indiancouple

I agree with you mlgb. But LAN has about a dozen flights daily from Arequipa to Lima, spread during the day.So based on what crellston said, I guess we should be fine if we booked ourselves on a morning flight, leaving a 10-hour gap for our international flight.

Thanks everyone for helping shape this itinerary. Now to do our ticket booking, before we come back with some specific questions.

mlgb

That is reassuring indiancouple...And of course you will have trip interruption insurance?

Since you are going to spend the first day in Lima, I'd again recommend Barranco. A good place for low-key sightseeing, and stretching your legs. I love my 3B if you don't need luxury or very larger rooms. Such nice people, and the street/block they are on is safe and well-lit, as well as relatively quiet and with convenient drinking/eating spots across the street and down the block. You can write to them directly and ask for the rooms that should allow you to sleep best on arrival.

I have good experience with taxidatum in Lima as well.

If stamina is an issue be sure to chose hotels that can be accessed by taxi or mototaxi without needing to walk (that may rule out some lodgings in old town Ollantaytambo or San Blas Cusco)

Pakaritampu is the most expensive in Olly but I liked the hotel by the train station (try to get a room with a view and not facing the train station!). The onsite restaurant has a good reputation although my most recent visit was disappointing.

odie1

I disagree with mlgb on the hotel by the train station. It is very nice and the breakfast is good but that is a longer steeper walk to get up to the main square and ruins I think. It was very convenient for coming in from MP on the train with sick, exhausted family. It is also a bit maddening when you want to walk outside and go somewhere and a train is beginning the boarding process.

mlgb

I took a mototaxi up to the main square odie. There are also likely taxis near the train station.

I also stayed up near the main square but that also is very busy at times, with vehicles in particular.

mlgb

odie..Apu Lodge. Am I correct that you can't get there by vehicle?

crellston

You can't get to Apu by vehicle it is a 50-70 m walk up a cobbled path, but they arrange to meet incoming guests in the plaza and transport bags by trolley. Nice place. Apu is ancient place. Nice gardens, huge rooms.

mlgb

That's what I thought. I don't know the degree of indiancouple's limitations so wanted them to be aware of that.

indiancouple

Need to first book my flight tickets. Next will get down to looking at hotels. Will keep all the above advice in mind.

odie1

We stayed at Apu Lodge, on someone's suggestion here (mlgb or crellston?). We loved it, but yes that is also a walk and indeed up the cobbles. Forgot about the mototaxis one can take up from the train station.

jimenal

Hi!

Since you don't seem to be to concerned about covering a lot of ground, I would personally recommend staying in the Cusco area. This is how I would personally do it -

Travel day: arriving in Lima
Day 1: Lima - stay in Miraflores or (if you don't mind the price) Hotel B in Barranco. Enjoy Lima culinary scene - many great places to chose from.
Day 2: Mid morning flight to Cusco. Take a taxi straight to Sacred Valley. Sleep in Urubamba.
Day 3: Day trip to Pisac and Maras. Sleep in Urubamba.
Day 4: Head to Ollantaytambo. Explore the ruins and sleep in Ollantaytambo.
Day 5: Head to Aguas Calientes. If you don't mind the price, stay in Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel. Spend afternoon on hotel grounds (worthwhile).
Day 6: Machu Picchu and sleep back in Inkaterra.
Day 7: Head back to Cusco, sleep in Cusco.
Day 8: Cusco
Day 9: Cusco - might add a day trip to Andahuaylillas and surroundings. This is more off the beaten track and totally worth it.
Day 10 Cusco.
Travel day: Fly back to Lima and catch your plane back home

mlgb

They said they aren't especially interested in churches. I don't know about Andahuaylillas in this case.

jimenal

@mlgb I guess that I don't really think about the church in Andahuaylillas as a church, but as a way to see some extremely unique art. Also, they talk about quaint towns - and most of the Sacred Valley is by now extremely touristy and not quite quaint IMO - but Andahuaylillas still is.

KariRui

We used Tucano Peru to plan our trip and they took care of everything. We told them our interests and they tailored a three-week trip perfectly to our wishes. Some minor issues with local operators were handled very professionally and completely to our satisfaction. I worked with Janet. ([email protected]). The travel agency is owned by a British expat.

indiancouple

Hey everyone, who helped plan this itinerary. Have made tentative Hotel bookings as follows. Would appreciate suggestions on changes required if any.

