing property here we would offer our highest recommendations to two real estate agents, Maribel Crespo, our bi-lingual house manager, and Ashley Rogers, a well respected American expat and film documentary producer hailing from New York and Los Angeles.

-dh


Below are some testimonials!

(Update: The family sold this property in 2018.  Therefore, it is no longer available. )


All of our VRBO and Air BNB guests provided 5-Star ratings, except for two highly complementary 4-Star reviews.  Enjoy!


Date of Stay
December 26, 2013
Helpful votes:1/1
This property is positioned wonderfully for a visit to Cuenca. It is about 7 blocks from the main square and a plethora of restaurants. One of the best though is directly across the intersection from the condo. The unit is one block from another, quieter square and 4 or 5 blocks to the river. The unit itself has everything you need. The most enjoyable part for me was the shared covered patio off the bedroom, which I used as a reading and napping area, but my wife preferred being all the way upon the roof, looking over the city. Dave was easy to deal with and spells out all the ins and outs of Cuenca in San Sebastian’s handbook. Dave’s property manager, Maribel, was attentive to our needs, getting us picked up from the airport and setting us up with an initial supply of groceries. She helped set up a couple side trips as well. Locals that we met in the neighborhood were warm and welcoming. We have no hesitation in recommending this unit if you want to experience Cuenca at its best.
Recommended for: Sightseeing, Tourists without a Car, Adventure Seekers, Age 55+, Romantic Getaway
My Response
To date, all of our guests have become good friends even though most of our relationships are long distance. Paul is another example of why it is such a pleasure to provide this service. We are humbled by these thoughtful comments and take them as a challenge to never stop improving! Below is another comment we received from Warren of Chicago: I stayed at Casa San Sebastián for 5 nights in Nov 2013. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The location could not be beat! The building itself, in the heart of Centro, is close to everything. It is a totally renovated colonial with all the modern conveniences. The furnishings and appliances in the unit were great. There are two outside decks that allow you to relax and enjoy the views of the city. The one bedroom unit is perfect for one person or a couple. Maribel, the property manager, was very helpful arranging anything that I needed. I highly recommend this place and I will stay there on my next visit to beautiful Cuenca. Warren M.
Paul
Date of Stay
December 21, 2013
Helpful votes:1/1
My wife and I spent 6 days over Christmas in this VRBO. The location is perfect, right on the parade route (Simon Bolivar) of the Pase del Nino Viajero. We like to walk and from this location could cover most the town’s many sites without taxi or bus. The outside covered sun deck was a real pleasure and if a person wants more sun, the next level up gives you that and some nice city-scape views with lit steeples of the many Iglesias. It is a clean, modern and efficient unit in which everything worked. The photos reflect the real appearance, and the owner will go the extra mile to help with your questions and concerns. I would strongly recommend this property to anyone looking for quality and value in Cuenca.
Recommended for: Sightseeing, Tourists without a Car, Adventure Seekers, Age 55+, Romantic Getaway
My Response
While it is true that we strive to exceed our guests’ expectations, this sort of review is a great honor which continues to raise the bar for us. Thank you for trusting us to make “nuestra casa su casa.”
Trish and Husband
Apartment was great, walking distance to most everything. Perfect part of town and in a safe clean building. We had a wonderful time there.

