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| A panoramic view of Cusco. |
From two swanky new resorts in bustling Lima to two modern chic hotels opening in the heart of Cusco, Travel Agent brings to you the latest hotel developments and more in Peru.
New Resorts in Lima
In May, Libertador Hotels, Resorts & Spas opened the first Westin in South America in the city of Lima, The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center. With 301 rooms, the 30-floor hotel in San Isidro—the heart of Lima’s financial and shopping district—has the typical heavenly signature in every room. The hotel has 21 suites, including the 3,261-square-foot Presidential Suite, and the largest convention center in the country with a capacity of up to 1,900 people.
The Spa at Westin, the largest in Lima at nearly 20,000 square feet, houses 14 treatment rooms, a fully equipped gym and a heated pool. The fine dining at Maras Restaurant under the eye of Chef Rafael Piqueras, whose resume includes Antica Osteria del Teatro in Italy and the legendary El Bulli in Spain, is also a must. There is also a more casual dining restaurant at Market 770, a lobby lounge and a cocktail bar.
Although the hotel leans on the business side, we recommend pitching this to older, well-seasoned couples on holidays, too. Agents should contact Gabriela Colmenar ([email protected]), reservations manager, with questions.
On November 20, Atton Hotels opened its first property in Lima—the Atton San Isidro. This new hotel in San Isidro is ideal for both business and leisure clients. The new and modern nine-story building has 252 spacious guest rooms, free Internet access in rooms, outdoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, restaurant, lobby bar and five fully equipped meeting rooms with a capacity of 208 people.
This property, too, can be booked for older couples looking to stay in a vibrant area of the city. Contact Gabriela Bianchi, corporate sales manager, at [email protected] for queries.
Developments in Cusco
The 153-room JW Marriott Hotel Cusco will open in 2012 with a customized design built around a colonial church and ancient Inca artefacts found on the site. The hotel, in the heart of Cusco, will include a museum of prominent artefacts.
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| One of the guest rooms at Atton San Isidro with a King bed. |
All rooms will be equipped with luxurious bedding and bathrooms with soaking tubs and separate showers, as well as the latest in in-room technology. At an elevation of 11,200 feet above sea level, the JW Cusco will be the first Marriott property to have an in-room supplemental oxygen system to relieve altitude sickness.
Agents should target affluent, art-loving baby boomers well-seasoned in Latin America travel.
Meanwhile, Orient-Express is opening its latest project in June 2012 in the form of the Palacio Nazarenas, a 55-suite hotel in a former palace and convent in Cusco. Make sure to ask for suites that have fireplaces and views of the hillside Inca site of Sacsayhuamán or Cusco’s cathedral in the Plaza de Armas.
All rooms will have an oxygen-infiltrated ventilation system to aid guests’ altitude acclimatization. Each spacious bathroom, done in Peruvian travertine marble, will have under-floor heating.
Amenities will include complimentary Wi-Fi; iPad for use during stay—pre-loaded with Cusco city guides, newspapers, movies and restaurant suggestions; a mobile phone with citywide reception; a Bose sound system and more.
The hotel will house Cusco’s first outdoor, heated infinity edge pool, and an all-day dining experience showcasing contemporary Andean cuisine. Palacio Nazarenas’ indulgent spa will have four single treatment rooms and one double with private hot tub, which will surround a patio reception area.
This is a perfect fit for families and smaller groups. As far as families go, agents should target the ones with teenagers who are least 13 years of age. Children too young may not fully appreciate the historical aspect of the property or its surroundings.
New Amazon Experiences
Aqua Expeditions recently launched a new riverboat, the luxurious M/V Aria, which has joined its sister ship, the M/V Aqua, in providing visitors with three-, four- and seven-night itineraries to explore Peru’s remote Pacaya Samiria National Reserve in the Amazon.
It has 16 specially designed cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows, a fully air-conditioned top deck as well as the Aqua Expeditions’ signature Amazon Grill by award-winning Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. Its top deck has an observation lounge, an outdoor Jacuzzi and a sun deck. To give guests an insight into Peruvian Amazon nature, the crew includes four world-class nature guides, and there is an Amazon wildlife reference library and an air-conditioned multimedia room onboard.
This is a great fit for younger, adventurous couples or families. Older couples will make a good fit as well, but guests need to be in at least average physical condition since the expedition includes some light hiking. Agents can contact Marketing and Sales Manager Milly Alva Haimberger ([email protected]) for queries.
Meanwhile, Delfin Amazon Cruises has two luxurious, classic-designed vessels and also refurbished its Delfin II at the end of 2010 to provide 14 guest suites. These include four master suites with 180-degree panoramic windows and 10 suites, four of which can be interconnected to accommodate families. Aboard the Delfin II is a dining room on the second deck, an observation deck, bar, entertainment center, library, and special hammock sun deck.
Again, target affluent couples—young or old—who have been to Latin America before and are looking for a little something different. Agents can reach out to Ines Orihuela ([email protected]), sales and reservations manager/assistant director, for further information.