Would anyone who has been on the Oat Tour "Real Affordable Peru" comment on the quality of hotels they use. A couple of them got negative reviews on trip advisor so I was just curious. Thanks!

They use local hotels rather than chains. The Lima Hotel Antigua Miraflores was fine- a good neighborhood within 3 blocks of the ocean. Rooms are basic, but clean with modern bathrooms. Cusco was the Don Carlo which was my least favorite-ask for a room with a window as the inside courtyard rooms can be stuffy. Again-basic, but modern bathroom. Casona Yucay was my favorite-in the countryside with lots of gardens. Aguas Caliente was Hanacpacha-small, but adequate. Smartours does better in the hotel department, but these are local and OAT likes to support the economy.
If you are lucky you will have Raul for a tour director-he was terrific. Have a good time!!

We just returned from this trip four days ago. In Lima we stayed at the Jose Antonio in Miraflores and it was clean, and quiet, and we had hot water. It was a very decent hotel! We also stayed at the Jose Antonio in Cusco. It was also a decent hotel. The other hotels were additionally pleasant hotels as follows...the San Agustin Urumbamba and the Hanaqpacha Machu Pichu.
The advice is to not use tap water for brushing your teeth. Also toilet paper should should not be thrown into the toilet but into the waste basket next to the toilet.
We have traveled quite a bit throughout Europe and have been to China. This was definitely the most well organized and wonderful trips we have ever taken!! Our guide was Marcos Aragon and he was, without a doubt, the best tour quide we've ever had. You are in for a wonderful trip!!

I am going on the OAT tour next week. For those of you who did it, could you give me some ideas for a gift/memento for the home visit. Thanks.

On our home visit some people brought tea towels from their home state, maple sugar candy or chocolates. The family had teenage daughters and we wished we had brought items for them. We also wished we had brought potato peelers! That may sound strange, but potatos are part of every meal in Peru and they don't have peelers!! Some of us picked up cold drinks for the family. I carried around hair ornaments to give to the little girls who were everywhere....they loved it!