From Port St. Lucie, FL · March 2014

Susan
Date of Stay
November 1, 2013
Helpful votes:3/3
Our stay in Cuenca was wonderful. The location of Dave’s condo is PERFECT. You are within a 10 minute walk to the river, Café San Saban (one of our favorite places to have breakfast), Mangiore (right across the street and a wonderful Italian restaurant) and the cultural district with beautiful churches and museums. I always felt safe on the streets and the locals are always willing to give directions and practice their English (or let you practice your Spanish). The accommodations are perfect – very clean, floors are beautiful tile and steps are a polished wood (both are priceless)! We cooked at home several nights and the kitchen is very user friendly.The outdoor sitting area was perfect for a lazy afternoon of relaxation and the roof top “sun area” has an unsurpassed view of the surrounding churches. The wireless internet is GREAT – as soon as we would start up the stairs to the front door, messages would start arriving through our cell phones. We walked an average of 7 miles a day enjoying the sites and were never bored! Make sure you take the $5 double decker bus tour from the center of town – well worth the money and allows you to get a feel for the layout of the city. We also enjoyed the museums and walk through the Inca ruins. Dave has a wonderful handbook for his guests that lists great restaurants, major attractions and sites you shouldn’t miss. The most amazing part of this entire trip (we were there 12 days) is all the Americans and Canadians that befriended us. Every where we turned an American was offering directions or suggestions of things to do and see. We met more new couples in the time we were there than we meet in our hometown in a month! We will be back and certainly recommend Dave’s condo!
Recommended for: Sightseeing, Tourists without a Car, Adventure Seekers, Age 55+, Romantic Getaway
Response
Jim & Dee Dee
Date of Stay
June 17, 2013
Helpful votes:6/6
my wife and i finished up a 3 week trip to ecuador with a 4 night stay at dave’s beautiful condo in the heart of cuenca’s historic district….after having only 4 days of sun in our 2 weeks on the coast it was somewhat ironic that we had sun everyday in cuenca (albeit with a few showers thrown in to justify the spring-like weather that we had heard about)……maribel the property agent could not have been more helpful…..prior to our arrival we received an e-mail outlining things about the condo as well as how to get around and other very useful information…..on arrival she met us at the condo and then gave us a quick tour in her car before dropping us at the local grocery store (i should mention that by prior arrangement she had partially stocked the pantry and refrigerator)……the condo is immaculate and situated and a beautifully restored historic building…..everything is very modern…..but the best part is the pair of rooftop decks…..fantastic views of the city and complete privacy…..everything is within walking distance….taxis are $2-3 per trip…..the most we spent was $5 for a drive to banos…..a highly recommended day trip…..dave’s condo comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED….our only regret was not having more time…..next visit will be a minimun of a week probably 2…..thanks again dave and maribel for sharing your condo and city with us….david & coca
Recommended for: Sightseeing, Tourists without a Car, Adventure Seekers, Age 55+, Romantic Getaway
My Response
We are so grateful that David took the time to summarize his stay both here and in our leather bound, Casa San Sebastian Guest Book. Our first guest, Nancy, made a number of suggestions for improvement to us privately and we were able to accomplish virtually every one of those — and then some — before David’s arrival. She ‘passed it forward’ and David benefitted. My wife and I just finished our latest visit and added significantly to the inventory of amenities following David’s visit. Our goal is to continue providing the best possible Cuenca experience that our guests could expect. Thanks again, Nancy and David, for your public and private comments and for the helpful notes/tips you left future visitors in our Casa San Sebastian Guest Book. Godspeed all, and, welcome to Cuenca! Dave
David
Date of Stay
May 4, 2013
Helpful votes:10/10
We spent 2 weeks exploring the beautiful historic city of Cuenca, while staying in this condo. Dave’s place has everything you need in a “home away from home”. I could walk to everything in the historic central area or take a taxi or bus. Dave was a very helpful welcoming host who did everything he could to ensure we had a great visit. He promptly answered any questions and solved any problems we encountered. He arranged to have some groceries stocked to tide us over until we could go shopping. Our favourite restaurant was Mangiare, right across the street from the condo – very friendly staff and great food with an Italian slant. We enjoyed all the many restaurants we tried, from local fare to Spanish, Argentinian and Italian. I loved all the open markets for the local crafts, flowers and of course the local food markets…so many different fresh fruits and vegetables! Taking tours of the old historic churches, monasteries and hospitals was fascinating. Be sure to visit the museum of The Ministario de Cultura del Ecuador, including the archeological site and gardens behind it. Thank you Dave for all your help!
Recommended for: Sightseeing, Girls Getaway, Tourists without a Car, Adventure Seekers, Age 55+
My Response
Nancy: My family and I are deeply honored to read your unsolicited comments. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness! While we knew as we purchased it that Casa San Sebastian was unique in many ways, we also know that renting one’s home requires empathy for guests and dedication to customer service. We will strive to always deserve comments similar to yours from future guests. In such a way, we hope to ‘pass forward’ your good and helpful spirit. I would also note that as our first guests, you and your husband were patient with us as we developed and sought to polish procedures. Thank you for your helpful suggestions, all of which have been or are being implemented. Godspeed always y que le vaya bien! Dave
NaNa
I stayed at Casa San Sebastián for 5 nights in Nov 2013. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The location could not be beat! The building itself, in the heart of Centro, is close to everything. It is a totally renovated colonial with all the modern conveniences. The furnishings and appliances in the unit were great. There are two outside decks that allow you to relax and enjoy the views of the city. The one bedroom unit is perfect for one person or a couple. Maribel, the property manager, was very helpful arranging anything that I needed. I highly recommend this place and I will stay there on my next visit to beautiful Cuenca.

From Chicago, IL · November 2013

Warren