Hatuchay Inka Apart Hotel

Our room was comfortable and felt like a palace, with a full apartment layout. The hotel is on the prettiest street in town, and everything is walkable, with the plaza just 2 blocks away. The man running the place was a highlight, very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Each day, a lovely young woman brought us a varied, excellent breakfast and cleaned the room. Rm 106 Sumak wasn’t quite as pictured. There are now two queen beds in the living room where the pictured dining table used to be. I suppose they want to offer the option of sleeping 8. The bedroom has lots of shelves and drawers, and both rooms get plenty of light, so bring eye masks.

Breakfast arriving at the room each morning was such a nice touch. It was simple and really tasty, and we got something different on each of the four mornings. The people running the place had that friendly, close-knit feel of a family business. The owner and the three women working there were consistently warm and helpful. Our room, 106 (Sumak; listed as "apartment with terrace" on Booking), had loads of space, with a big living room, a little kitchenette, dining area, and full-size fridge. There were four beds, more than the two of us needed, but they didn't take over the room. Plenty of outlets and storage, and a great shower. Just be ready for early sun through the skylights, around 6:00 AM, and some neighborhood noise from music and dogs. Earplugs and an eye mask helped. The setting is lovely, on a small pedestrian street with a view down to the plaza and up toward the colorful church and its pretty steps. It's handy for the plaza and restaurants, and I enjoyed watching people from the shared balcony below us. We had a great stay and can't picture choosing somewhere else in Cajamarca.

This was a very upsetting first impression of Cajamarca. The entrance was behind a locked door with no clear sign, and when I arrived outside check-in hours I asked about availability and price, specifying from the start that I wanted a double room. Hours later, after my companion arrived, I let them in using the key the owner had given me. A few minutes later the owner came into the room, yelling rudely and without justification. I stayed calm and asked him to check the security camera footage to verify I'd asked for a double room at the beginning. He refused outright. We ended up calling the police. When we requested the complaints book, he handed us a plain lined notebook with 100 pages. The officer said it didn't meet the requirements for an official complaints book, and that was when we realized this was an informal business. I wish I'd read the reviews beforehand. Mistreatment, discrimination, poor service, and disrespect toward tourists seem to be common here. I'm grateful to the Cajamarca Police for responding quickly and effectively, and for advising us to file a formal complaint with INDECOPI. It's sad that places like this can harm the image of tourism in our country.

He treats tourists badly and falls back on "these are my rules" as if his position gives him the right to do that. The owner is arrogant and rude, and resorts to slander when he has no argument. A city with so many visitors shouldn't have someone like this running a place. It's also not registered as a hotel; the tax ID is registered to a private individual, which seems strange. That means you can't use the complaints book.