Sonesta Lake Titicaca

I have to admit I was expecting a hotel that was larger and more grand but it was very nice and provided all the amenities it advertised. We arrived in the evening so had limited time to enjoy the view but woke early to see the sunrise on the lake which was nothing spectacular. The room was clean and spacious and both the dinner and buffet breakfast were okay. All in all we were happy with our stay, the staff were friendly and very helpful and we were glad to be in a bit more of an upscale hotel from where we came from.

This "4 star" hotel was a complete shambles from start to finish, and in the UK would be rated no better than 2 stars. Arrival: we contacted the hotel to arrange a taxi pick up from the Puno station - what they neglected to tell us was that the train actually stopped at the hotel - we could have saved ourselves nearly an hour plus hassle and cost of transferring from the main station. Delayed check out: we asked about a delayed check out (about 2 extra hours to the 10am deadline) but were informed that it was $50. We declined their kind offer. "Breakfast": the breakfast was included but for a supposed 4 star hotel it was truly awful. The food was clearly prepared at the start of the breakfast ie at 5am. By the time we went for breakfast at 8am the hot food was a good two hours past it's best. The coffee resembled syrup as so much of the water had evaporated, leaving a brown sludgy liquid. The bread was rock hard, yesterday's bread was obviously carried over till the next day. The milk container looked very dirty so we did not wish to risk cereal. The cutlery and crockery were both dirty. Departure transfer: ok, so our arrival had been messed up - maybe they could sort out a simple taxi transfer to Juliaca airport? Nope, every 5mins the taxi driver kept turning the ignition off and on as the engine kept cutting out - not directly the hotel's fault, but surely they should have a reliable taxi firm to call up for transfers? Room: the bed itself was actually very comfortable, and there was a large fridge/minibar, and it was generally quite clean. There were blackout blinds in the windows. There was clearly a problem with the heating (maybe there wasn't any?) as a plug in radiator and extra blankets were supplied. The bathroom seemed to be half modern - eg solid stone surface with new sink - and half 30years old - the bath/shower was very dated and bits of plaster from the ceiling fell down during showers. There was however plenty of hot water. Bar: as we were in Peru, we decided to order a local drink - Chilcano (Pisco, Ginger ale, lime sugar). The barman neglected to tell us that there was no Ginger ale, and proceeded to make a completely different drink with a variety of ingredients - it was awful. Getting into town: it was a bit of a hassle getting into town as walking took 45mins, though taxis were available relatively cheaply. Lunch: we had lunch in the hotel (we didn't really want to given our previous experiences but had little option given the hotel's location). Lunch was significantly better than breakfast; the food was a little slow, but was quite nice, albeit not good value for money in Peru. Checkout: as we checkd out, I requested the Visa authorisation slip so that the hotel couldn't subsequently keep my details and charge me for anything. The receptionist looked confused and then tried to charge me for my entire stay (even though we had paid in advance). About 10 minutes later, after a bit of arguing, he eventually worked out that we had already paid. Staff: Overall the staff were incompetent and not particularly helpful. Reviews: the hotel was described as "plush" by travel guides, and got relatively good reviews on various websites, but I urge anyone and everyone to avoid this hotel.

The Sonesta Posada del Inca has a great location right on the lake Titicaca outside of the busy city. The bedroom and bathroom were very very clean and very quiet. The food at the restaurant is absolutely awesome!