My Peruvian Adventure: From Inca to Amazon

In honor of celebrating a 25^th anniversary with my partner Alan, we planned a trip to PERU, which turned out to be one of the best trips we’ve ever done – an AMAZING exploration of the culture, contrasts and unforgettable sites of this wonderful destination. We journeyed through the many historic heritage sites of the Incas; climbed one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, Machu Picchu the week of it’s 100th anniversary of being discovered by Hiram Bingham – a once in a lifetime adventure; experienced the charming city of Cusco; toured the underrated capital city of Lima and enjoyed its nightlife scene with the locals; and we experienced remote jungles, wildlife and villages on a new riverboat, ARIA, along the Amazon and its tributaries. Their wintertime and our summertime, we found that end of July/beginning of August proved to be an ideal time frame to combine a southern and northern Peru vacation. In the Cusco and Machu Picchu region we found brisk cool mornings and evenings (approx 30’s/ 40’s Fahrenheit) with comfortable daytime averages in the 60’s Fahrenheit (a little cooler in Sacred Valley). Perfect for walking and exploring. And in contrast, what is designated the dry season of the Amazon, temps were in the 80’s and 90’s Fahrenheit – but surprisingly we never felt overly hot as we had anticipated.

For the first week - the land portion of our trip, we had hired private guides and private transfer services in each destination visited through one of my top travel partners of the region, LIMA TOURS. Their services proved to be invaluable providing a seamless, stunning experience throughout. The guides, particularly Jaime in Cusco & Sacred Valley, and Julia in Lima, were not only highly knowledgeable about every detail of the ins-and-outs of the site locations we were visiting, but they were truly passionate about their heritage, sharing the history with such a grace, pride and exuberance that only enhanced our experience that much more. And of course they were well versed in English, keeping the pace and flow of our sightseeing tailored to our preferences and level of interest.

Our hotels for the week could not have been better. Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness being our first home – a stunning resort paradise, albeit off the beaten path literally ... as once you are near the approach you drive a long bumpy dirt road to arrive at this remote locale in Urubamba. Far enough removed but close enough to enjoy the Sacred Valley sites, the resort provides wonderful service and relaxing ambience with its renowned spa (I had one of the best massages and facials ever) and beautiful, spacious villa style accommodations. The lobby of the hotel makes a striking first impression with a massive floor-to-ceiling stained glass window etching of Machu Picchu. Every time I walked by I could not help but stare and take in the detail. We tried Peru’s favorite national drink, Pisco Sour (which we have since found to be a popular favorite in New York as well unbeknownst to us) for the first time at this resort and then again in many spots throughout our trip. But none made it more delish than the bartending team at this resort. They made a mean Pisco Punch (with pineapple) too!

Next up was the unparalleled Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo, across a small waterfall from Machu Picchu town (formerly known as Aguas Calientes). Inkaterra is a unique cloud forest paradise– an oasis of cottages nestled in acres of lush grounds and foliage, where you can partake in guided Nature Walks, Orchid Trails and visit an organic tea plantation (you get to make and bag your own tea in the process). At Inkaterra we were graced with a magnificent suite with a private outdoor jacuzzi, in ground tub and loungers and our suite filled with all the appointments of 5-star comfort. It felt like a glorious private home in a rainforest. Most people, ourselves included, spend just one night of their trip at Machu Picchu, unless they are avid hikers. While Machu Picchu requires just a few hours to a full day to explore, we could have easily enjoyed one more night just because of Inkaterra. The ambience of the hotel and our suite made it that special.

Following Machu Picchu, we spent two nights at the Aranwa brand’s Cusco hotel, the recently opened (fall 2010) Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel. A stunning gem of a hotel located a stone’s throw behind Cusco’s main square, Plaza de Armas, this hotel never ceased to amaze being a feast for the eyes from virtually every corner. Built in a colonial mansion of the XVI century, the hotel can be considered an art gallery of its own with magnificent displays of sculptures, paintings, carvings and an ambience that transports you to another time. Our one-bedroom suite was large, elegant, richly appointed with eclectic antique furnishings, the most luxuriously soft Alpaca rugs adorning either side of the bed, a beautiful Jacuzzi claw-tub in the bathroom and piercingly striking tiles along the bathroom walls.

