Astrid y Gastón

Gastón Acurio is known to many as the chef who introduced Peruvian cuisine to the world. My first experience at one of his restaurants was in Santiago, Chile almost ten years ago and I was taken away by the food. Needless to say when I was looking for places to eat in Lima.
Although the tasting menu is available, we went for a la carte order given that we were dining with a group of ten friends and we wanted some flexibility on the menu options. The creativity of the dishes was superb. Everything from the scallop sashimi to the pandora’s box of chocolates to end the meal was memorable. Dining Traveler Tip: make sure to make time to have a pre-dinner cocktail at the beautiful bar.

Central

Ever since watching Central’s chef Virgilio Martinez episode on the Netflix show Chef’s Table, I dreamt of eating at this legendary restaurant. Sometimes I’m skeptical when it comes to over publicized and overhyped restaurants but believe me: Central is worth the hype. It took us a while to make a reservation and booked it a month and a half in advance. Everything was booked when I made the initial request. However, Central’s website allows you to get on a waitlist. I took a chance and put myself on the waitlist. A week and a half later I got the confirmation. If you can’t get a reservation, consider walking into the restaurant. I have two sets of friends that did walk-ins and were able to get in for lunch service.
Their elevation menu is one of the best culinary experiences I’ve ever had in my life. If you love food and travel, this is for you. The menu is a culinary Journey throughout Peru. We had unique dishes such as crispy piranha skin sitting on Frozen pearl onions heads to Andean potatoes cooked in a mini mud oven. It is evident that to dine at Central; you have to go with an open mind as the dishes are unique. The experience does not come cheap. However, the service, food, and attention to detail make it completely worth it.

El Perroquet

If you are looking for a classic yet elegant place to eat in Lima, El Perroquet is for you. Located at the idyllic Country Club Hotel in Lima, this restaurant gives you a glimpse of Peruvian high society with its old-world dining room, its dapper waitstaff, and their perfect presentation to classic Peruvian dishes.
We opted for one of the classics: the lomo saltado. This traditional Peruvian dish consists of tender slices of beef, french fries, and peppers sitting on a bed of white rice. Although this dish sounds simple, it is an explosion of flavors that this cuisine is known for.

Social

There’s a reason why Social is consistently ranked top 10 on Trip Advisor restaurants in Lima. We had the chance to have breakfast and dinner at this restaurant and we were equally pleased with the service and food. I highly recommend the breakfast service: instead of a buffet, you can order a la carte. One of the breakfast highlights were the Inca waffles made with quinoa. Delicioso!
If you love pisco sours as much as I do, make sure to order the many variations of the famous Peruvian cocktail. My favorite was the passion fruit pisco. No trip to Peru will be complete without ceviche! The ceviche options are abundant at social, from the classic ceviche mixto, a mix of raw seafood cured in citrus to a more modern take of ceviche: raw fish with crispy squid, drenched in leche de tigre. If looking for a place to eat in Lima, specifically Miraflores, I highly recommend.

La Vista

If you are looking for the most decadent brunch buffet in Lima, La Vista restaurant at JW Marriott would be it. Where do we start? We started our brunch with piscos (when in Peru…) and moved on to the decadent buffet. My two favorite things: the ceviche bar and a roasted suckling pig. The chef has several options of ceviche to choose from and the dish made right in front of you. It does not get fresher than that. Make sure to save some room for dessert, especially for some favorite Peruvian desserts such as suspiro limeno and mini tres leches.
This decadent brunch at JW Marriott has a fabulous view to go with it: you get to see the waves of the Pacific ocean from the restaurant. Brunch service gets quite busy so I recommend to make a reservation in advance. When looking for places to eat in lima, make sure you add brunch to your list!

Places to Eat in Lima, Peru: The Verdict

I only listed five places to eat in Lima, but there are so many other places we wished we had the time to dine in. Other places that are recommended by local friends were:
– Isolina Taberna Peruana for traditional fare
– Amaz for dishes of the Amazon region
– El Mercado for seafood
Have you been to Lima? What was your favorite dining experience?

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Finding Hotel Sumaq

Personally, we love to mix it up: save a little money on one part of the trip to be able to splurge a little later on. For example, on our recent trip to Peru, we were grateful to come back ‘home’ to soft bed sheets after our hiking experiences. The warm embrace of the upscale Hotel Sumaq after a couple of wet hours exploring magical Machu Picchu was the perfect treat. About our experience…

Location

As said, Aguas Calientes can really only be reached on foot or by train and we chose the latter, coming from Cusco. The Hotel Sumaq porter who welcomed us at the train station to haul our luggage guided us through the beautiful hustle and bustle of the station and its adjacent market. With such a warm welcome, we knew that we were in good hands.

