Arawi Miraflores Express

I stayed here as part of a G Adventures tour, and it had what I needed: a spacious, comfortable room, friendly service, and wifi, all at a reasonable price. It’s a solid three-star hotel. You can walk about 15 minutes to Kennedy Park or Larcomar, and there are lots of restaurants close by. Breakfast was decent, with fresh fruit, juice, yogurt, and grains. Don’t expect a waffle maker, though.

The breakfast hostess was the best part of our stay. She was warm and naturally hospitable, and her kindness showed the level of care the rest of the team could have offered. Our first good impression came earlier, from the friendly, helpful guide who met us after our smooth airport transfer. We arrived in Lima on Monday, 20th October, after traveling overnight from London via Madrid. At Hotel Arawi Express, Miraflores, the place felt more like a hostel than a hotel, and we had to haul our own bags up steep steps, even though we tipped the driver and guide. Our room wasn’t going to be ready until 3:00pm. When we asked to have breakfast while we waited, they said it would cost $10 each because we hadn’t checked in yet. After a long flight, that felt very unaccommodating, so we went out into Miraflores and found a friendlier place to eat. Once we checked in that afternoon, the room turned out to be small and had no fridge, which made it hard to keep water cool. Our experience was mixed, but overall the comfort, attentiveness, and hospitality fell short.

The area is fantastic, with easy access to the main strip and a lovely pizza place a block away. The person running it was American, I think. If I were back here, honestly, I’d probably choose the ibis budget around the corner. This is a budget place, so it was about what I expected. The rooms are adequate and simply decorated, and at least it seemed clean. The bed was comfortable, though that’s subjective. The shower was okay but had a bit low water pressure. Breakfast was the standard basic kind you get at most hotels. Staff were okay, just less friendly and welcoming than at the other hotels we stayed in. It reminded me of a cheap Travel Lodge, if you know those from the UK.

The rooms look modern and are very clean. Breakfast is quite basic, with scrambled eggs as the only hot choice.