Our Head of Marketing gives her first-hand review of Amantica Lodge Lake Titicaca, having personally stayed at the luxurious private villa, located on Amantaní Island in Peru. Amantica Lodge Lake Titicaca As I cruised towards to the island under the midday sun, cutting through the stillness of the lake, Amantica Lodge slowly came into view. Perched on a quiet edge of Amantaní Island on Lake Titicaca, Amantica Lodge is a new stylish, private two-bed villa that I had the pleasure of testing out on a recent inspection trip to Lake Titicaca. Already acclimatised to the giddying heights of the region (3,810m / 12,500 ft), having spent a relaxing couple of days on glorious Suasi Island, I was picked up earlier by Amantica’s boat to head over for a night of sumptuous relaxation at the luxury lodge, inaugurated in early 2016. Whilst Amantaní Island is populated by a handful of villages, as I approached the villa immediately showed off its prime lookout position, comfortably secluded on its own nook - yet with traces of village civilization still easily in sight. From the lake, the exterior of the property seemed understated in contrast to the luxurious lair I was about to discover up-close. The Peru Private Villa A warm welcome and refreshing drink was quickly followed by a brief tour of the property. Amantica lodge Lake Titicaca consists of two rooms – one double and one twin, joined by a spacious, shared bathroom. Walking in to the Master double bedroom from one of the two decking areas, I was immediately struck by the gorgeous design and the ultimate showstopper: the views. With a layout designed to make the most of these, the property undoubtedly presented an immediate wow-factor. It was impossible to resist such a sublime view and I immediately went out to the main, private
Our Head of Marketing gives her first-hand review of Amantica Lodge Lake Titicaca, having personally stayed at the luxurious private villa, located on Amantaní Island in Peru. Amantica Lodge Lake Titicaca As I cruised towards to the island under the midday sun, cutting through the stillness of the lake, Amantica Lodge slowly came…
One attraction that has always avoided the touristic brush of the popular established circuit of Lake Titicaca is Suasi Island; off the far northern shore, the only privately owned island on the lake is a natural treasure with native trees, wildlife and beautiful views across rugged and unspoiled landscape. While the peace and serenity are not likely to change any time soon, we recently learned that more significant changes will take place at the island’s only property, Suasi Lodge. Speaking to the owner of Suasi Island, Martha Giraldo, and her son Miguel, we were informed that the well-known hotel chain Casa Andina, which had been managing operations of the lodge since 2005, has decided to withdraw from the project, focusing more on its larger corporate hotels. Effective April 2015, the job of running the eco-lodge will return to its owners. This was fantastic news for those of us at Aracari; we are well aware that it has been a direct result of Martha’s extensive preservation efforts of the local flora and fauna that Suasi Island is a dream-come-true for nature enthusiasts today. We have long been advocates of visiting the island. Martha, who lives all year around only 100 meters away from the lodge, was full of plans about how to return the 24-room eco-lodge to the original concept that she started years ago. Originally purchasing the 43 hectare island from her grandmother 26 years ago, she hosted her first guests in the sustainable solar-powered lodge in 1999, one of them being Aracari’s founder, Marisol Mosquera. Talking us through her ideas about the future of Suasi Island, Martha wanted to stress that importance will be placed on the more permanent qualities that guests should expect during a stay on Suasi Island: serenity, beauty, nature, wildlife, sustainability, quality, and communication. You
One attraction that has always avoided the touristic brush of the popular established circuit of Lake Titicaca is Suasi Island; off the far northern shore, the only privately owned island on the lake is a natural treasure with native trees, wildlife and beautiful views across rugged and unspoiled landscape. While…
A Visit to Suasi Island Following our adventure to Taquile Island in Lake Titicaca, James and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a relaxing two days at Suasi Island, the only privately owned island on the Peruvian side of the lake. This tiny island is home to Martha Giraldo’s one-of-a-kind Suasi Lodge, where the focus on providing excellent service in a remote location coupled by beautiful and fragrant gardens, swaying hammocks and cozy fireplaces, and a plethora of wildlife make the long journey worthwhile. Upon our arrival to the island’s private dock, we were greeted by the friendly staff and walked the short distance to the lodge with our luggage safely in tow. As we walked up to the hotel, we couldn’t help but notice the aromatic and lush landscaping, which we would later discover was a nice personal touch of the owner’s. Our guide from the boat, Maria, helped us with check-in and briefed us on the activities that we had planned during our brief stay, including a tour of the facilities, a hike to watch the sunset, as well as a bird-watching boat tour around the island. Despite the secludedness of the island, there were plenty of things to do and places to explore, and the lodge conveniently displayed these options in their main lobby. Before heading to our room, we enjoyed a refreshing beverage from the open bar, which included everything from water and soft drinks, wine, whisky, beer, as well as some snacks. After getting settled into our comfortable, appealingly-rustic accommodations on the second floor, bright with sunshine from the overhead skylights and with great views of the lake, we ventured outside for a BBQ lunch on the patio overlooking the vast beauty of Lake Titicaca. Lunch consisted of soup, salad, locally-sourced bread, and grilled
A Visit to Suasi Island Following our adventure to Taquile Island in Lake Titicaca, James and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a relaxing two days at Suasi Island, the only privately owned island on the Peruvian side of the lake. This tiny island is home to Martha Giraldo’s…
