Decameron El Pueblo
Decameron El Pueblo occupies an unusual niche: it is essentially Lima's only all-inclusive resort, tucked into lush green grounds in Santa Clara, in the Ate district on the eastern edge of the city. Decameron's own pages disagree on how far that is, one saying 60 minutes from Lima's financial center and another 35, so count on 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic on the Carretera Central, which is heavy. The design draws on Andean colonial architecture, with whitewashed walls, terracotta rooftops and cobblestone plazas that give it the feel of a highland village transplanted to the coast. For travelers who want the all-inclusive formula without flying to Cancun or Punta Cana, this is the go-to option in Peru. The Decameron brand is Colombian in origin and has built its business on the budget-friendly all-inclusive model across Latin America, and El Pueblo fits that mold: affordable, activity-packed and social by design. A whole-property renovation announced around 2018 rebuilt the lobby from scratch and added the 600-seat theatre, seven event halls, two remodeled pool bars, three renovated pools, a new gym, the spa, the mini club and the kids park, which is why the company still calls it newly renovated.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +One of the only true all-inclusive resorts within an hour of Lima, which makes it the practical choice for travelers who want city days and a resort stay in the same trip without flying to the Caribbean
- +Seven pools by Decameron's own count: three shared pools for adults and kids, including the waterslide pool with its own Tobogan bar, plus four private pools attached to the Superior rooms and the hillside family suites
- +Nightly shows in the Plaza de Armas, which holds about 300 people, with dancers, magicians, musicians and human statues, all included, and the renovation added a 600-seat theatre for bigger productions
- +Polvos Azules, the Peruvian-Chinese chifa restaurant, goes well beyond typical resort food and reflects Lima's chifa tradition; El Molino de Santa Clara covers Italian and Mediterranean dishes and El Mercao is the market-square buffet, with La Sangucheria, a coffee shop and an ice cream parlor for snacks
- +Family suites on the hill come with two bedrooms, a terrace and their own private pool, which gives families real separation from the main resort crowds
- +Built to resemble an Andean highland village, with whitewashed walls, terracotta roofs, cobblestone paths and a little artisan market in the plaza, so the grounds feel like a colonial town rather than a hotel block
- +The karaoke lounge and the La Huaca nightclub are included, the club runs to 2am with a night snack from 11pm, and the bars pour from 9am to 2am, so the evening keeps going longer than at most resorts in Peru
- +Wi-Fi is included and reaches every room, the main pools, the plaza and the nightclub, and the included extras run deep: a gym with cardio and strength machines, dry and wet sauna with a jacuzzi from 8am to 6pm, a tennis court and multipurpose courts open until 9pm, a mini club, a playground, a game room and a family cinema
Cons
- −The property shows its age despite the whole-property renovation Decameron announced around 2018 and still markets as newly renovated: reviews describe worn furniture, tired rooms in the lower categories, and walkways and ramps that need upkeep and can be hazards for elderly guests
- −Maintenance is a running theme: guests report that one of the pools always seems to be out of service, sometimes the big waterslide pool itself, and pest sightings in rooms come up in some reviews, so pack the expectation of a well-worn three-and-a-half-star resort
- −Bed quality is a recurring complaint, with mattresses described as hard, lumpy or simply worn through in the older room categories
- −Food is inconsistent: the buffet draws mixed marks, some guests feel the cooking does not live up to what Lima's restaurant scene offers, and the a la carte dinners are subject to availability and must be reserved by QR code at the Plaza de Armas gift shop
- −Not everything is included. La Cava, the chef's five-course tasting dinner with optional wine pairings, costs extra and must be arranged directly with the hotel; the package covers standard domestic alcohol only; and laundry, phone calls and the gift shop are all billed separately
- −Pool hours are limited: the Mohena pool bar runs 10:30am to 6pm and the Tobogan bar at the waterslide pool 9am to 6pm, so evenings are pool-free even though the bars and the nightclub stay open
- −There is no beach. The resort is inland in Santa Clara, in Lima's Ate district off the Carretera Central, and Decameron's own pages put it 60 minutes from the city's financial center in traffic, so plan 45 to 60 minutes each way for anything in Miraflores or the historic center
Practically speaking, the pools are the resort's backbone: three shared pools including the waterslide pool with the Tobogan bar, plus four private pools belonging to the Superior rooms and the hillside family suites, which is how Decameron's fact sheet gets to seven. Dining is El Mercao, the market-square buffet open for breakfast from 7am, lunch from noon and dinner from 6:30pm, plus two a la carte dinner venues, Polvos Azules for Peruvian-Chinese chifa and El Molino de Santa Clara for Italian and Mediterranean, and La Sangucheria, a coffee shop and an ice cream parlor for snacks between meals. The four bars are Mohena at the pool, Tobogan at the waterslide pool, La Cava from 6pm to midnight and La Huaca, the nightclub, from about 11pm to 2am. La Cava doubles as a paid chef's table with a five-course tasting menu and optional wine pairings, and the package covers domestic alcohol only. Nightly entertainment in the plaza is genuinely impressive. The catch is that the property is aging and that aging shows: reviews consistently flag worn rooms, a pool out of service and inconsistent upkeep. It is a three-to-three-and-a-half-star experience dressed in a four-star concept, and managing that gap in expectations is the key to enjoying your stay.
