Hotel Love in Peru

If there is one thing that differs culturally between Peru and the United States it's intimacy among lovers, couples, and spouses.  First of all it's important to take into consideration that Americans generally enjoy independence to the extent that we all long for the day when we can move out of our basement bedroom at mom and dad's (well at least most of us).  In fact, it is usually frowned upon in American society for an individual to live with his parents in his later years without a reasonable excuse (and even then it can still be very difficult to find a partner who is willing to accept the fact that Jim still lives with his mommy and daddy).  Peruvian families however are much different in this aspect with most children living with their parents as well as grandparents, uncles, aunts, and other close relatives under one roof, most of their lives (if not all of their life).  There does exist a collectivist mentality among Peruvians with a strong emphasis on family.  Poverty may be a leading factor in why this collectivist culture still exists also (with a little more than half of the nations population living in poverty, that's roughly 54%.  Don't quote me on that).

With entire families living together, intimacy among couples can be difficult to achieve with everyone present.  It's even considered disrespectful depending on where you fall in the family hierarchy.  Thankfully in Peru there is a solution, HOTELS!  In Lima there is an unbelievable amont of hotels, hostels, hospedajes, and even the occasional taxi cab (when you just can't hold the love in any longer), with prices at most of these establishments being fairly reasonable for the average Limeñan's or Chalaco's (the nickname for people from Callao) wages.  Hotels being the most expensive option provide a couple with such wonderful commodities as: an actual bed mattress (one that's not stuffed with straw and hay), blankets (most hostels and hospedajes only offer a bed with a bed sheet on it), better privacy, a sense of security, and the occasional jacuzzi.  Most hotels can range from S/. 35 to $200 or more depending on district and neighborhood.  For the average unmarried couple, sex occurs more frequently throughout the week and therefore a hostel or hospedaje is much more economical.  Hell the cheapest ones will only set you back a measly S/. 10, which buys you a small room with a bed and even a TV for the duration of a few hours (that's more than enough time to show that special someone in your life how much you love him/her).  The one amenity that almost every establishment provides their patrons with is a complementary baby repellent (also known as a condom), however I would personally recommend that you stock up before your head out on your midnight adventure (HELL, a decent pack of condoms only costs S/. 7.00 and just like hotels, pharmacies are literally everywhere). 

The practice of renting a room for the sole purpose of making love is actually accepted by Peruvians and is quite common and normal.  I wouldn't be surprised if sex was what kept the hotel industry alive and thriving here in Peru.  For Americans this concept maybe unusual to us considering the fact that most of us have our own place (apartment, home, car, etc.) where we can be intimate with our partner.  For most Peruvians the luxury of having one's own place is difficult to come by for various cultural / societal reasons, therefore the best option for quality alone time with a loved one is at a hotel.  For someone who is accustomed to renting a hotel room for travel purposes it may seem odd to rent one just to have sex.  Though with time the feeling of awkwardness and embarrassment wears off once you realize that most establishments understand that the majority of their clientele use their rooms for more intimate purposes.