Adventure specialist Gap Adventures is embarking on an adventure of its own with the recent purchase of its first hotel in downtown Quito, Ecuador.

An old colonial-style mansion, the 24-room boutique hotel in the city’s downtown is the first of a handful opening up under the “G Hotels” name, according to Gap founder and CEO Bruce Poon Tip.

“We’re known for creating innovative product so the idea for our hotels is to offer moderate accommodations that are centrally located, locally run, sustainable and offer an authentic experience,” he says.

The Quito hotel is the first of four hotels the tour operator is planning to acquire over the year. The other properties that are scheduled to open under the G Hotels name will be in Lima and Cusco in Peru, as well as in San Jose, Costa Rica.

“Any city where we have a significant volume of passengers are areas where we’re interested in pursuing control of our own accommodations with a vertical structure to create a more consistent product and better value for our customers,” Poon Tip says.

With 12 rooms now open, the Quito hotel will undergo structural renovations later this year to its common areas and the addition of three additional rooms.

Go to www.gapadventures.com for more.