Decameron El Pueblo works best for Peruvian families and South American travelers who want a domestic resort holiday without an international flight, and for visitors who want a Lima base with poolside comfort between city excursions to Miraflores, Barranco and the historic center, with Lima as the gateway to Cusco and Machu Picchu. Decameron prices the hotel per adult per night with a two-night minimum on its own promotions, so compare quotes on a per-room basis before booking. Travelers comparing it to Mexico or the Caribbean should know that resorts in that price range there will likely deliver a better physical product. But for what it is, a true all-inclusive in Lima with pools, entertainment and good value, there is nothing else quite like it in Peru.
Common Questions
Is this resort actually in Lima or is it far from the city?
Is there a beach at Decameron El Pueblo?
How bad are the maintenance and cleanliness issues?
Is everything really included in the all-inclusive package?
What is the entertainment like at night?
Is this a good resort for families with young children?
Restaurants (3)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | El Mercao |
| Mediterranean & Spanish | El Molino de Santa Clara |
| International & fusion | Polvos Azules |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown. All are covered by the all-inclusive rate, per the resort.
What's nearby
15 min drive · 5.3 mi
Convento de San Francisco and Catacombs30 min drive · 12 mi
Plaza Mayor de Lima30 min drive · 13 mi
30 min drive · 14 mi
35 min drive · 14 mi
More things to do (25)
- Barranco (Parque Municipal) · town40 min drive · 16 mi
- Parque de las Leyendas – Huachipa · wildlife8 min drive · 2.2 mi
- Puruchuco · ruins20 min drive · 5.3 mi
- Casa Aliaga · historic site25 min drive · 12 mi
- Plaza San Martín · historic site30 min drive · 13 mi
- Catedral de Lima · historic site30 min drive · 13 mi
- Museo Oro del Perú · museum30 min drive · 11 mi
- Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI) · museum30 min drive · 14 mi
- Huaca Huallamarca · ruins35 min drive · 14 mi
- Huaca Mateo Salado · ruins35 min drive · 16 mi
- Chosica · town35 min drive · 16 mi
- Paragliding over the Miraflores cliffs · excursion35 min drive · 15 mi
- Museo Larco · museum35 min drive · 17 mi
- Miraflores Malecón (Faro La Marina) · viewpoint35 min drive · 15 mi
- Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia del Perú · museum35 min drive · 14 mi
- MAC Lima · museum40 min drive · 17 mi
- Puente de los Suspiros · historic site40 min drive · 17 mi
- Lugar de la Memoria · museum40 min drive · 17 mi
- Museo Pedro de Osma · museum40 min drive · 17 mi
- Parque de las Leyendas – San Miguel · wildlife40 min drive · 18 mi
- Fortaleza del Real Felipe · historic site45 min drive · 21 mi
- Palomino Islands sea lion boat trip · excursion45 min drive · 21 mi
- Museo Nacional del Perú (MUNA) · museum45 min drive · 25 mi
- La Punta (Callao) · town50 min drive · 22 mi
- Pachacamac · ruins55 min drive · 27 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Room upgrades
Google Reviews★ 4.4 · 6,443 reviews
“This was such an amazing experience. Getting to the hotel is a bit far from Lima; the road and traffic are not the best, but once you are there, you can forget about the chaos and craziness of the city. They have activities throughout the day for ad...”
