Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Hotelsmag.com
Jeff Weinstein

Libertador Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Lima, is Peru’s largest hotel group led by CEO Jorge Melero, and is in the midst of a US$260 million expansion—the biggest investment in Peru and, perhaps all of South America.

Libertador will open the 120-room Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort, and the 128-room Tambo del Inka Luxury Collection Resort & Spa this year, followed by a 301-room Lima Westin scheduled to open as the tallest building in Peru by the middle of 2010.

Also on the books is a US$20 million renovation of Libertador’s historic Palacio del Inka Hotel Cusco, which also will be re-branded as a Luxury Collection hotel upon its completion in 2011.

The group’s collection of five hotels, owned by The Brescia Group, one of Peru’s primary business conglomerates, are in Arequipa, Cusco, Puno, Lima and Trujillo.

“After we finish the Westin, we want to go overseas—probably in the Andean region around Colombia, as well as Chile and, perhaps, Argentina, where it is tougher to invest,” Melero says. “Our strategic plan for 2010 to 2015 goes beyond Peru’s border, and we want two more hotels with Westin or The Luxury Collection.”

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

After a surprising presentation last night, Peruvian Lady Balarezo convinced not only the panel of judges, but also the audience, that she deserved to continue in the Latin American Idol contest.

Balarezo got support from thousand of Peruvians and Latin Americans through text messages, going on to the next step of the show staged at Buenos Aires.

Next November 4th, Lady Balarezo will compete at concert number four in Latin American Idol's fourth season.

After receiving the positive answer from Venezuelan show host Erika de la Vega, Lady burst into tears and hugged all her fellow competitors.

In recent weeks, Lady was severely criticized by the judges, and to top it off, Jon Secada kneeled down and asked her to truly sing.

Balarezo sang Gianluca Grignani's "My Story Among Your Fingers" (Mi historia entre tus dedos), and got good comments from the panel of judges.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The prestigious travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler has ranked Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel as Peru's second best hotel, and the 8th best in South America, according to the Readers' Choice Awards 2009.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is a unique world-class eco-tourism hotel, considered as a "Garden of Eden", which provides the opportunity to stay in the place where the Incas enjoyed their vacations.

In this hotel it is possible to arrange a visit to Machu Picchu, to enjoy massages at UNU Spa, and to take part in ecological tours such as bird watching or the Road of the Orchids, in the large garden.

All this in an atmosphere of refinement and hospitality, and the feeling of being in a rustic Andean town in the middle of a great biodiversity.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Machu Picchu, one of the new seven wonders of the world, is in the third position in British tourists' preferencial ranking (after Iguazu Falls, on the Argentina/Brazil border) and Angkor temple complex in Cambodia, according to the British newspaper “The Guardian.”

The 2009 Guardian and Observer Travel Awards highlighted British travelers' interest in exotic destinations; Peru's Machu Picchu is one of their favorite choices.

The Grand Canyon in the US and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia complete the list, in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

New Zealand took top place for the second consecutive year in the category covering Britons' favorite long-haul countries, and Sydney won the award for the most popular overseas city.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peruvian hotel chain Casa Andina plans to open its fourth hotel in Miraflores toward the last quarter of 2010, reported the General Manager, Juan Stoessel.

The new building, which will reportedly have 11 stories, will include 160 rooms, a full-range spa and a gym, among other services.

This hotel is directed specifically to the corporative segment, thus it will have a business center, boardroom and meeting rooms with capacity for 40 people and a parking area for 36 vehicles.

Regarding the remodeling of Casa Hacienda San José, in Chincha (Ica), Stoessel explained that it has experienced some delay due to municipal paperwork issues, but that it will ready for opening in the year 2010.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Due to the remarkable growth of tourism in Arequipa, the investment in hotel infrastructure amounted to US $30 million dollars in the last 3 years, according to José Carlos Cuentas–Zavala Rondón, Executive Director of the Program for Competition, Innovation and Development.

He said that the decision of investing in the hotels sector is due to the increasing demand, since the number of foreign and domestic tourists has significantly grown.

The three and four star hotels were the ones that caught more private investment in the city of Arequipa, as well as the accommodations in the Colca Valley, which in recent years has become an area with a large tourist appeal.

The international events that take place in the White City have also contributed to this boom.

Seasonal tourism (summer) towards the beaches of Camaná and Islay is another area that has grown by 20%.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

Andina

Authorities in the southern Peruvian region of Arequipa and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECI) have launched a community-based rural tourism project in the Andean town of Pinchollo, located in the spectacular Colca Valley.

Seven houses will be renovated to accommodate Peruvian and foreign tourists so that they can discover first-hand the local culture and ancient Andean customs.

Pinchollo resident Eloy Cacya said that the promotion of community-based rural tourism is an important alternative for the development of his town, whose total population lives on agriculture.

Cacya said local authorities want to implement the successful community-based tourism project of the town of Sibayo, which is also located in Arequipa’s Colca Valley.

“We want to promote this kind of tourism in Pinchollo for the benefit of our people and to show its natural beauty and archaeological sites," he said.

Although the houses will be ready to receive tourists by the end of the year, locals are already promoting tourism to Pinchollo, which is visited by five to seven tourists a day.

San Sebastian de Pinchollo is a little village located in the Colca Canyon, between Chivay and the "Cruz del Condor" in Caylloma province, Arequipa.

The 17th-century San Sebastián church in Pinchollo is a tourist attraction worth visiting, with a baroque altar and a baptismal area with an elaborately painted entrance.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The new company operating Cusco-Machu Picchu route offers an equivalent service to its competitor at a price of US $40 dollars, which is 33% cheaper, announced the president of Inca Rail Peru, Juan Alberto Forsyth, via RadioProgramas del Peru.

Now there are three frequencies that compete on a regular basis; the cut in the cost of tickets is one of the great benefits.

"Our prices, compared to equivalent services in similar schedules currently offered by the monopoly operator, are 33% lower, so now people can buy for US $40 the tickets that used to cost US $60,” said Forsyth.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The Provincial Municipality of Trujillo has started a new touristic program, that aims to guide, free of charge, domestic and foreign tourists as well who wish to know the historical center of the city, which is the capital city of La Libertad region.

So, in this regard, three modules were placed strategically in several spots in the Plaza de Armas, the El Recreo square and the church of La Merced, where specialized staff can provide tourist information, and conduct also free tours for the visitors.

Martha Novoa, a representative from the Sub-Department of Tourism, said that this program aims to provide reliable, high- quality information, so that tourists can get to know the true story of Trujillo.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's Hotels Society (SHP) will support the Cusco Andean Communities and also will promote community-based tourism programs, said its General Manager, Tibisay Monsalve Restrepo.

According to a SHP press release, Ms. Monsalve visited four communities in Chinchero, Lamay Urubamba and Pisac, which live mostly on agriculture and handicraft, but have also expressed an interest in starting community-based tourism activities.

Monsalve said that SHP will provide support, tools, technical assistance and training to improve the communities' products, so that their products can meet the standards required to become suppliers of the five-star hotels or boutiques.

Monsalve said that this work will benefit the communities and the hotel industry as well.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.