Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [437]
Many places will add a surcharge of 7% or more to all credit-card transactions, not including the foreign-currency exchange fee that your own bank may add. When paying cash, either nuevos soles (local currency) or US dollars (US$) are often accepted. Note that the exchange rate featured at hotels may be different from that being offered at local banks or casas de cambio (foreign-exchange bureaus); you can count on it being less favorable.
In the remote jungle lodges of the Amazon and in popular beach destinations such as Máncora, all-inclusive resort-style pricing may be the norm.
Apartments
Midrange and high-end travelers can find a limited number of furnished homes and apartments available for short-term rentals (primarily in Lima). Check www.vrbo.com and www.cyberrentals.com for listings.
Hostels
There are a number of Hostelling International (www.hihostels.com) hostels in the country’s main tourist areas, including Lima, Cuzco and Arequipa. Beyond that, there is a wide gamut of backpacker-geared hostels in the principal tourist towns (especially Lima), from mellow bunk-spaces to rowdy, all-night party spots – choose carefully. Many places come equipped with all manner of backpacker goodies, including wi-fi, book exchanges, lockers for gear (bring a lock), hot water, TV rooms with DVD libraries and shared kitchens. Rates on these vary, from S14 to S35 per person, per night.
Hotels
BUDGET
All budget spots listed in this book have rates of less than S75 per night. Basic one- and two-star hotels, hostales, hospedajes and albergues are Peru’s cheapest accommodations and are generally very basic, simply furnished spots. In this price range, expect to find small rooms, with decent beds and a shared or private bathroom. In the major cities, these options will generally include hot showers; in more rural and remote areas, they likely will not. Soundproofed walls in this price range are rare, and soundproofed windows are even rarer. Some budget inns will include a very simple breakfast in the rate, such as instant coffee with toast.
Rooms vary remarkably in quality and facilities, even within the same establishment, so always ask to see a room before accepting it. Avoid rooms overlooking noisy streets (unless you’re a very sound sleeper), lacking windows or appearing insecure (test the locks on doors and windows). Shopping around can yield a much more suitable room for about the same rate.
Many areas around bus stations, are chock-full of cheap places to sleep. Proceed with caution; theft is a frequent problem.
MIDRANGE
Mid-priced hostales and hotels range from S75 to S240 for a double room. Again, these accommodations can include everything from small, no-frills business hotels to cozy B&Bs with trickling fountains and Peruvian art. Many midrange places will accept credit cards, sometimes for an additional fee.
At this level, rooms generally have private bathrooms with hot-water showers and small portable heaters or fans may be provided for climate control. Some newer spots are also equipped with air conditioning. (The Amazon is an exception; accommodations in this area tend to be more rustic, even in the higher price ranges.) Rooms tend to have more amenities than their budget counterparts, such as cable TV and in-room telephones and, in some cases, in-room safes. These phones usually only connect to the reception desk and can only receive incoming calls. To make outgoing calls, guests give the outside number to reception, hang up, then wait to be called back. Click here for more information about making calls.
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HOT SHOWERS
The cheapest places to stay in Peru don’t always have hot water, or it may be turned on only at certain hours of the day. Early birds often use up all the hot water, so if you’re a late riser be mentally prepared for a chilly wake-up call.
Be careful with those electronic showerheads – a single cold-water showerhead hooked up to an electric heating element that is switched on when you want a hot shower.