Refugio de Santiago Ecolodge

First of all, THE FOOD IS AMAAAZING. Even by Lima's culinary standards, the restaurant would stand out. We ate ceviche of local trout which was delicious. The homemade smoked trout was definitely a favorite. Salads were all great, very fresh. The duck with chicha morada sauce and creamy quinoa was also a knock-out (newsflash: everyone just put cream in the quinoa, it's like a risotto, but better), and the tacu-tacu was phenomenal too. You really can't go wrong unless you plan on only one meal here. Two was barely enough for us. Cocktails were also top-notch. Excellent pisco sours (not overly sweet) and interesting variations: tuna sour (tuna the fruit) and chicha morada sour (purple corn) which was my favorite -- rich and nutty, almost cocoa flavor -- and which I have never seen anywhere else. The Ecolodge itself is a beautiful rural oasis on a hill overlooking the town (village?) of Paullo -- it's a retreat in every sense. We were visiting Peru from the US and wanted to spend a few days in Lunahuana doing some sport and sightseeing, so we only stayed one night but we were super happy with our stay though, and only wished it could have been longer. The setting is idyllic but a little rustic. However beautiful, this is not an upscale, manicured boutique hotel, but it's so much the better for it. The garden is cultivated with fruits and vegetables and herbs, with special emphasis those that are local and indigenous (and some that have been "forgotten") and there's a little pool that's perfect for an afternoon dip. Had we known our plans more in advance, we definitely would have made time to just come and relax here -- and learn some botany! -- and if I were living in Lima, this would be a frequent getaway to come and unplug. That said, cellular service is spotty and there isn't abundant wi-fi, but ideally you're coming here for precisely those reasons. The host, Fernando, and his team are all wonderful and generous. We were most in heaven when after dinner, with delicious flavors still in our mouths, they prepared a bonfire for us in the courtyard outside our rooms and delivered us piscos and beers all the way from the bar -- so, it's "rustic," in one sense, but not without accommodations to make sure we were really enjoying our time and being taken care of. For about $75-80/night, it felt like great value and we would definitely recommend!