Palacio Nazarenas Cusco

Belmond Palacio Nazarenas

We arrived at the Palacio Nazarenas after our flight landed at Cusco at 15:35 hrs. It definitely lived up to expectations. The hotel is beautiful. Everything is bright, clean and modern while still managing to maintain the character of the original convent and palace. Daniel was our Butler.

Z Collection Suite

We were up-graded from our regular suite to a Premium Z Collection suite. The bed and bedding was very comfortable and the room very quiet. It was huge at 900 sq ft and ran about the length of the ancient part of the hotel. The large marble bathroom was fully equipped with the large shower stall containing both an overhead rain and wand showers. The fully stocked mini-bar and Pisco station was included with the room.

Living Room

We primarily ate breakfast at Senzo here, which has a delicious hot and cold buffet The background Inca harpist provided just the right andina sound to start the day.

Plazoleta  Nazarenas with View of Palacio

The hotel location is ideal. It is located in beautiful Centro Historico of Cusco. it’s on the little Plazoleta Nazarenas, a small square up the hill from Plaza de Armas. 

On the Plazoleta is also the Museo de Arte Precolumbino and the MAP Cafe. El Museo is a highly rated Pre-Columbian Art Museum and the  Cafe is a wonderful restaurant that’s  highly recommended also. There is so much to see and do in this ancient area. We enjoyed both places.

Suite on the Upper floor

The Palacio Nazarenas stands on the site of a former Inca building and reuses stones that were used in the original Inca construction. Shortly after the new building’s completion as a private home in the mid 1500s it had a succession of owners, including the famous warrior and gambler Mancio Serra de Leguizamón, the last conquistador to die in Peru. He is recorded to have gambled and lost the gold Inca image of the sun from the temple of Qoricancha.

In 1644 the Jesuits acquired the property and used it as a school. In 1650 Cusco suffered a devastating earthquake and the building required extensive repairs. It continued as a school until 1673, before being sold to a private owner in 1687.

Bathroom

In 1715 it was turned into “beaterio”, a type of convent for what was considered to be a “lower order” of nuns. By 1977 the last ones had moved out and the building was leased to the Peruvian government who transferred the lease to Orient-Express (Belmond) Hotels.

Following a complex restoration project it opened as Palacio Nazarenas in 2012. The hotel has the first outdoor swimming pool in Cusco. This is the place to stay in Cusco. It has both history and luxury and is wonderful.

Highly recommended!

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Cusco Peru

Plazoleta de las Nazarenas

We left the Marriott Lima around 11:30 to make our 14:15 domestic flight from LIM to CUZ. Lima Domestic was pretty crazy but it all worked out as we got on our plane to Cusco. From Lima, it’s a one-hour flight to Aeropuerto Velasco Astete, located about 3 miles from Cusco. Upon landing at CUZ our Taxi driver greeted us with a sign board and a smile. We took off for the Centro Historico where our hotel was located.

One thing we thought about arriving in Cusco was Soroche or high altitude sickness. After all Cusco is at 3500 m (11,500 ft) That’s high.

La Compañia-Built on Inca Huayna Capac's Palace

After hearing all the horror stories about altitude sickness we talked to our doctor and were prescribed Acetazolamide (Diamox) and started it 2 days before flying to altitude. Took two, 125 mg tablets daily. It worked. Arrived expecting problems but apart from being a little winded walking up hills, we had no problems. The hotel even pumped oxygen into the room 24/7, which really made sleeping very nice.

Took the Diamox tablets for a couple more days and that seemed to be it. If you are worried about the altitude I would suggest seeing a doctor for medication before traveling to Peru.

Cathedral Built on Inca Wiracocha's Palace

Cusco is an ancient city that is wonderful to visit. It was the center of many pre-columbian cultures finishing with the Inca who made it the beautiful centerpiece of the Inca Empire. Until the Spanish conquered the Inca in the 16th century, all roads led to Cusco and the plaza now called the Plaza de Armas.

Statue of Inca Pachacutec over the Plaza

The Inca built this massive square (originally it was twice its current size) as a location for festivals and ceremonies. According to legend, this plaza once marked the exact center of the Inca Empire, earning Cusco the nickname the navel of the world. 

