HOTEL POSADA DEL PURUAY S.A. 
An extraordinary country hotel housed in an impeccably restored,
elegant 1830 salmon-colored hacienda, this is one of the most
refined and relaxing hotels in Peru. Set amid more than 202,350
hectares (500,000 acres) of land with eucalyptus forest; lush,
beautifully landscaped gardens: and views of the verdant, mountainous
countryside, the hotel feels light years removed from any city,
yet it's only 7Km (4 miles) from downtown Cajamarca.
The lovely house, built around a pretty courtyard, has rooms
with names such as "La Mansión" and "La Prisión". The first
couldn't be truer: Rooms are gigantic and extremely well equipped,
with large, luxurious bathrooms. The second room name, though,
is very misleading: If this is prison, I want to be thrown in
the slammer. The restaurant and public rooms are decorated with
well-chosen antiques. Outdoors, horses beckon, as does the trail
up the hill to a small structure with stupendous panoramic views.
The charming and loquacious owner, Nora, and her husband and
daughter live on the premises and couldn't be more gracious.
Service is excellent, and the terrific restaurant and vast video-rental
library make this a perfect spot to kick back for several days
in the northern highlands.
Guide book: "Frommer's - Perú", Chapter 10
- Northern Peru, pages 368, 369.
Frommer's
is a company which explores the different travel destinations
around the world the way locals do. The Frommer's collection
is the name of the 300 guidebooks that published since 1957.
In 2001, Frommer´s become part of the Wiley Publishing,
Inc. Family of Companies.
Cajamarca and the Northern Highlands 
A stay at POSADA DEL PURUAY (carretera a Porcón Km 4.5,
telef. 076/82-8318, postmaster@posadapuruay.com.pe,
www.posadapuruay.com.pe
, $60s, $70d) may be your most relaxing experience in perú.
This
beautifully restored 1822, hacienda, with elegant rooms spread
around a stone courtyard, is plunked down in the middle of a
country paradise about 15 minutes outside of Cajamarca. The
grounds include horse stables , trout farm, eucalyptus and pine
forests, and a botanical garden with hundreds of labeled plants.
During the day, you can head out on Peruvian paso horses
for breathtaking circuits through the countryside, grab a mountain
bike, or hike on one of the area's many trails. At night, you
snuggle under feather comforters and fall asleep to the sounds
of rustling trees and a nearby gurgling brook. The restaurant
serves up salads loaded with vegetables from the organic garden,
an excellent chicken-and-beef founde that comes with six local
sauces, homemade apple pie, and a Calientito Cajamarquino,
a hot rum drink invented by Lucho the bartender for cold mountain
nights. The gregarious owner, Nora Regalado, has built up a
staff that works like a family and plays soccer most afternoons
(guests invited). Rooms include cable TV, VCR, access to a huge
video library, and refrigerator. This resort is an excellent
place for kids and offers frequent packages on its web page.
"Moon Handbook - Perú", pages 446-468 in "Cajamarca
and the Northern Highlands". 1 st Edition - November
2004.
 |
Sra.
Nora Regalado:
May I first offer my sincere appreciation fot the home you shared
with my crew and myself from January until the present. We were
very pleased with the large clean rooms and pleasant atmosphere
of the hotel. The wooden window shutters allowed the men who
worked in the afternoon and night shifts to sleep soundly during
the day. The staff was friendly, efficient, and absolutely honest;
the entire time of our stay I had no concerns about my personal
belongings and papers in the rooms.
We enjoyed all the hard work put into planting and maintaining
your beautiful gardens and lawns. The peaceful gardens were
a welcome sight at sunrise when we left for work and a calming
pleasant refuge went we returned at night. The presence of the
three playful dogs added a pleasant touch to the estate and
helped several of the men overcome feelings of homesickness.
Your staff has my highest regards for the personal attention
and professional service we enjoyed during our stay. I can honestly
say that we were treated to an introduction to Peruvian culture,
cuisine, and family traditions in a manner over and above the
call of duty. The kitchen under Sr. Moses and the waiters under
Sr. Luis worked very hard to provide delicious nutritious meals
even al the odd times we gringos liked to dine. The quality
of the food was excellent and the times when we were given local
dishes that were not in the menu were special treats. I thoroughly
enjoyed the times that they graciously allowed me to cook a
meal for the men. We all enjoyed the fresh salads and vegetables
that were served every day. I grew very fond of the freshly
squeezed juices especially the pineapple.
I will the memories of the people I met at the Posada del Puruay
and look forward to my return in the fall.
Regards
George
D. Piegols
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
