Peru is one of those countries where you can stay in 5-star hotels even if you usually don’t. The price is right and the value is incomparable when viewed next to hotels of a slightly lower rating. Take off a star and you’re ripping yourself off.
You also don’t want to experiment with local stabs at luxury, as that is highly hit and miss. We learned quickly that hotel chains aren’t something to try to avoid in Peru and turned into Hilton representatives very fast. The fact that you know what to expect was just comforting for someone with high expectations.
We’ve curated a list of the best hotels in Peru in the luxury category. They’re places we’ve either personally stayed at or places that we have good intel about and are comfortable putting our names behind. We tried including those that are more affordable as well as those that are, for the regular tourist, stupidly unaffordable. But we aren’t regular here, are we. Wink.
Just so you know, if you decide to book any of the hotels using the links in any of our articles, we get a small commission from booking.com. You don’t pay anything extra for this kickback. Thanks if you do, we appreciate it!
The prices in this article are per night for 2 people in September, which is right after high season.
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The Miraflores neighborhood in Lima
When in Lima we always recommend staying in the modern, clean and safe neighborhood of Miraflores. It’s a bit south from the historic center (take a taxi there) and you get all of the best hotels, shopping and restaurants in a relatively small area. And those coastal views!
If you’re looking for a good hotel near the Lima airport, you’re out of luck. As is the norm, airport hotels are either crappy or overpriced or both. If you really don’t want to make the 30-minute drive to or from Miraflores, choose this hotel solely for the convenient location (it’s right at the entrance of the airport):
The best Lima hotels are not by the airport... but if you must, stay at the Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport.
Like I said, the Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport isn’t the best value, but it does the trick and it’s better than anything else on offer. It’s the best hotel by the airport, but it wouldn’t otherwise be anywhere near the top of our best hotels in Lima list.
You’ll get a night’s sleep and you can even get speed-pampered at the Spa Express. Or I assume it’s a very quick massage before you run to catch your flight? No idea, I may be bad-mouthing them. The hotel is right outside the airport, winning it the biggest (and only) brownie point. Oh, apparently the towels are super soft, too, so another small brownie point for that.
Location: Five steps from the Lima airport entrance
Style: Airporty chic, aka soul-less and bland
Bonus points: Five steps from the Lima airport entrance
Price: From USD 180 per night
Now on to the Lima hotels that we actually recommend:
The rooftop spa at Hilton Lima Miraflores
The Hilton Lima Miraflores has some fantastic rooftop hot tubs and pools that’ll fix your first impressions of Lima faster than you can say cocktail. It has a great restaurant with killer views. The breakfast is wonderful, the shower was probably the best we had in Peru and, as an extra bonus, the hotel is QUIET. You can’t hear the horns of the crazy drivers. It’s like your own little sanctuary.
Location: Miraflores
Style: Elegant, simple, natural tones
Bonus points: Rooftop spa
Price: From USD 229 per night
The lobby of the Radisson Red Miraflores Hotel
If you like to be a little funky, are artsy, or consider yourself a cool cat, you should check out the Radisson Red Miraflores. It has a colorful, youthful design. The colors being black, white, and, how unexpected, red. Think street art meets modern art gallery. Rooftop bar with great drinks, comfortable beds, and friendly staff. The gym is superb and the wifi is fast. And it’s cheap.
Location: Miraflores
Style: Funky, youthful
Bonus points: Rooftop bar
Price: From USD 95 per night
The presidential suite with private pool @ Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel
The Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel has rooms with ocean and coastal views and private pools (that’s if you stay in the presidential suite, otherwise “just” views). There’s a rooftop pool, wellness facilities and a gym if you want to break a sweat. The staff is exceptional and the food at the restaurant is always spoken highly of. Freakishly expensive.
Location: Miraflores
Style: Classic elegance
Bonus points: Right on the coast, rooftop pool
Price: From USD 490 per night
Our top tips for hotels in Peru:
The Plaza de Armas in Cusco, one of the nicest squares in South America
You can easily spend a week in Cusco and Sacred Valley, even more if you’re a hiking aficionado. Read our articles about things to do in Cusco and about day trips from Cusco for our favorite activities.
Take note of the many exceptional resorts within Sacred Valley. Most of them are located in and around Urubamba—a town that has absolutely nothing for you as a tourist to do, so choose a resort that you won’t want to leave.
Stay there before or after your trip to Machu Picchu, as Urubamba is close to Ollantaytambo, aka the place you’ll alight the Machu Picchu train.
It's very easy to enjoy a drink in the courtyard of the Hilton Garden Inn Cusco
The Hilton Garden Inn Cusco had super comfortable beds, wonderful staff and though it’s located a 10-minute walk to the Plaza de Armas, the bonus is that it’s quiet. That’s a polite way to say it’s not in the city center.
