Lima, Arequipa, Puno and Cuzco offer excellent first-class hotels, and other cities have adequate, fairly clean and well-managed properties. (Although there are some good to excellent hotels in Lima proper, many visitors stay in nearby Miraflores or San Isidro, which are generally calmer and more upscale areas.) In some small towns, there are interesting country inns—probably best for well-seasoned travelers.
For those who truly want to experience the jungle, we recommend staying at a jungle lodge. Keep in mind, of course, that jungle lodges provide relative comfort—relative, that is, to the way most jungle residents live. Most lodges offer very basic, cold-water, accommodations with no air-conditioning where guests sleep on cots under mosquito netting and eat what's available. For adventurous travelers, it can be a rewarding experience. There are also some more upscale lodges, particularly those close to Puerto Maldonado.
