This species has a rather robust glabrescent habit, rather small oblanceolate to rather narrowly elliptic leaves , shortly cymose inflorescences, rotate pale yellow to pink corollas 5-8 mm long, and sbuglobose red fruits. The inflorescences are pedunculate and branched, but the peduncles and axes are sometimes so short that the flowers appear to be fasciculate. Overall this species has the aspect of Deppea.
Hoffmannia excelsa is similar to Hoffmannia cryptoneura, Hoffmannia psychotriifolia, and Hoffmannia cuneatissima. Hoffmannia excelsa is quite simlar to , and these may deserve further study as to their separation. Hoffmannia excelsa is also somewhat similar to Hoffmannia nicotianifolia, and plants of Hoffmannia excelsa have been misidentified as Hoffmannia culminicola, which is a synonym of Hoffmannia nicotianifolia.