Still, we loved it. The spa is so good—they even have a special acclimatization massage. How brilliant is that?! (Read about acute mountain sickness here.) Add one of our favorite restaurants in all of Peru, the Garden Grille, and you have one of the best hotels in Cusco.
We don’t walk anyway. Use Cabify and get a taxi.
Location: 1 km (0.6 miles) from Plaza de Armas in Cusco (uphill)
Style: Modern, simple, with Peruvian accents
Bonus points: One of the best restaurants in Peru and excellent views
Price: From USD 100 per night
Isn’t the courtyard of the Palacio del Inka magical?!
The Palacio del Inka, A Luxury Collection Hotel by Marriott is right in the city center, neighboring the Qoricancha, a top tourist site in Cusco. You’d be staying at an old Inca palace, which is also part colonial. The decorations maintain the authenticity of the space. Staff go above and beyond, yadda yadda. There’s a harpist that plays during breakfast... nuff said.
Location: Cusco city center, next to Qoricancha
Style: Regal with bold colors
Bonus points: Oxygen and coca tea available to help cope with AMS
Price: From USD 349 per night
Bringing guests closer to nature... while they lounge at the pool @ Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado
At Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado, you get not only luxury everything, an exceptional spa and pool, but staff are also happy to share their Inca knowledge. Hopefully you’re happy to learn, otherwise it’s just annoying. No really, it’s like nothing is impossible at Tambo del Inka. Case in point: they have a private train station to Machu Picchu.
Location: Urubamba
Style: Elegant and earthy with a hint of Peruvian
Bonus points: Private Machu Picchu train station
Price: From USD 540 per night
How’s that for views? Vertical Sky Luxury Suites
At the Vertical Sky Luxury Suites, you can choose to sleep in a glass pod on the side of a cliff above the valley floor that you get to by walking, strapped in, mountain climbing-style, to the ledge of the mountain, before getting into your “room”. You can get your own Jacuzzi up there, too. Or, you can choose the more spacious and less hanging glass dome. You still get views for days, but it provides more comfort, like an actual floor you can walk on. Epic.
Location: 4 km (2.5 miles) past Ollantaytambo
Style: Spiderman chic (jk)
Bonus points: It hangs on a cliff
Price: From USD 600 per night (including half board and adrenaline activities)
The views of Machu Picchu from Huayna Picchu. That’s a lot of Picchus
Aguas Calientes (also referred to as Machu Picchu Pueblo) is the town that lays beneath the mountain on top of which the Inca city of Machu Picchu sits. This is where almost all tourists stay the night.
Machu Picchu is definitely one of the top (if not the top) place to see in Peru. We recommend visiting it over two days—see our 2-week Peru itinerary, or the longer, 4-week itinerary for Peru, for details on how we think it’s best to do that.
Beware that you need to buy your tickets to Machu Picchu months in advance and coordinate your train tickets from Ollantaytambo, too, based on your time stamp. We cover the logistics of all that in our article about visiting Machu Picchu.
Surrounded by nature at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
The Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, located in Aguas Calientes, pulls out all the stops, with terraced hills, stone paths, waterfalls and villas in lush gardens that will make you want to stay another day. The colonial-style property is decorated with Andean-style tapestries. The beds are to die for and come with alpaca blankets, and sometimes with a fireplace or private pool, too! The wifi sucks.
Location: Aguas Calientes (southern end by the river)
Style: High-end mountain chalet
Bonus points: Lush surroundings and restaurant overlooking the river
Price: From USD 549 per night (includes half board)
A room of the Sanctuary Lodge A Belmond Hotel with a view of the jungle
The wonderful Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel is up on the actual mountain near Machu Picchu itself. If you visit the Inca city over two days (like we recommend), it’s a fantastic choice that saves you time and trips up and down the mountain. It will not, however, save you money, because it comes with a hefty price tag. The hummingbirds that swoosh around the grounds better be trained to sit on your shoulder and whisper sweet nothings in your ear for that kind of money.
You can spend the evening at their restaurant or take a wander around the manicured grounds with ponds. There are direct views of Huayna Picchu, one of the mountains that tower above Machu Picchu Inca city. You’ll be amazed by them right after you wake up in your silk bedding.
Location: Right next to the Inca city of Machu Picchu
Style: Simple, earthy elegance in light tones
Bonus points: Right on the mountain next to Machu Picchu Inca city
Price: From USD 1490 per night (including full board)
The gorgeous white city center of Arequipa with El Misti towering above it in the distance
The white city of Arequipa is surrounded by natural highlights like the world’s second-deepest canyon, Colca Canyon, and the salt lagoon named Laguna de Salinas. If you’re blinded by the white, check out the Santa Catalina Monastery, which gives you all the colors of the rainbow.
