The pictures in this hotel offer something completely different of what it actually offered. I would say the rooftop/restaurant area are above and beyond, the service and breakfast were really good. But when it comes to the pricing and the actual room where you have to sleep, leave a lot to be desired. For example, the pictures show open windows with curtins, but you are actually looking at the hallway, if you get one of the two suites offered, only the you will get a street/river/mountain view on a not "private balcony" (anyone can access it). The hotel claims they do not have a ventilation system in the rooms because the municipality does not allow to install it because of the "historic building" which is built on. So you are paying pretty much a 5 star hotel for a "nice room" which pretty much feels like a sauna. I have been to cuenca many times and actually felt cold in the rooms in other properties, but here, i had to ask the front desk for 2 fans because the heat was unbearable. All of the rooms, except for the 2 suites, do not have windows and face the hallways. I never used my room key because you could fisically open your hallway window, and open your door. Bathrooms and rooms where spotless (they could use better toiletries to get your money's worth). The hotel is nice, but definitely not worth the money paid. Definitely would never stay here again. I am attaching the real photos of the rooms you actually get

Pricey but beautiful and the service is excellent! Staff is helpful, attentive and caring. Loved our experience here!!!

The rooms are incredibly beautiful with comfortable beds. The staff is amazing! They are so kind and helpful! They helped connect us to great experiences in Cuenca. I loved staying here!

What a great place to stay! The service was absolutely amazing. Each person was very helpful and attentive. The room was clean and comfortable. The location was a tad difficult to find (we drove in and it was a crazy time to find parking), but once we found it, it was perfect for exploring the amazing city. Our room was a tad small and the food was decent.

Amazing and beautiful hotel. We did not stay at the hotel but we did have a wonderful meal at the rooftop restaurant. Spectacular views and fabulous food and service. We did roam around the public areas of the hotel admiring the beautiful artwork and architecture.

We did not stay at the hotel, only had dinner at the rooftop restaurant, cúpulas azules. Food is delicious but is overrated (much better places on Calle Larga in this price range) and arrived to the table cold after an hour waiting (one other couple was present). Won't return and don't recommend.

Wonderful food and service on top floor, just a little pricey for Cuenca standards.

Ok

Out of my price range

Cruz del Vado was recommended by the people that organized our trip and cited as one of the top hotels in the city. But, the stay experience fell very short of our expectations. I will share a few of the detractors that should guide you with your decision making. Firstly, I was assigned a room that was the smallest I’ve stayed in, perhaps in my almost 5 decades of travel. I would say that it was not much more than 100 square feet, including the closet and bathroom. To be fair, I saw some other rooms and they were larger. But this is not something that you expect in a supposedly high-end property. The second important thing to consider is that with the exception of a couple of suites in the front of the building, all the rooms face inwards, to a modern and closed vestibule that is very far from being a charming courtyard. The door has a blasted glass panel and there is a small window at its side. This window does open, but I was not able to cool my room; it was always stuffy and unventilated. Again, in such a beautiful city with such amazing buildings, this is a big negative. For those of you who will need a decent internet signal, I barely had enough to connect and I had to make calls from the corridor. Showers are important to me. For all 4 days that I was at the hotel, I had access to very little pressure, and the temperature was warm, but definitely not hot. The final negative that I will mention is with regard to location. Cruz del Vado was cited as having a great location, but actually, it’s on the busiest entrance to the city center, from the south. This street has a lot of traffic. It is actually difficult to cross it and it always reeks of diesel and oil, from all of the vehicles. Consider that anything within 6 or 7 blocks of the central plaza offers a great location, so if you look around, you will find all sorts of alternatives. I did see and experience other, wonderful hotels in the city… I won’t promote them in this review; am certain that you will find them!

Beautifully decorated, super friendly and helpful staff. The rooms are comfortable. Ask for the luxury rooms that face the river. The only negative is the restaurant service. The kitchen can't get the food and the beverages timely and together, but it tastes delicious plus the view from the restaurant is great!