Lima - Country Club Lima Hotel, San Isidro (1 night)
Ollantaytambo - El Albergue (2 nights)
Aguas Calientes - Casa del Sol Machupicchu (1 night)
Cusco - Casa Cartagena (3 nights)
Arequipa - Libertador Arequipa (2 nights)

All bookings are cancelleable, so would appreciate suggestions on change.

mlgb

I don't think Libertador is a convenient location in Arequipa. I was thinking more along the lines of Casa Andina Premium. Or given your interest in architecture, any of the sillar mansions in the old city. I stayed in Casa Melgar after reading about it in the LA Times, it is a little quirky, but good location and I liked the sillar construction, and unique decor. By chance a year or so later, I went into a collectibles store in Lima, and wound up talking to the proprietor and she was the owner of Casa de Melgar!

Really not sure about the LIMA Country Club Hotel. It's isolated, IMO. It may be a little long in the tooth. I wonder if they have AC? Still like Barranco for Lima. I vote 3B or Second Home Peru. If you want an inexpensive hotel in Lima with AC there are a few Terra Vivas, Casa Andinas, or Ibis hotels.

You changed your mind about staying at the Sanctuary Lodge in Machu Picchu? I have never spent the night in Aguas so my personal experience is zero but you might look at El Mapi or Terra Viva.

I don't know Casa Cartagena but if it's near the flat part of town in Cusco and get good reviews it should be okay in terms of convenience.

odie1

In Aguas we stayed at El Mapi and thought it very nice for such an unattractive town. Covenient to the bus line up with good food.
In Cusco we stayed at the Marriott (we used points) but I have to say it was one of if not the nicest Marriotts I have ever been to (and I have been to a lot)! Food, space, staff, location (near to Casa Cartagena) were excellent. Location wise Casa Cartagena is good but I know nothing more about it.

indiancouple

Casa Cartagena is well located in Cusco, and gets rave reviews on Trip Advisor. Likewise for El Albergue in Ollantaytambo and Casa del Sol in Aguas Calientes. Surprised to read mlgb's comment on Libertador - I thought it was very well located in Arequipa, close to city centre, with excellent reviews.

I realize that Country Club is not the best located in Lima, and am looking at other options, preferably in Barranco or Miraflores. Prefer to avoid large chains like Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton etc as I feel they lack character and warmth.

mlgb

What's that saying.."close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades?"

I think it's very worthwhile to be IN the historic center given your interest in architecture.

Lima is difficult...your choices are usually big bucks, plain but serviceable with A/C in a noisy location, or quaint and likely a little noisy, possibly with small rooms.


I have tried quite a few of the midpriced options over 6-7 +/- trips to Lima (eg, not Hotel B) and just keep going on recommending 3B because of the location and the service, things like made to order breakfast, all day coffee, tea and water, and excellent front desk staff (crellston backs me up on this). They do have fans and it's a relatively quiet location (for Lima).

The rooms are plain in a modern style but with some nice contemporary touches in the downstairs sitting area. There are no onsite restaurants or bars which keeps the noise down..but they are conveniently across the street or down the block. 82% Excellent on Tripadvisor, #1 B&B in Lima

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...ma_Region.html

https://www.3bhostal.com/barranco-be...kfast-gallery/

crellston

I am with mlgb regarding 3B Barranco. Great staff and a good location, a favourite in Lima. I wouldn't stay anywhere other than Barranco as I love the bohemian vibe, the restaurants, esp. La Cuadra de Salvador which is just across the road from 3B. Safe to wander the streets until the early hours if that is what you want to do.

If you want something more upscale then Hotel B, but prices are astronomical and I doubt it is worth the additional cost.

I wouldn't stay in San Isidro, to soulless, maybe Miralflores? A big chain hotel, but a great little cation on Larcomar is the JW Marriott

I can't recall the name of the place we stayed at last in Arequipa but it was in a great location and just along the road from the Casa Andina that mlgb mentions.

El Alberque is convenient for the station but a long way downhill from the main Plaza and the restaurants.

jimenal

If price is not an issue, stay in Hotel B in Barranco while in Lima. Otherwise, if only for a night, I don't think Hotel Country is too bad - I actually live eight blocks away. Should you decide to stay there let me know and I can recommend some restaurants in the area.

I love El Albergue in Ollantaytambo.

While in Aguas Calientes, have you checked Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel? Its not cheap, but I stayed there years ago and still remember it as beautiful.