Hacienda Santa María — Hotel in Tarma

I stayed there recently for a few days and really enjoyed the pleasant relaxed atmosphere, the helpful staff and the numerous quirky historic features of the place; I mean who has their own proper chapel these days?!||||There are some very pleasant little touches too like getting a hot water bottle placed in your bed each night (I know!) The food was good; and they tried really hard to accommodate vegan diet for me, which was appreciated. ||||I didn't go on any but they do offer a number of tours / workshops etc across the year put on by either their own staff or local trusted partners.||||Wifi can be a bit patchy at times but overall I managed to stay connected to the world. ||||Tarma is a good 6 hours from Lima via a windy mountain road, so be prepared for a few stomach churning views along the way! and try to stop (and catch your breath!) at the 4800m summit before you descent into the relatively lowland Tarma at around 3500m.||||I really towns like Tarma, unvarnished and genuine, but it would probably suit people who want to experience the local ruins or Tarmatambo or walk sections of the Inca Way, rather than big flashy cultural spots in town. Although there are the usual selection of festivities across the...

I chose this place based on many recommendations from friends in Lima. They praised the friendly staff and nicely appointed rooms. We were not disappointed.This is a 300 years old place which for Peruvian standards is very unusual. It has been restaured sympathetically and has plenty of character. Although there is not central heating, it didn't put us off. The best part was breakfast, simple yet delicious. We will definitely go back and use it as our first stop when visiting this beautiful region. A good idea, if you suffer from altitude sickness like I do,is to spend the first night in Tarma (3200m asl)and next morning visit La Merced in the jungle, only 90 minutes away but at 800m asl. The relief is immediately felt. You can spend the day there and happily return to Tarma, headache free. You shouldn't have a problem after that and should be able to stay at high altitude for the rest of your visit. You could of course visit Oxapampa for a couple of days (also in the jungle) before returning to Tarma for a tour of this absolutely gorgeous area which includes Jauja...

Peru is a mixed-bag of hot/cold weather, sanitation, dry-humid, beauty-barren and variations within low budget accommodations. One thing is certain: NEVER DRINK TAP WATER unless boiled or purified. Places a to stay in Tarma that are above the hostel level are few but we discovered a lovely "compound" that befits the beautiful area nestled in lush rolling hills just outside of nowhere. Hacienda Santa Maria has quaint rooms loaded with history. The helpful proprietor speaks English and all the staff members are friendly and helpful. Expect pure old-world charm with no TV or room service. However, we found a hot water bottle tucked between the sheets each night and breakfast awaited us each morning. In the evening we were sent off to dreamland with homemade soup and dessert. There's a comfy banquet room and quaint chapel that takes visitors back to yesteryear with untouched authenticity. If a guest wants to be transported into a world of charm without modern distractions, Hacienda Santa Maria is the...