The sun goes down on the rooftop pool at the Miraflores Park Hotel, Lima, Peru. For more great pictures, visit our main site, www.luxurytravelblog.net.

IT’S QUITE rare to get a good shot of the sunset in Lima. The unique climate here produces thick cloud cover all through the winter, while in summer, a dense sea mist often blankets the entire city. On the plus side, there is a temperate climate here all year round, partially thanks to the cooling currents which flow along the coast from southern Chile to Northern Peru. After a fairly gruelling flight from Santiago, the sky was crystal clear as we rolled along the chaotic Lima freeways to the up-market district of Miraflores.

San Miguel de Miraflores


Miraflores is one of the wealthiest parts of Lima, and home to most of its best hotels. It sits on the cliffs high above the coast, and has very pretty gardens which run along the front. On a pleasant summer evening, like the one we enjoyed, you will find dozens of young Peruvian couples sitting on benches hand-in-hand, watching the sea rolling in. The Peruvians have much more of the native blood of the land in their veins, very different from their neighbours in Chile. The vast majority of the people here are ‘Mestizo’, of mixed Spanish and indigenous ancestry, although there are also some quirky minorities, such as the large Chinese population which came here to build the railways at the end of the 19th century. As a consequence, there are numerous ‘Chifas’ all over Lima - Chinese restaurants with a Peruvian twist. Think sweet and sour guinea pig, and you get something of the idea.

Miraflores is a great place to walk around. It’s also good for shopping, as we discovered in the large mall (above), which sits on the coast, where you can buy fine Peruvian products like Alpaca sweaters.

Miraflores Park Hotel


The Miraflores Park Hotel (from Orient Express) sits right on the cliff top, and has to be one of the best places to stay in the city. The staff here are excellent, friendly and efficient, and the rooms are spacious and comfortable. But the best feature of the hotel by a long way is the rooftop restaurant and swimming pool (above). We spent a gorgeous morning by the pool, and I could have floated up and down there all day. There is also a spa offering massage and beauty treatments. Sunset on a reasonably clear day is also a beautiful time to spend on the Miraflores Park rooftop.

La Rosa Nautica Restaurant


Just below the Miraflores Park, sitting at the end of Lima’s Pier 4, is the highly recommended Rosa Nautica restaurant. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the local seafood, with delicious-sounding specials like this on offer:

“Corvina de Bandera”, sautéed sea bass with crayfish,

grilled mushrooms in olive oil and garlic with grilled asparagus

and piquillo peppers, garnished with rice and

peruvian corn kernels


Seabass Papillote,

steamed with a bit of white wine, inside a parchment paper box,

origami style, with carrot strips, zucchini, white leek and mushrooms,

garnished “a la jardinera” rice

Believe me, these dishes are as good as they sound. And the wine list is comparable with good European restaurants. We spent the second evening at the excellent Huaca Pucllana restaurant, which sits right next to the amazing ruins of a 5th century city. The Pucllana serves the best of modern Peruvian cuisine, such as spicy hen casserole, and an extremely tasty ‘Chupe’ or stew, with Peruvian crayfish, corns, lima beans, fried eggs, yellow chili pepper and fresh local herbs. We have to thank the concierge at the Miraflores Park for recommending this place, and booking a table on the outdoor terrace with a great view of the ancient ruins. It was a memorable evening out in Lima.

The Verdict


Miraflores is a lovely part of Lima, and a great place to stay, but it is not representative of the city. We only had two nights here, passing through on our way to Cusco, and then on the way back to Madrid. I would have loved to spend more time exploring other parts of this fascinating town, but that will have to wait for another time. If you are staying in Miraflores, make sure you book into the Miraflores Park - if only for the rooftop swimming pool and restaurant.

How we got there
We flew from Santiago to Lima on LAN Chile, and from Lima to Madrid on Iberia Business Plus. We spent two nights at the Miraflores Park Hotel.

Our ratings for Miraflores Park, Lima
1-5 stars

Accommodation
****

Service
*****

Dining
**

Location
****