Best Western Plus Urban Larco Hotel

Those seven days in Cusco made me appreciate how calm, clean, safe, and modern this place in Lima felt. The bathrooms were lovely, the WiFi worked perfectly, and I could get to Kennedy Park, nearby restaurants and shopping, or Barranco by a quick Uber. There are also running paths along the Pacific, with beautiful views whether I headed north, south, or all the way to Barranco and back. A little coffee shop next door makes such good coffee that I’d happily book again for that alone. One thing: report any damage or torn items right away, because they may try to blame you and charge for it. Still, Lima won me over, and this hotel felt like luxury after Cusco.

The neighborhood made it easy to find what we needed, from markets and supermarkets to cafes, restaurants, and malls, and the hotel is near the ocean. Our room was comfortable and had everything necessary. The staff were warm and friendly, too.

I’m still staying here, and several things have been disappointing. We booked specifically for a room with a window, but ours has a milky film over it, won’t open, and we can’t tell whether it even faces outdoors. When we asked, we were told a room with a window costs extra. The air conditioning is the only source of fresh air, yet it keeps switching to 18 degrees even when we set a much warmer room temperature. The beds are so soft that we sink into them, which we found very uncomfortable, though I know that can come down to preference. Also, we can’t charge our European devices. There are plenty of outlets, but unlike what we’ve seen elsewhere in Peru, these are US-style Type B sockets with two flat parallel pins and a round ground hole, labeled “220 V.” That’s a dangerous pairing since this socket type is normally used for 110-120 V. Finally, the room photos posted by the hotel on booking.com don’t match what we found.

The staff made this stay for me. Everyone I dealt with was VERY friendly, helpful, and quick to respond. They brought extra towels to our room right away and came up promptly when our TV stopped working. At breakfast, they kindly arranged an egg white omelette, and on our early departure day they gave us a decent breakfast to take along. I also left something very important in the safe and only noticed after we got home. I contacted the hotel, and they found it and kept it until someone I knew in Lima could collect it. They were honest and kind throughout. I’d stay again anytime. I just wish there were coffee in the rooms.