4 Best Hotels in Nazca, The Southern Coast

Part of a national chain, this hotel offers the best value for the money of any of Nazca's top-end lodgings. Catering to business travelers and tourists, the smartly yet simply furnished rooms come fully equipped with safes and Wi-Fi, and a small business center offers computer access and endless coffee and tea. Those interested strictly in pleasure can spend their time relaxing by the hotel's small pool.

Long a favorite with travelers, this classic Nazca hotel is set around a sunny courtyard with swimming pool—a perfect spot to relax after a dusty morning flight over the Nazca Lines. The hotel's décor is on par with that of other midrange options in town, with clean, comfortable rooms. The reception is extremely welcoming, and knowledgeable staffers can help book flights and tours. Due to its location across from the bus station, the hotel is often full.

Set amid 60 acres of fragrant gardens and surrounded by cotton fields, this quiet, 80-year-old hacienda and former Augustine convent, situated 1½ km (1 mile) from the airport, offers a taste of life on a farm. Alpacas and vicuñas wander the grounds, and though rooms are simple, they are charming, with nice Nazca-themed decorative touches and courtyards adorned with colorful blossoms. The excellent restaurant serves local specialties, and the English-speaking staff can organize horseback rides, mountain-bike trips, or four-wheel-drive excursions.

Mixing colonial elegance with all the mod-cons, this historic hacienda is a Nazca landmark. Formerly home to Maria Reiche (she lived in room 130 for 25 years), the hotel has long drawn international tourists and adventurers seeking to solve the mysteries of the lines. Stylish colonial rooms with private terraces and piped-in music deliver a touch of the good life, and the enormous central courtyard with its inviting pool make it hard to drag yourself away. With nightly planetarium shows (S/20) and lectures about the lines, you can attempt to solve the mystery without leaving the grounds. The hotel is extremely charming; the staff, perhaps overwhelmed by the tour groups that march nightly through the doors, not so much.