Cuesta del Almirante that leads down to Plaza

Within the square, the 16th century Spanish conquistadors constructed La Compañia and the Cathedral. Both churches reside on the site of former Inca palaces. Now, the Plaza de Armas contains landmarks significant to both Andino and Spanish history. No trip to Cusco would be complete without a visit to the Plaza de Armas.

It was time to get to our hotel. We headed up a little alley called Cuesta del Almirante to arrive at the Plazoleta de las Nazarenas where our hotel, The Belmond Palacio Nazarenas stands in colonial splendor mixed with Inca foundations. This is a very historic place to stay in Cusco. More to come on the Palacio.

Highly recommended!

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Central Restaurante Lima

Entrance to Central Restaurante Lima

The only time we could swing a fancy lunch in Lima was perfect for Central, right around the corner from the Marriott in Miraflores. Central is number 4 on the San Pellegrino list of the top 50 in the world and Number 1 in Latin America. The French Laundry is 49 if that means anything.

Central Kitchen

The cool thing was that the Exec Chef Virgilio Martinez was cooking that day and lunch was beyond compare. We started out in Peru with the best. We’d had reservations for a couple of weeks so that made it easy . We met with Chef Martinez during lunch and we looked forward to his Avant Garde Peruvian food.

Peruvian Bread with Coca Leaves

We were seated quickly, and served some interesting breads with “black” (negro) butter and sea salt, organic extra virgin olive oil, and another butter that was super rich and fatty. The breads were made with Peruvian ingredients, such as the purple corn, potatoes and Coca. We knew we were in for something good.

Chef Martinez Working in the Kitchen

The restaurant was very modern, with an open kitchen behind glass, many employees in a flurry of activity. Exciting place.

Hot Ceviche

We ordered off the menu and decided to start with the “Hot Ceviche” (Ceviche Caliente) which we had seen on the menu for a starter. It was really good, warm and made withe freshest of seafood. They like to serve food on pieces of granite. The plating of the food was part of the experience.

Clam Crudo

Also had a fish and clam crudo starter that that was made with Sweet Lemon Milk, Quinoa and Ginger. It was so good. We’re definitely in Peru.

21-Day Suckling Piglet

For a main course I the 21-Day Suckling Piglet that had Arracacha (root Vegetable from the Andes), Borage (Starflower) and pickled Vegetables. The combination was so good it’s indescribable.  Tami had roasted grouper that came with black quinoa, native Potato and calamari which hit all the notes of freshness and perfect flavor.

Octopus and Scallops

Another dish we enjoyed was an Octopus and Scallops in Purple Coal which was the sweetest Octopus we had ever tasted. Fantastic place.

Highly recommended!

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JW Marriott Lima

JW Marriott Lima

We arrived at the JW Marriott for the first leg of our trip to Peru and we very pleased by the location, service, and quality of food. We had the opportunity to have breakfast and dinner at the hotel and found the meals to be among some of the best we had in Peru

Paraglider Over Beach

This hotel is amazing. Location is perfect. Service is great. We stayed in an Exec suite, and it was one of the nicest hotels rooms we’ve experienced in Lima. Bathroom is comfortable and updated, tub was relaxing, bed was extremely comfortable. 

 Hotel staff was very attentive and professional. They went above and beyond to be helpful.





We were able to visit the executive lounge for breakfast which served a lovely spread. We can't say enough good things about this hotel. We had an amazing view as well.

Miraflores Sunset from Room on 24th

This JW Marriott lives up to its high standards in service and amenities. While it’s a bit awkward to reach the hotel from the airport since its located on top of a cliff, its worth it. There's a couple of u-turns. It’s in Miraflores after all.

The Larcomar Mall in the Cliff

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted and they made our check-in process very fast. The staff at reception and the executive lounge were excellent, friendly and helpful. The rooms were good size, clean and had electrical adapters compatible for all visitors. 

View from Miraflores Park

The location overlooks the ocean and has a beautiful view. Across the street is Larcomar, large brand new outlet mall and restaurants. The hotel is also within walking distance of many local shops and restaurants

We can’t say enough positive things about this hotel. It has outstanding facilities and staff. The room was freshly updated and extremely clean. Bedding was very comfortable. Just what we needed before and after traveling two weeks in Peru.

Highly recommended!

