ej03

I just returned from Peru, with a four-night stay at the Sheraton Lima. A lot of what has been posted (on various threads) has been based on hearsay or from observing the hotel from outside. I think that is not particularly fair, as my experience was quite favorable. In fact, I stayed for three-nights on the inbound portion of my travel, and was so pleased that I returned for another one-night stay prior to flying back to the US.

The downtown location has its pros and cons. Pros are that it is in the heart of downtown, right across the street from beautiful Justice Department building and in walking distance to all the major tourist sites (i.e., plazas, churches, cathedrals, markets, bus stations, etc...). The hotel also runs a free shuttle service to Miraflores from 1 - 10pm daily, so if you want all the trendy shops and restaraunts, its extremely convinient. Of course, the downtown area is quite run-down, and walking alone at night didn't feel particularly safe (although I did it without incident). Then again, walking alone in the dark in Miraflores didn't feel 100% safe either. Whatever you decide, remember that getting from Miraflores to downtown Lima is quite easy, so I personally wouldn't base my decision on that factor. Moreover, Miraflores doesn't have much of any tourist attractions/sites -- just restaurants, cafes, and shops. It's also further from the airport, and not convinient to any bus terminals.

As for the Sheraton Lima itself, I was upgraded all four nights to the Towers floor (due to my SPG gold status). These rooms were wonderful with all the usual modcons and amenities, along with a fantastic daily buffet breakfast that was included with the room (I used award miles for my stay throughout). Noise was not an issue, although it probably would be on the lower floors, as there is a main avenue fronting the building. The hotel also has a nice casino, pool, gym, and spa, along with a restaurant and separate bar. Front desk staff was prompt and curteous. Getting a safe and reliable taxi to/from the airport was easy and cheap, just $6 one-way (40 min drive).

In short, I would highly recommend this hotel, particularly if you are using award points (for some reason it is listed as a category 1 property). There are other pricier hotels in Miraflores (such as the new Marriot), but like I said, if you stayed there, you'd need to catch a cab to downtown to see all the sights. Hope this is helpful to future Lima travelers.