The raging waters of the Urubamba (Vilcanota) river are not what gave Aguas Calientes its name but it is certainly a spectacular feature of the town.  Our 5 min. walk from the train station to Hotel Sumaq gave us a taste of its impressive location surrounded by rugged mountains, overlooking the river.

The Rooms

Its location and views are by no means the only reason why Hotel Sumaq is such a great choice but if you can you should try to get a river-view room; two big sliding patio window doors open up to a balcony where you can take in the raw beauty and energy of the place. Where there is raw beauty outside, there is refinement indoors. From the friendly and helpful staff to the décor to the food; Sumaq stands out by doing things in style.

Our room was ample, with a very comfortable bed that hit the spot after we had spent the last two days hiking and taking in the beauty of the Cusco region. The room also had complimentary water bottles and a big tub to soak your tired muscles after a long day exploring Machu Picchu.

The Food

You come to Hotel Sumaq for the unparalleled luxury but you stay for the food. Take for example the afternoon tea service (included in room rate). Sweet and savory bites, delicate fruit cups, elegant mini sliders, and sandwiches: you’ll find yourself making multiple trips to the tables where all this deliciousness is presented. And no tea service is complete without a freshly poured cup of your favorite.

The fact that the afternoon bites are so good is no surprise: Sumaq has really doubled down on being a destination for fine dining. We were so happy to hear from the chef how he takes inspiration from and insists on using, local produce including many varieties of quinoa, corn, fruit, seafood, potatoes and other vegetables.  All served with a lot of refinement and creativity yet in generous portions. As a matter of fact, I recommended the restaurant to my friend Maribel and she was just as satisfied with the food and service.

Special Occasions

We had the opportunity to indulge with a tasting menu at a special room at the back of the property. This room can be reserved for small receptions or if you wish to have a romantic dinner for two. There, we had the opportunity to talk to Chef Ribelino who walked us through his creative menu which included crispy quinoa, trout ceviche over hot stones, and Andean chocolate. Even if you don’t choose to stay at Hotel Sumaq, I highly recommend booking a dining experience. The tasting menu goes for $118 per person (plus tax and service) but it is worth every little bite.

The Spa

To reflect on the impressive experience there is no better way to reward your tired body than a delicious massage in Sumaq’s spa and steam room. Our bodies were reinvigorated by the Andean herbal oils. I was a bit bummed that the spa staff mixed up our treatments (I REALLY wanted that face massage). I suggest booking the spa experience ahead of time so you can have flexibility with the booking times as the spa can get busy.

Hotel Sumaq: The Verdict

After our massage and a freshly made ‘Chicha’ (delicious Peruvian Corn drink), we headed back to Cusco by train feeling we conquered Machu Picchu in style by staying at hotel Sumaq. If you are looking for a luxury hotel in Macchu Picchu, Hotel Sumaq is the place for you.

Hotel Sumaq, Avenida Hermanos Ayar, Machu Picchu, Peru, Website

Disclaimer: we were hosted by Hotel Sumaq, however, opinions are our own. Also, we paid for our dining and spa experiences.

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The Location

Tucked into a side street just three blocks away from Cusco’s main square, El Mercado has the perfect location. There’s no exterior facade to the property except a large blue door, which makes it different than many other boutique hotels in Cusco. Once you walk in, you’re led to this beautiful patio with colorful chairs in distinct Inca textiles that surround the bonfire.

The Scene

The front desk clerk gave a warm welcome and led us to their gorgeous patio. There, we were welcomed with a warm cup of coca tea (a must for the altitude) and a staff member sat down with us and explained every little detail about the hotel. It felt like we were staying at someone’s home. El Mercado Cusco draws an international crowd as we heard everything from Spanish to French during our stay.

The Room

The room was average size, with a comfortable bed that comes handy after a tough day of hiking. The staff also restocked the room every day with four water bottles at no charge, which I thought was a nice touch. The little details… this why I was looking for a boutique hotel in Cusco. I find that smaller properties pay more attention to the guest and their needs. The only thing I missed from the room was a tub. Not that I am a big tub person, BUT it would’ve been great to soak in one after our Rainbow Mountain Hike. I was in pain!

The Food

Whether you’re staying at El Mercado or another boutique hotel in Cusco, or anywhere in the city for that matter, I highly recommend you make reservations at their Taberna Restaurant. We arrived quite hungry and immediately ordered lunch: a delicious causa and soup. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. We ended up eating there several times as we got back from our tours quite late with zero energy to venture out!

When looking for a boutique hotel in Cusco, we made sure the rate included breakfast. Our outings were quite early and we did not want the extra hassle of dealing with breakfast. I am all for a great hotel breakfast and El Mercado Cusco delivered. The breakfast included a warm and cold buffet, crepes made to order, made to order fresh juices, and fresh pastries. If you are going on an early outing, the staff will put together a to-go bag for you!