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LAN 787 Business Class to Peru

787 Video Screens with Cocktail Table

Our trip to Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu, Peru started out comfortably. After flying from SFO to LAX we were excited to experience our first flight in a Boeing 787 where LAN had new Premium Business Class seats waiting for us to enjoy on our flight to Lima.

Seats 2A, 2C

Boarding commenced a rather impressive 60 minutes before departure, however with a 5-10 minute walk to the gate, by the time we arrived, boarding was fully underway. There was a separate lane for business class passengers and we turned left as we entered the sparkling cabin and headed to seats 2A & 2C.

The business class cabin is split in two by the doorway, with three rows of seats in front of the door and two behind the door. Unlike other cabins we’re used to, the effect is one of vast spaciousness with beautiful colored lights..

Since I had the window seat I had access to the fun, tinted large windows as well as a little more privacy in the cabin.

Designer Style Seat Adjuster

The seat itself is forward facing, and reclines into a fully flat bed, fitted with massage functions and memory recall for favorite seat positions. The seats are pairs with  a center divider which holding a variety of storage holes, a tray table, cocktail table, IFE controller and in-seat charging.

Breakfast is Served

LAN offers the real deal of extras that makes a difference, from hot towels to welcome cocktails such as Pisco Sours. However it’s the smaller details that stood out, such as taking a breakfast order from us before we went to sleep so we didn’t have to fill in the form and kneeling next to us when speaking so we didn’t have to strain to maintain eye contact. 

Comfortable Seat with Large Tinted Windows

The entire way through the flight, the cabin crew was attentive and professional. On leaving the plane, hands were shaken and a warm smile greeted each passenger as they left the plane. This was a very nice 8.5 hour flight with a refreshing 6 hour sleep.

The Crew woke us gently and after breakfast we made our approach into Lima at around 24:00 hrs.

Highly recommended!

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Morimoto

Morimoto Napa

Had a Super lunch experience at Morimoto Napa. The Dining was everything expected of a true Master Iron Chef. Last time we had been to Morimoto’s it was his Wasabi Restaurant at the Taj Palace in Mumbai, India. Both places are very good in different ways, while there’s the grandeur of being at the Taj Palace for Wasabi, Napa Morimoto stood out with it’s larger size and beautiful location on the Napa River. The service is excellent, and occasionally the Iron Chef himself, Morimoto, does make an appearance.

Morimoto Napa is situated in the center of Main St. in the newer, downtown area of Napa. Had no problem finding a parking space in the free public garage across the street from Morimoto. Very convenient.

Toro Tartare

We started our meal at Morimoto’s with a glass of Champagne.Then we had Toro Tartare that came with wasabi, nori paste and sour cream as accompaniments. The toro was very impressive and each bite  of toro had a slightly different flavor based on what we put on it. As a palette cleanser a little plum is included. Nice touch. Also liked the Rice Crackers. 

Fresh Miso Soup with Morimoto Sake in the back

Lunch Set

We decided to go with the Lunch Set which was perfect. It started with the delicious fresh tofu miso soup. Then a tray was bought to each of us that included vegetable tempura with squid and a yuzu wasabi yogurt and hamachi and salmon sushi. The main course was Sea Urchin (Umi Urchi) Carbonara which was a very creative take on the regular Italian Carbonara. It was steaming hot and super tasty. We also had a couple of 10 oz carafes of Morimoto’s Junmai Daiginjo Sake. It had a melon and honeysuckle fragrance with a rich texture. It was so good.

Chocolate Bomb- Pre Melt

Chocolate Bomb- Melted

For dessert we had an incredible Chocolate Bomb that melted when hot chocolate syrup was pored over it. Quite good!

We both really liked Morimoto Napa and we can’t wait to get back there to experience more of the menu.

Highly recommended!  

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Alexander's Steakhouse SF

Alexander's Steakhouse

Had a wonderful experience at Alexander’s Steakhouse in San Francisco. Dining was superlative in every way. It’s known as the number one steakhouse in SF and we found that to be true.

As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by the maître d’ and a display of the variety of beef that’s offered. A1 - A5 Wagyu, aged Omaha rib eye, CAB Filet, etc. Wagyu means Japanese cow. Wa is Japanese and Gyu means cow. 