Our article about the top things to do and see in Arequipa is ready for your perusal!
I mean come on… CIRQA - Relais & Châteaux
The CIRQA - Relais & Châteaux is a former monastery in the heart of the city and if the natural tones and stone walls won’t calm your soul, I don’t know what will. A peaceful haven in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Arequipa. Free wifi, a terrace, a restaurant. They are proud to have bidets in the bathrooms.
Location: Right by the Plaza de Armas in Arequipa
Style: Monastery chic
Bonus points: Walls made of sillar volcanic rock
Price: From USD 449 per night
Even Karin’s ponytail is smiling! Paracas National Reserve
Some people might just come to Paracas to see the Ballestas Islands and then head out again. Those people would be dumb, because the Paracas National Reserve is where it’s at! Not to mention day trips to Ica or Huacachina.
Read our guide to Paracas before you decide how many nights you need to stay in this small town. A good hotel is a must, because there is literally nothing to see in the town itself.
Love ♥ DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Paracas
The DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Paracas was a-mazing, as we’ve happily and numerously mentioned throughout our Peru articles.
Right on the beach with ocean views from the rooms, fabulous pool, breakfast, and staff at a standard every other hotel in Peru needs to take note of. Not to mention the hundreds of flamingos as neighbors and the free kayak and paddleboard rentals. We loved this hotel almost as much as we love each other.
The hotel restaurant, El Pardo al Mar, made our top restaurants in Peru list.
Location: South of Paracas town center, close to Paracas National Reserve entrance
Style: Beachy chic
Bonus points: Flamingos
Price: From USD 270 per night
Fantastic pool area @ Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort
If for some reason you have something against Hilton Hotels and you don’t want to stay at the DoubleTree Resort above, you can opt for the Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort. We have to admit that the property is immaculate and just oozes relaxation. There is a spa, pools inside and out and plenty of places to laze away the downtime you have in Paracas.
This property is closer to Paracas town than the DoubleTree Resort, but further from Paracas National Reserve (I’m just trying to get you to love the DoubleTree as much as we do).
Location: Just north of Paracas town center
Style: Modern beach vibes
Bonus points: Private dock
Price: From USD 227 per night
The reed everything of the Uros people
It’s the world’s highest large lake that straddles the border between Peru and Bolivia. And there are all kind of islands on it, some weirder than others. If you stay on one of them, I think I can confidently say that you’ve never been on an island like this before!
Check out our 4-week Peru itinerary for more on Lake Titicaca, the luxury train you can take to get there and other sites to see nearby.
No TV necessary at the floating hotel of QHAPAQ Lago Titicaca
And the award for the strangest hotel on this list goes to… QHAPAQ Lago Titicaca! The hotel floats. On an island that also floats.
The Uros people of Lake Titicaca historically lived on islands made of reed because they couldn’t own land. Clever, right? Some of the families on the islands have made it possible for tourists to spend the night. Many are very basic rooms, but the QHAPAQ is anything but. The rooms are fantastic, with hot water, huge windows with infinite views of Lake Titicaca, and the friendliest family taking care of you like their own. The food here is excellent, too, and comes included in the price of your room. Spectacular and a must-try. They’ll also arrange for some wonderful boat trips.
Location: On Lake Titicaca, close to Puno town
Style: Cool and reedy
Bonus points: It floats, what more do you want
Price: From USD 150 per night (full board included in the price)
Since you’re obviously in the planning stage of your vacation, check out our other fantastic and helpful articles pertaining to Peru:
39 Peru Travel Tips: What You Need to Know Before You Go
The Best Restaurants in Peru: 16 Places We Loved
A 2-Week Itinerary for Peru: A Day-By-Day Trip Plan
A Day-By-Day 4-Week Peru Itinerary
The 16 Best Places to Visit in Peru: What’s Worth Seeing?
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Hi, I’m Jan. I travel fast and intensely, thrive on adventure and nature, and unwind in comfortable hotels at night. If that sounds like your kind of journey, hop on board, and let’s explore the world together!
I started this blog after realizing how tough it can be to find reliable, authentic travel info. You wouldn’t believe how many “travel bloggers” never even visit the places they write about!
Here's the deal: not every destination is all superlatives and unicorns, and I think it’s only fair to share the less amazing parts too. You can count on my full honesty and real opinions here. My articles are packed with practical tips and detailed insights, so you can set off on your own trip without having to tie loose ends together along the way.
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