Mashpi Lodge

Shafts of light filter through the canopy… The aroma of forest plants and flowers... The swirl of clouds through branches and trees... The sound of rain drops cascading onto leaves... This is the world of the forests on the western slopes of the Andes Mountains, regarded as one of the most biologically-diverse ecosystems on the planet. Everywhere you look, you find life, in all its varied, surprising and multi-coloured forms.

Nowhere is this truer than within the Masphi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve. The Reserve enjoys a privileged position, harbouring both cloudforest and rainforest. A profusion of plant and animal species has adapted to these environments, creating an incredibly rich ecosystem which is still revealing its secrets to science, still mysterious, still magical.

The Mashpi experience is about discovering life in the tree tops, trekking along trails, listening to animal calls, absorbing each and every colour, bathing in pure waterfalls, spotting butterflies and birds, encountering amazing creatures, or simply relaxing with a view of clouds playing hide-and-seek with the forest. Share our passion for the awe-inspiring rainforest and explore it, as nature comes alive before your eyes.

The Masphi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve occupies much of the land that was previously part of a logging concession. It was purchased in 1997. Over the following years, more land was added until the forest was legally registered as a private protected forest. Eventually, the project’s inceptors turned their dream into reality with the building of Mashpi Lodge itself –in fact, on the very site of the mill which once whined with the sawing of the forest’s trees.

Mashpi Lodge was designed as a private getaway, the ideal springboard for exploring the biodiverse world of its Reserve. It combines the highest standards of comfort, service and cuisine that today’s most discerning travellers expect. Located on a plateau, the Lodge’s architecture allows guests breathtaking views of the forest from nearly every angle. Built of glass and steel with the latest techniques in sustainable building and powered by hydroelectricity in the near future, it blends mimetically and beautifully with its surroundings: the forest is at-once incredibly close yet comfortably at a distance.

The Lodge features contemporary design and décor, mixing warm earth tones and clean lines: a cosy cocoon amid the forest. Its ample public areas, lounges, dining room, massage room and Jacuzzi are all perfect for contemplation and relaxation, with huge picture windows making guests feel part of their surroundings, where, at night, the only lights are the dance of myriad fireflies. It is an intimate space, accommodating a maximum of 44 guests in 22 ample rooms, three of which are suites. For those travelling with friends or family, connecting rooms are available.

Inspired by the rainforest and the huge diversity found in Ecuador, Mashpi's chefs excel in preparing gourmet dishes that combine locally-grown ingredients such as plantain or chocolate, as well as experimenting with an endless variety of delicious fruits: mandarinas, guavas, naranjillas...  The finest fresh organic produce, complemented by a carefully-selected wine list.

From the start, the Mashpi project has sought successfully to work hand-in-hand with the Reserve’s surrounding community. Through Ecuador’s Ministry of Production, the Mashpi project has implemented an innovative programme in which an association made up of the surrounding population as well as Lodge employees will become shareholders in the Lodge. Fully operational, the Lodge will also be an important job-provider in the area. Eighty per cent of its employees will come from nearby communities, integrated through a comprehensive training programme.

Descriptions courtesy of Sublime Travel

Images courtesy of Mashpi Lodge website