A dollhouse of a casita, in a quiet courtyard, on a charming street overflowing with bougainvillea, in trés chic Miraflores, in a beautiful city, Lima, in a wonderfully diverse South American country, Peru. This is the enchanting hotel Autor — and probably the newly opened Autor ii. On my 2 days in Lima, after traveling around South America for the past 2 1/2 weeks, this 4 suite hotel was the perfect place to lay my head. Upon entering Autor’s courtyard, you feel like you’re coming home. The “lobby” is artfully filled with art pieces and books showcasing owner Humberto Medrano’s pride in his home country of Peru and it’s diverse history, peoples and lands. As warm and welcoming as it is tastefully curated, it’s easy to feel that you’re actually in Humberto’s living room.

Each room is uniquely decorated, even moreso adding to the feeling that you’re staying at a friend’s home with immaculate taste. This isn’t your cookie cutter hotel. As I sat down at the drafting desk to plan my last few days in Peru, I looked around and really didn’t want to leave my room: a beautiful balcony, wonderful books and I was so tired after the last few weeks I really could have. After settling in, I was greeted by the proprietor Humberto who, having just returned from an expedition in the Amazon, asked me to join him for dinner. I also learned that there was an esteemed guest staying at the hotel, a well-known South American sociologist whom Humberto met during this Amazon boat trip.

The Virgina Wolf quote, “I am rooted, but I flow” is on the homepage of Autor’s website. To me, this is the perfect quote to encapsulate a traveler’s soul. And this is the perfect hotel for my kind of traveler. We’re a unique bunch. We might not have a lot of time, but we crave finding about the heart and soul of a place, what makes it tick. We want a personalized experience filled with human interaction. Autor offers you this and so much more. Hotel Autor, I’ll definitely be back.

Autor. Av. 28 Julio 562B, Quinta Bustos, Miraflores, Lima. (511)396-2740.