Our fourth and last hotel stay was in the capital, Lima, staying in the perfectly located, gracious Miraflores Park, an Orient Express Hotel. Located in the upscale Miraflores section of the city, our room’s vast window provided a bird’s eye panorama high on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean coastline. We enjoyed walking along the coastline’s pathway, people watching and visiting Larcomar, a trendy mall built into the cliffs themselves. It was during our stay here at Miraflores Park that we enjoyed the best breakfast buffet of our trip. Not only for its gorgeous display and sumptuous feast, but the setting in the rooftop Observatory Restaurant overlooking the ocean, and the service - exceptional! At breakfast on the day of checkout we overheard a couple talking to a waiter about their upcoming cruise in the Amazon later that evening and we naturally introduced ourselves. It was our introduction to Fulvio and Fede, ardent photographers from northern Italy, whom we would become instant friends onboard the boat.

Our second week into the trip found us flying 90 minutes north of Lima to Iquitos, the hub of the Peruvian Amazon, where upon arrival we were met by the welcoming team of Aqua Expeditions, as their newest boat – ARIA- would be our floating Amazonian home for the next 5-days. It was there that we met the rest of our fellow passengers, of which we were only an intimate 12 (out of a capacity of 32), all gathering on a bus for a 2-hour ride to the remote port where we would board. The boat is more like a luxury houseboat – 3 passenger decks, teak woods with large cabins, floor to ceiling windows abounding to take in the environment, a large living room lounge with bar (where daily lectures are held and a place to chill with a book and drinks - and - the entertainment my partner and I provided singing and dancing, as well as the staff), along with a quaint dining room where buffet breakfasts, lunches and a nightly tastings menu for dinner is served.

I invite you to explore our photos, videos and the wondrous itinerary we experienced on this unforgettable Peruvian journey we took July 25-August 6, 2011. It’s a destination you may not visit more than once in your life but you will always be glad you did.

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What Not to Ask a Concierge

I enjoyed reading this piece below from a concierge as published on hotelchatter.com.

He's known as @ConciergeCorner on Twitter who's not afraid to dish on all the crazy things that guests ask concierges. But he also might be the concierge fielding your requests during your next hotel stay and he's got a few tips on how to get the most out of your concierge contact. So without further ado, we present 5 Things You Should Not Ask the Concierge as told by @ConciergeCorner.


1. Don't ask for the hottest new hotspot in town. When a guest requests I recommend the hottest, newest, sexiest restaurant, it is apparent he/she has no clue what he/she actually wants. Just because something is new does not make it good. So please, ask for what you really want, not just what’s new. On a related note, when I recommend a great local (nearby) steakhouse and then see/hear that you have gone to one of the many chain steakhouses simply because it was a few blocks closer, it breaks my heart!

2. Don't ask for my recommendation if you don't really want it. On the restaurant note, it is uber-aggravating for me as a concierge to be asked to recommend my favorite restaurant, or my favorite neighborhood and then have you (the guest) proceed to seek directions to the most generic and/or chain-like environment possible. If you really value my opinion, by all means, have me assist you. If on the other hand you have your mind made up and want to go where everyone else goes, that’s fine…just don’t waste your time and mine.

3. Don't ask for freebies. One frequent request that will undoubtedly only become more common, is for complimentary, hooked-up, or otherwise free amenities that we, like most other hotels in our segment, charge for. This includes, but is not limited to, internet, parking, breakfast, executive / club floors & rooms, suites etc. I like the next person love a deal, and yes, I’d even love to give every guest a room for free. The problem is my last name is not Hilton, Marriott, or Schrager, so I have just about zero say in whether you pay $5 or $500.

4. Don't ask which celebrities are staying here. A fairly frequent question that needs to be stricken for all guests’ mouths is “What celebrities are in house?” or as some put it, “you get famous people here?” No. No. and No. Well, yes, famous people do stay at many nice hotels, mine included, but would likely not if I ran my mouth telling people when XXXXX XXXXX was in house or when that person has been in house. If you see someone in the lobby, awesome, I’m happy for you. If you read on TripAdvisor that someone saw XYZ celebrity on their last stay, good for them. But please, for the love of my job and the hospitality industry, refrain from asking me to divulge this sort of information.

5. Don't ask for directions if you can't remember them. Last, but certainly not least, please refrain from asking for directions when you are not ready to record them. Nothing is worse than detailing precise directions to a guest either in person or heaven forbid, over the phone, only to have the guest ask for them to be repeated as they were simply not paying attention the first time. Additionally, if the driver needs the directions and he/she is the only competent person in the vehicle, don’t have the passengers receive the directions.