Hotel El Patio Miraflores

Hotel El Patio is a small, budget-friendly guesthouse that offers a slice of old Miraflores. It occupies a quinta, a group of colonial-style houses built around a central patio with a fountain, and it describes itself as one of the last quintas left in the district. The patio is lined with flowered terraces and spaces to relax, which makes the place feel much calmer than its central location would suggest.

Room types range from simple to larger options. The Standard-Plus rooms include a mini kitchenette and a fridge, and the Suite Matrimonial has a full kitchenette and a small sitting and dining area, so the guesthouse works well for travellers on a budget, for couples on a long trip around Peru who want to prepare some of their own meals, or for longer stays. The website lists the different categories, so check what each includes when you book.

The location is in the heart of Miraflores, which the guesthouse calls the liveliest district of Lima, on Calle Ernesto Diez Canseco. From here the district's parks and the clifftop malecones with their sea views are within reach on foot, including the Malecón Cisneros with the Parque del Amor and the Larcomar shopping centre further along the cliffs, and the area is well supplied with restaurants, cafés and shops. El Pan de la Chola's bakeries, Maido and Mayta are all in Miraflores, and Barranco is a short taxi ride to the south.

El Patio suits independent travellers, couples and budget-conscious visitors who prefer a characterful small guesthouse to a large modern hotel. It is a sensible base for a couple of nights before or after travelling to Cusco, with easy taxi access to the rest of the city. The website does not list a pool, spa or gym, so facilities are simpler than in the large hotels.

Reservations and enquiries can be made by phone or WhatsApp on the number published on the website, or by email, and the website lists all the room categories with photographs. Ask about airport transfers when you book, and confirm what is included in your rate, as this varies between room types.