The Best Inns and Bed & Breakfasts

Amazon Yarapa River Lodge, northern Amazon (tel. 800/771-3100 or 065/993-1172). A splendid, award-winning conservationist lodge good enough to be partnered with Cornell University and host its faculty and students at its field lab, this place is also perfect for amateur botanists and biologists. Though isolated near the Reserva Nacional Pacaya-Samiria, the largest of Peru's protected areas and one of the top spots for wildlife viewing, the lodge, built by local artisans, is unexpectedly comfortable and attractive, with huge private bungalows, a lounge, and a hammock house overlooking the river.

Reserva Amazónica Lodge, Tambopata (tel. 800/442-5042 or 01/610-0400). The swankest lodge in the Peruvian Amazon, this is the place for a comfortable jungle experience. You'll still get plenty of jungle, whether spotting birds on a canopy walk, watching for caimans along the river, and stalking monkeys on a small island. But when it comes time to relax, you'll do it in style with cocktails and dinner in the stylish main house before retiring to your plush African-style bungalow.

Explorer's Inn, Tambopata (tel. 01/447-8888): One of the most renowned and respected ecolodges in the Peruvian Amazon is this 30-year-old pioneer that hosts both ecotourists and scientists. About 3 hours upriver from Puerto Maldonado, the inn -- which features thatched-roof bungalows -- is superb for viewing otters, monkeys, and jungle birds.

Tahuayo Lodge, northern Amazon (tel. 800/262-9669). The top lodge in Peru's northern Amazon, about 4 hours from Iquitos and associated with the Rainforest Conservation Fund, is the only lodge with access to the terrific Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve, ideal for wildlife viewing. It's remote and small, but features excellent jungle programs, including zip-line canopy ropes for treetop nature viewing.

La Posada del Parque Hostal, Lima (tel. 01/433-2412): A gregarious owner runs this great-value small inn, carved out of a 1920s mansion on an exceedingly peaceful street -- a rare commodity near the center of Lima. The house bursts with Peruvian popular art, and rooms are spacious and nicely maintained for the bargain price.

Niños Hotel, Cusco (tel. 084/231-424): Even if this great little inn had no redeeming social and moral value, it would still be one of the best informal places to stay in Peru. The fact that it operates as part of a foundation that dedicates its profits to helping and housing Cusco's street children is a welcome bonus. The small Dutch-owned hotel, located in a restored and nicely if simply decorated colonial house, is charming, immaculate, and a great value. The trick is getting a reservation -- try many months in advance of your arrival.

Torre Dorada, Cusco (tel. 084/241-698): Even though it's outside the city center, this exceptional, extremely friendly, and family-run boutique hotel, in a quiet residential neighborhood 5 minutes from downtown Cusco, more than makes up for the inconvenience with superb service and a warm ambience. The inn isn't luxurious, but you won't find a friendlier place in Peru, and the breakfast buffet is better than most top-flight hotels.

Hostal Marani, Cusco (tel. 084/249-462): Cusco is littered with all kinds of comfortable, good-value hostales, but this one, much like the Niños Hotel, wears its heart and commitment to social causes and disadvantaged Peruvian youth on its doorstep. Helping to fund initiatives of a Dutch foundation, the inn, which occupies a lovely colonial house in San Blas, is one of the best bargains in town, with excellent large rooms built around a relaxing Spanish-style courtyard. It's a win-win.

Hostal Pisaq, Pisac (tel./fax 084/203-062): On the main square of Pisac, which is overrun on market days, this friendly little inn has neat features for a budget hostel: hand-painted murals, a sauna, an attractive courtyard, and a little cafe serving home-cooked meals and great pizza from a wood-burning oven.

Libertador Valle Sagrado Lodge, Yanahuara (tel. 084/251-526): A small hotel that looks and feels like a tiny colonial rural village, this is a great spot to absorb the relaxing feel and gorgeous sights of the Sacred Valley. Isolated and serene, with enchanting views and very comfortable rooms and a nice restaurant, it's the kind of place for discriminating individual travelers who'd rather not share a dining room with large groups.

El Albergue, Ollantaytambo (tel./fax 084/204-014): An American-owned hostel right next to the railroad tracks -- but much quieter than that would indicate -- this comfortable little place has just a few rooms and shared bathrooms. Beds are excellent, and the vibe, with relaxing gardens and Labrador retrievers running around, is great. There's also a cool wood-fired sauna.

Casa Arequipa, Arequipa (tel. 054/284-219): The best new small hotel in Peru is this elite 1950s mansion masquerading as a sophisticated bed and breakfast. It feels like a European boutique hotel, with luxury linens, furnishings, and bathrooms that rival the finest upscale hotels in the country, but for a fraction of the price. Though it's in a residential neighborhood that's a short taxi ride from the beautiful colonial downtown of Arequipa, that minor inconvenience is a very small price to pay. The breakfast buffet and personal attention will make you think you're in a large five-star hotel.

La Casa de Melgar Hostal, Arequipa (tel./fax 054/222-459): In a pretty colonial house made of sillar stone, this small inn exudes style and charm. With thick walls, multiple interior courtyards, and gardens, it's much nicer than most inexpensive hotels. Ground-floor rooms with vaulted brick ceilings look like they're straight out of a movie shoot.

Parador del Colca, Yanque (tel. 01/242-3425): A favorite of sophisticated travelers venturing into the rustic Colca Canyon, the Parador, now owned by Orient-Express, has a unique country charm and elegance. Rooms have loft spaces, and there are private patios with fire pits, an excellent dining room serving fresh country meals, and lots of hiking and horseback-riding opportunities. It enjoys sprawling gardens and views of the canyon. In the midst of an expansion and upgrade, with planned individual luxury casitas, the tiny inn is worth checking out while it's still a true bargain, since it's bound to become one of the swankest rustic inns in the country.

Hotel Posada del Puruay, Cajamarca (tel. 076/828-318, or 01/336-7869 for reservations): In the gorgeous highland countryside just outside Cajamarca, this country hotel rests in a restored 1830 farmhouse. The grounds, with gardens, horses, and amenities such as a barbecue pit, are sure-fire selling points, but the inn also has huge rooms, friendly personal service, a very good restaurant, and an extensive video library.

Hacienda San Vicente, Cajamarca (tel. 076/822-644): A small and funky inn in a former hacienda, this unique place probably isn't for everyone. Its oddball rooms are like caves carved into the hillside (rock walls even form a headboard or two). Everything is just a tad "off," but delightfully so. With skylights for moon views and a Gaudí-esque chapel on the premises, this place isn't afraid to be itself.