I spent a month in Educator, definitely not enough time to experience the entire country, but with this guide, I was able to experience more than I would have otherwise. The initial historical context set up by the book prepared me for what I would encounter in the country - I even loved that they touched, albeit briefly, on the tenuous race relations between Ecuadorian ethnic groups. As a black woman who loves to travel the world, I'm always curious to know how I will be perceived/what reception I will receive, so this tidbit of information was extremely helpful. I was participating in a language immersion program, so I stayed with a host family and thus can not speak to the hotel recommendations, however, I did have opportunity to visit a many of the recommended restaurants and night spots and I have to say, they were spot on with their selections. I think this book presented an authentic picture of Ecuador, covering the major regions quite adequately. I also had the Lonely Planet guidebook, but this was the one that rarely left my side and it is definitely part of the reason I had such an enjoyable time in Ecuador.