Hotel Superlatives: Tallest Building in Peru

Hotels often bill themselves as the most luxurious, the largest, the newest, but it’s not often they can claim this one: tallest building in the country. That would be the Westin Hotel in Lima, which is the highest skyscraper in Peru.

At 120 meters, it towers over pretty much everything, so you can be assured of having a good view from the upper floors—which in this case is most of the building. That’s assuming the weather is cooperative though; Lima is gray and overcast most of the year, so the view is usually more enchanting at night than by day.

Located in the San Isidro business and financial district, the Westin Lima Hotel & Conference center also boasts what may be the best convention facilities in South America. (There are 17 meeting rooms and the ballroom can host a banquet for 1,300.) It’s got the nice indoor pool pictured at the top, plus extensive spa facilities that also take the superlative crown as the best in Lima. There’s a full hydrotherapy facility included for anyone getting treatments and the relaxation room chairs are heated—a nice touch. The 24-hour gym has a personal trainer  on staff.

With 301 rooms and the words “convention center” in the name, you’d be right in questioning whether Lima’s newest major hotel could really have any personality. Thankfully the  developers anticipated and overcame that expectation, bringing in hotel design star Tony Chi and letting local Peruvian hotel company Libertador have a strong hand in the planning and staffing. The result is interiors that are some of the most attractive in the city, with a mix of elegance and playfulness in the right proportions and a stronger aesthetic sense than you’ll usually find in a convention hotel in South America. The Maras restaurant has strong foodie cred in a city now firmly on the international culinary map, with a celebrity Peruvian chef who trained at high-profile restaurants in Europe.

Guest rooms are well-stocked with the latest gadgets, from flat-screen TVs to iPod docks to cordless phones. Outlets and adjustable lights are ample, though you’ll have to cough up an extra charge for Wi-Fi. These are some of the most attractive rooms in town, with designer touches and quality materials throughout, plus a wall of glass affording the best possible view. (At this height, there’s little worry someone else can see you either.)

The Westin Lima can claim one more superlative you may not be too excited about: some of the highest published rates in town. Thankfully they usually have lots of special packages posted on their deals page, some of which can bring the rate down below $250 a night with breakfast. And of course if you’re part of the Starwood loyalty program and have been racking up points there, this would be a good place to cash them in at the beginning or end of your vacation in Peru.

See more at the official website for Westin Lima. Book online at  Expedia.

Review by Tim Leffel, author of Travel Writing 2.0. First photo courtesy of Luxury Latin America – Peru, other two courtesy of Westin Hotel Lima.