The Service

If there’s a highlight of our stay at this gorgeous boutique hotel in Cusco was the service. The staff was friendly and attentive at all times. They also went above and beyond. When I returned from Rainbow Mountain, I asked if there was a place I could wash my boots. The front desk clerk insisted on cleaning them himself. I tried to say no, but he wouldn’t have it. I thought that was the loveliest gesture.

Boutique Hotel in Cusco: El Mercado

If you’re looking for a boutique hotel in Cusco, I recommend El Mercado. Nothing sponsored here, we paid with our hard earned cash money. The location, decor, and the food make it the ideal place to stay in Cusco.

El Mercado, Calle Siete Cuartones, 306, Cusco City Centre,  Cusco, Peru; Website 

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Rainbow Mountain Peru: Booking The Trip

There are plenty of tour operators in Cusco and we decided to Eco Packers as we walked in, the salesperson gave us a good orientation about the tour. We paid 80 soles each ($25). The tour included breakfast, transportation, entrance to the park, and lunch. It was easy booking the Rainbow Mountain tour at short notice, but I suspect is because we were traveling in the low season (January).

Getting There

Getting to Rainbow Mountain in Peru is quite the trip! It takes around 4 hours to get there (with breakfast in between). I liked that our tour had a smaller van versus the huge tour buses, making it more comfortable. Once you get over the grogginess of waking up at 4 am, I recommend watching the beautiful Andean scenery: the emerald green mountains, the colorful Inca women walking along the road, and the extroverted llamas. The views from the bus were just as impressive as the hike itself.

Arriving at Rainbow Mountain

Compared to Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain is still in its infancy regarding receiving visitors. The site is pretty basic in terms of facilities. Bathrooms consist of old latrines and port-a-johns. Thankfully my Marine Corps skills came to play on this one. If you are a prissy traveler, the bathroom scenario may traumatize you!

The Hike

We were in a sticky predicament: we only had four days in Cusco and wanted to go to Rainbow Mountain. When we started hiking towards the mystical mountain, we only had spent 24 hours in the region. Altitude is real. It really slows you down. The Dutchman and I are used to hiking, but we had the wind knocked out of us (literally). Once you reach the top, you are at 5,000 meters above sea level. That’s 3 times what you experience in Denver!

Due to the altitude, it was a really tough hike for both of us. Thankfully our guide was super relaxed and wasn’t rushing us up the hill (we saw other tour companies herding people up the hill). That gave us the opportunity to take it all in, have some snacks, and rest when we were getting beat down by the elements. Our group comprised around 12 people: a mix of Brazilians, Peruvians, French, Bolivians, and us, the Dutchrican couple. Everybody had a different level of fitness, so each did their own thing.

View from the Top

After around two and a half hours and lots of pain, we got to the famous Rainbow Mountain. We completely beat! To make it worse, once we reached the top, we were hit with hail…lots of hail! It was cold and wet, and the worst part was that we didn’t get the epic view we were expecting. We quickly took a few photos and worked our way back. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed. However, I got over it 15 minutes later, hiking down the muddy trail and taking in the majestic Andes mountains.

There’s an amazing sense of peace there. Once you zone out the tourists and look at the stunning rock formations, the sheep in the distance, and the snow-capped mountains, you know it is all worth it. Being in places of such magnitude also reminds us how we are just tiny specks in this vast universe.

How to Prepare

If you have the time, I suggest acclimatizing for a few days before heading to Rainbow Mountain. Drink lots of water before your trip, upon your arrival in Cusco, and during your trip. Our tour did not provide snacks/water, so ask your tour provider and buy accordingly. You can also find vendors along the trail selling snacks and drinks. Make sure you bring local Peruvian currency (soles) in small change or bills.

Wear comfortable hiking gear and focus on layers. On the way to the top, I got super warm, as it was quite the workout. Once I got to the top, we had to put on our hats and windbreakers as the temperature dropped quickly when we got hit by the hail storm. Our guide also recommended wearing a hat that covered the ears as it is supposed to help with altitude sickness. We paid $5 for hand-knitted hats from local vendors at the trail entrance. We looked silly, but our ears were warm and we got a cool souvenir out of it!

Rainbow Mountain: The Verdict

I am not going to front: this is a tough hike. I initially thought “perhaps I’m old,” but then I saw 20-year-olds gasping for air, and I didn’t feel that bad for myself. You can ride horses up to Rainbow Mountain if you know you’re not athletically inclined. However, be prepared to dismount on the steep hills, including the steepest part of it all: getting to the Rainbow Mountain itself!

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