The Best Boutique Hotels in Lima

A stone’s throw from Lima’s dramatic cliff-raised coastal promenade in the bohemian quarter of Barranco, and a short walk from world-class restaurants Central and Mérito, Casa República is a lesson in glorious 1920s Republican architecture. Perfectly maintained, this mansion’s suites are elegant and airy. Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast in the leafy garden before striding the cobbled streets to discover Barranco’s urban art scene.

With a location in the trendy Miraflores district, nine-room Atemporal is a short walk from the Inca-constructed Huaca Pucllana pyramid (now a museum) and top restaurant Maido. An intimate 1940s-built townhouse turned hotel, cosy rooms are welcoming with eclectic and homely décor and guests can borrow Atemporal’s bicycles. Come early evening, enjoy a cocktail on the house on the verandah.

A short walk from the unique cliffside mall Larcomar, Belmond Miraflores Park offers fantastic lofty views of the Pacific (be sure to book an oceanside suite, complete with a private plunge pool, for the best vistas). You can take to the fabulous spa that uses Amazonian products, or dive into one of the city’s most scenic rooftop swimming pools (yep, with more views). This being Lima, there are a plethora of top restaurants on the doorstep, but be sure to dine in-house at Tragaluz for Peruvian fusion food at its best.

Notching up almost a century as a hotel, the Country Club makes for a sophisticated stay in upmarket San Isidro. A grand Hispanic-style property set across acres of gardens, it’s also home to 300 pieces of art donated by Barranco’s Pedro de Osma Museum, ensuring all living quarters have their own personality. Those with big budgets should book the Dom Pérignon suite, but those on a slightly more slender budget can still drink in the good life with a Pisco Sour at the English Bar, where the now-ubiquitous Peruvian cocktail was first created, before dining out at Astrid & Gaston.

With an off-center Miraflores location that’s close to Larcomar mall and bordering Barranco district, just 16 suites make up IFE’s portfolio. Spoiling details include a Jacuzzi in every room and eclectic design that spans from bespoke wallpaper to furniture harking back to a bygone era. Enjoy an à la carte breakfast before walking the Malecón coastal boardwalk and lunching at wine bar, shop and restaurant La Gastrónoma.

A stone’s throw from San Isidro’s legendary olive grove and top restaurant 500 Grados, Manto’s airy and tasteful suites blend dark-wood details with smart screens, Illy coffee machines and whirlpool tubs. There are three restaurants on-site, but the star dining experience is aimed at chocoholics, who will relish the Salon du Chocolat cocoa café, where you can sample truffles, ganache and nibs and other Peruvian products, exported around the world.

With a central location in the heart of Miraflores, Parque Kennedy is just one block away from Terra Viva and a short walk from fine-dining restaurant Mayta. Bright rooms sporting contemporary decor make for a relaxing stay. Enjoy the buffet breakfast on the rooftop before heading out into the trendy Miraflores neighborhood, named during its 16th-century incarnation as an Inca village for its abundant near-year-round bursts of bougainvillea, which still bloom today.

A stylish and contemporary addition to Lima’s boutique hotel scene that’s off the beaten track in the San Borja district, BTH’s urban flourishes and in-house art gallery make for a welcome change of pace. Open-plan rooms loaded with artwork include whirlpool bathtubs, and guests can also relax in the sauna, spruce up at the in-house barber or tone up at the gym. Dine in at Quimera, which sources organic produce from the rooftop garden.

If the artsy, bohemian neighborhood of Barranco could create its own grand mansion, this is the sort of building it would choose: romantic interiors and decorations that date back to the early 1920s, with large-scale art strategically placed to wow you and stop you in your tracks. Built in 1912 and designed by the French architect Claude Sahut, Hotel B was the first boutique hotel in Lima and remains the standard for all other hotels.

This hotel has only four rooms, which ensures personalized attention from the hotel staff. Each is distinct, with its own feel and character, so selecting your room when you reserve is a huge decision. The boutique hotel was built in the early 1900s by the Italian architect Lidio Mongilardi and was later declared an historic monument by the Peruvian government. When you stay at Quinta Miraflores Hotel, you’re staying in history.

Villa Barranco was built in the 1920s, and the owners have kept the building true to its roots. The villa has spacious, high-ceiling rooms with French windows – some with their own garden, others with private terraces. Once you’ve had a thorough tour of the building, head to the the rooftop terrace for some drinks and a view of the sunset as it descends over the Barranco. Villa Barranco’s proximity to everything in the bohemian arts district adds further value to this boutique hotel.

Hotel de Autor is a creation unto itself: it’s not a boutique hotel, or an apartment – but more of a boutique house. And it’s in two incredible locations, both of which are in Miraflores. From the outside, they look like giant white mansions (which they actually are). The inside is tastefully decorated, similar to other boutique hotels, but here you have the entire place all to yourself. The location is great, right in the heart of this food-focused ‘hood, making you feel like a Lima local.

Second Home was once the private casa of the Peruvian sculptor, Victor Delfin, and maintains the same artistic feel today. If you need some creative inspiration, take a walk through the garden, a dip in the pool, check out the view of the ocean, or maybe just wander around the eight-bedroom house. The inside is cast in a calming white, providing peace alongside the Pacific. All in all, there’s no location better than this, and the grounds are immaculate.