La Gruta Hotel — Hotel in Arequipa

My girlfriend and I were stranded for a day when our the airline we were due to fly out on (Peruvian Air) suddenly declared bankruptcy overnight. As we ducked out of the quickly deteriorating sh!t-show that was unfolding around us at the airport, our cab driver suggested we stay at La Gruta for the night while we worked out a plan B. As we pulled up, the staff greeted us warmly and offered us some tea. In less than five-minutes we were in our room, a nicely sized suite with a sliding glass door that opened up into a beautifully landscaped outdoor area complete with lounge furniture, soft grass and a lovely little calico cat who quickly came over to say hello. We spent the evening relaxing under then sunset before departing the following day. The staff was warm and attentive, the bed was comfortable and the experience was exactly what we needed after a VERY long morning. ||||BONUS: La Gruta is located about 10 minutes by foot from Plaza De Armas in the center of town. A short walk will take you past dozens of cafes, restaurants and bodegas before you reach the Plaza, so a quick bite to eat or a cup of coffee is never far. If you want to explore the area by foot, this location is an excellent starting point. ||||If you're looking for a simple, clean, safe and comfortable place to stay during your visit, check out La Gruta, you won't be disappointed. ||||PRO TIP:||During our walk through the Plaza, we were pickpocketed by some scammers claiming to be students studying english at a local school. A young girl asked in broken english if she could interview us while her friend recorded the interview on his phone. During the 'interview' someone slipped my iPhone out of my pocket - I never even noticed. I suspect that the guy with the phone "recording" the interview was actually streaming live video to a third person who was working with them in the crowd, helping them locate us so they could snarf my phone while I was distracted. As a New Yorker, I was honestly more impressed than upset at how clever they were.||||They were, as Jaime Fox so famously said in his seminal film Miami Vice, "smoove." ||||Anyway, keep your gear secure and in a zipped pocket. The Plaza is crawling with pickpockets and scammers....

Like many other reviewers I was here just prior to a bike tour. The hotel is in a compound so extra safe, it has decent sized rooms and is in a quiet location. The bathroom is a bit dated and the shower a bit average but was overall ok. Note there is no heating or cooling as people in Arequipa think its unnecessary, it wouldve been nice for a little heater though. The breakfast was a bit average, a bit more fresh fruit wouldve been great as opposed to the breads,ham and cheese. Coffee was quite good and they had milk as well. The garden area is great to sit outside in the sun and have a few drinks. The staff were friendly and could speak a little english, enough to get drinks or a late night sandwich. Special thankyou to this young chap who checked me in late into the night. He was a very nice young man, very friendly and only too happy to help. He even showed me where to smoke and got me a few beers and made me a sandwich after a long day of flying! That was very much appreciated! To get to town is like a 10minute walk, not far at all and quite...

I stayed in hotel La Gruta for a week during August. This is the busiest time of the year in Peru, and La Gruta was the perfect place to relax. Near to a park, not next to a road but 10 meters from it, ideal. The garden is quiet and beautiful, sitting there reading a book is great after a long busy day. It is really close to Arequipas main square, I walked a couple of times, but getting a cab is an easy and cheap option too. In La Gruta, the breakfast is really good with a lot of food, great bread, different juices, eggs and cornflakes. Its personnel is friendly and helpful, you can ask them anything. I recommend to let them wash your clothes, they iron them and perfectly deliver them in your room. Last but not least, the great rooms. The beds are amazing and cleaned every day, the shower is great and hot, which isn't everywhere. It is big, has a lot of chargers, excellent WiFi, and I had nothing...