The servers were very welcoming and helpful and the Sommelier was quite informative and helpful too. 

Uni Toast

The meal started with a quail egg salmon Amuse Bouche that was a fantastic little taste to start the meal. Executive Chef, Mark Zimmerman, next presented a Snack Course which had 5 wonderful choices that included Uni Toast which we chose. It was a rich marrow toasted brioche covered with braised oxtail and spoonfuls of Uni. It was so good.

Imperial Ossetra Caviar

Cured Foie Gras

After the Snack we went on to the First Course. We had Imperial Ossetra Caviar ($28) which consisted of the Caviar, a marinated soft cooked egg, Meyer lemon, toasted shallots and nori bread. Tami just loved it. I had Cured Foie Gras ($38) that included apple upside down cake and eucalyptus smoked caramel. The flavor combination worked very well. 

A5 Miyagi Sendai Wagyu

Steaks came next, and they were perfectly grilled. The A5 Miyagi Sendai ($115) tastes like foie gras it’s so tender. The Miyagi Sendai beef eat high amounts of rice in their feed that produces a clean finish in the mouth. All Wagyu steaks are served in 3oz portions.

CAB Filet Mignon with Foie Gras 

The 6 oz Certified Angus Beef Filet Mignon ($43) with bordelaise and chives was cooked very rare. Got the Filet Mignon so I could have seared Foie Gras ($30) and not have it over power the Wagyu. The Filet and Foie gras were perfect together.

Side Dishes

The side dishes were Whipped Potatoes with caramelized onion gravy with puffed tendon and Brussels Sprouts made with cured beef, grilled onion, wagyu fat vinaigrette and crispy garlic.

12 types of Special Steak Salt from USA, Cyprus, 
India, Nepal, Peru, Indonesia, France, Philippines, Australia

The wine was unbelievable too but that’s another Blog. The meal finished off with, of course, house cotton candy with little extras: mini macarons and almond brittle. It was a perfect ending to a delicious dining experience. Expensive but well worth it. The overall ambience of the restaurant is cozy and welcoming. We will dine here again.

Highly recommended!  Click Here to go to their SF Web Site.

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Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles

Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles Entrance

When we were in LA we got a chance to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles at LA Live. What a great downtown hotel, surrounded by restaurants, museums and a state of the art movie theater.

The front receptionist Samantha was awesome! She was so polite, helpful, and respectful. She Immediately gave us a complimentary upgrade to an Exec Suite on the Club Floor. Super nice.

Executive Suite Living Room

The Exec Suite was huge, with a living room area, a dining room, dressing room and 1 1/2 baths. The large  bath had a tv in the mirror. There was also a complementary Nespresso machine along with Ritz bottled water. We were very happy.

Ritz Club Lounge

We loved the Club Lounge. The staff were very welcoming and helpful. The food is healthy and really good! We have used the club lounge in many hotels and this one at the Ritz LA is one of the best.

It’s located on the 23rd floor, and is open Mon-Sun from 7am-10pm and again, it’s fantastic. 

All you do is swipe your keycard for access and open the door to wonderful food and drink.  First off: a foyer with a wall of candy and a table of sweets (macaroons, cookies) right there.  The reception/concierge desk is at the end of this table.

To the left is a self-serve wine and liquor station and the food area is right there too.  Small tables and comfy chairs. There’s also Flatscreen tv’s and Free wi-fi placed nicely around the room. 

Downtown Los Angeles

View Toward Hollywood Hills

The views were similar to those from our 23rd floor executive suite (since we’re right around the corner from the lounge) living room. We looked towards Hollywood and the Hollywood sign across the lively I-110 freeway below.

26th Floor Pool and Jacuzzi

The roof top pool was beautiful and we were able to sit out there and have a couple of drinks in the beautiful 85ºF (29ºC )weather. Classic Los Angeles autumn weather.

Wolfgang Puck's WP 24

We later had dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s WP24 Asian restaurant which was fantastic. It has a nice modern take, great views and reminds us of eating in Hong Kong.

Bath and Shower in Suite

When in LA it is difficult for us to stay anywhere else but the Ritz at LA Live.The Ritz staff was amazing, very gracious, very helpful and always thankful when receiving tips, etc.  We shall return.

Highly recommended!  

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