Best Hotel and Complimentary Cooking Lesson in Peru

Caballitos de toro are traditional fishing vessels made of reeds.

Within five minutes of arriving at Oceano Hospedaje in Huanchaco, Peru we received a free-room upgrade, made two life-long travel mates from Belgium, and arranged a complimentary ceviche cooking class with our host Carlos. Huanchaco is a beach-town paradise where people planning a few days often detour for a relaxing fortnight.

In Huanchaco once reluctant surfing students can’t be plucked from their boards until their lips turn purple. Restaurants cater to vegetarian palates and seafood lunch specials (menus) rarely top US$4. During the day you can glide the sea on caballitos de toro, traditional fishing vessels made of reeds. Then at night after sampling happy hour specials and playing jenga at mellow bars, you can return to the moonlit beach for an international bonfire bash.

Ideal Location, Spacious Accommodation, and Extra Amenities in Huanchaco

Steps away from the beach and daily lunch specials

Oceano Hospedaje has been our favorite lodging in Peru. Located a Frisbee toss from the beach and run by the friendliest family on the coast, Oceano was also a tremendous value starting at S/.30 (US$11) a night for a couple. We had arrived in Huanchaco after a twisting fourteen-hour bus journey from Chachapoyas. Drunk from sleep-deprivation, I could have been led down a sewer shaft and I would have slumbered peacefully. But once again, Melissa’s research delivered us toward ideal accommodation.

Our room upgrade placed us on the first floor with a window facing the street. Fresh ocean breezes roused us every morning. Ordinarily we hesitate to accept rooms on the first level and close to the main entrance. However the front gate at Oceano was always securely locked and the mother/father/son/daughter team were consistently on hand manning the door.

Two comfortable beds afforded views to our mounted television which featured a range of local and international broadcasting. We had a spotless bathroom pouring hot water all day and night. Melissa marveled at the efficiency of two staff members who cleaned our lodging simultaneously. During our stay, they changed our shower curtain for cleaning and provided us with a dark window curtain to shield the fierce morning sun.

Anouk cooked dinner on our last night together in Oceano's communal kitchen.

Oceano had comfortable beds at a reasonable rate of S/. 30 or US$11 a night.

Oceano also has a communal kitchen with full-sized refrigerator. Melissa and I practiced bartering at local markets and kept fruit on hand for simple breakfasts. Other guests including our Belgian friends cooked up a storm after their draining surf lessons. We enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere and amenities so much that we invited travelers we met on tours of the ruins to our hospedaje.

Ceviche Cooking Class with Carlos at Oceano

Upon our arrival, we waited for the room-upgrade to be prepared. Exchanging travel stories with a fellow guest named Anouk, we learned about her delays in the jungle-covered border between Ecuador and Peru. Instantly bonding in Oceano’s common space, Anouk invited us to a ceviche cooking class she and her boyfriend, Hans, had arranged with Carlos. Carlos explained that he offers lessons on preparing traditional dishes to share Peruvian culture with guests and to distinguish his hospedaje from the competition.

The following morning our Belgian friends went to the local market in Huanchaco to satisfy Carlos’ list of ingredients for ceviche. Ceviche is a seafood staple in many parts of Central and South America. It is usually eaten as lunch, and garnished with foods typical to the region where it is served.

Hans cooked our lunch while thinking in four languages.

Carlos realized that Melissa and I were stocked with cameras and decided that his ceviche lesson would make a great instructional video featuring Hans. Outfitting Hans with a baseball cap, Carlos walked the cook through the steps of preparing the dish. Carlos made sure to have Hans clean during each step in the process, since ceviche is primarily a raw seafood meal.

As a US citizen with English as my sole language, I felt inspired to witness Hans decipher cooking and acting pointers in English, Spanish, and Flemish, before narrating for the video camera. Carlos was thorough and concise with his cooking instructions but demanding and comical with his video directing. He even challenged Hans to play for the camera claiming his performance was boring.

Carlos dishes advice on an authentic Peruvian ceviche recipe.

The production was entertaining, and in the end the Peruvian ceviche was delicious. Although we didn’t have a quintessential beer with our meal it still made a filling lunch. Served alongside sweet potatoes and huge-kernelled Andean corn-on-the-cob called choclo, the fish was perfectly seasoned with lime, aji amarillo peppers and sweet onion. As we chomped on the final product, Carlos offered us future lessons on other traditional foods and drinks, such as lomo saltado and chicha morada.

To sleep and dine in comfort at Oceano Hospedaje in Huanchaco, take a short taxi or van ride from nearby Trujillo. From Trujillo you’ll pass a large shopping mall and the ruins at Chan-Chan. In this region of Peru be careful of money-changers on the street. Check with Carlos on how to identify counterfeit bills.