Is it safe or practical even to sleep in the Lima, Peru airport?

I'm going to Cuzco in June. My flight lands in Lima at 10:30pm and doesnt leave for Cuzco until 5:30 am. Is it advisable or safe to sleep there or should I try to get a hotel room in Lima for the short period that I will be there? Or should I chew some coca leaves and stay wide awake and alert for 6hours?

IF it were me!, I would stay at the airport. The amount of time between flights is not worth the trouble and time to go elsewhere. I would put my head and/or legs on top of my belongings and set my alarm (assuming you DO have one, even as a wrist watch or phone) and sleep a while. Worse case scenario is that you don't sleep much or none at all, in which case you'll be so sleepy on your next legs of the trip you'll certainly fall asleep then and rest. This whole situation would be different if you were not traveling alone, or worse, with children!
Either way, have fun, and enjoy!

Lima airport is very small, so you won't have much space to "sleep". Actually, the airport is going through a renovation and expansion phase right now 'cause is too small for the amount of traffic it's getting. If you can, try to get a room in Lima. Get your taxi as you leave the customs area but before you step out through the glass door to the mass of people waiting in the lounge. It will simplify your life, you'll get a certified taxi and you won't have to fend off all the other illegal taxi drivers trying to grab your bag and take you to their taxi. Don't go for hotels close to the airport, as it is a very bad area. Settle for San Isidro or Miraflores. San Borja is also good, but is is too far from the airport.

Hi

1) stay in the airport until the 530 flight if you really want to. there is a food court but not any real places to sleep

2) get a flight to cusco on the 9/10/11 flight and have a good sleep in a hotel. getting to cusco at 645 AM will not be great as you ill be tired and probably cant get into your hotel room
We have stayed at the hotel mahattan a couple of times. it is 5min from airport and was more than acceptable. get their hotel driver to pick you up

http://www.perucontact.com/en_peru/Manha...

Yep, go upstairs, you'll be fine.

Peru teacher is right. All is good upstairs. They are through with the renovations and the last few times I passed through there there were lots of people crashed in seats, on the floor, etc.

By the time you get through immigrations and customs, it will be midnight. Then you will be needing to wander to check in your items. Pick a spot to lounge.

Have a nice trip. Hope to one day make it up to cusco and macchu picchu. Heights scare me!

Yes, you can stay upstairs. It is safe. But if you are looking for something more confortable, maybe you can stay at the new hotel in the airport parking. You can get some good sleep there.

Not very comfortable at all, even though there is space. I'm not sure if any stores or restauratns remain open, or how comfortable the chairs would be. If you're traveling with a sleeping back, you could try it.

There is a hotel onsite at the airport. It's one of those american chain hotels, safe, etc. BUT be aware that if you leave the departing gates and go back in the next morning, you may have to pay your airport fee again. Double check before you go to the hotel.

If you are used to sleeping in airports, then you really won't have any problems. It is safe to sleep in the airport, just keep all your luggage close (they make great leg rests and pillows). By the time you get a taxi, find a hotel, and check in, you really won't have that much time before you have to get up and return to the airport.

The Lima airport gets pretty empty after 12:30am so there really won't be a whole lot of people there. I say go ahead and eat some supper in the airport, pick out a few chairs, stay a while, and get some sleep! I've slept many a time in that airport!!!

Just stay at the airport.

It was just recently remodeled, and is very safe.

I was just there in December and it was probably one of the nicer airports abroad I have traveled through.

There are places to get coffee, food and / or newspapers, etc.

Hanging and relaxing in the airport instead of stressing to get to a hotel for a few hrs sleep is not worth it to me.

I`m peruvian , I dont speak english very well, but respect to the airport , IT`S OKEY for me is not very big but is confortable, it best that you sleep there because if you go a hotel near , this district not is very sure, and if you went to lima 2 days or more , I could say you that go to hotel in lima because the airport is in CALLAO, callao is not very sure, but if you hope for several hours its recomendable that sleep in the airport , many tourist do it the same

I wouldn't recomend sleeping at the airport, they don't even have chairs in there, only in the food court and they're folding chairs with no arm rest. I've seen people going to sleep in a little chaple on the far end of the second floor because it's dark & quiet. There are few hotels nearby like the Manhattan Inn someone mentioned, it's in a lousy neighborhood but you'll use it only for sleeping purposes. It's cheap (US $ 53 for a double bed room).
Since June 2007 they oppened a hotel inside the airport called the RAMADA Costa del Sol. I couldn't find a web page with prices, only travel agencies that inform you.

The airport is located in a bad area of Lima so if you go somewhere make sure you go to a good area like Miraflores, San Isidro, Chacarilla, San borja , etc.

Callao is where the airport is located and it could be dangerous for a tourist.

If you want to take a taxi, then take one certified and tell him to drop you off in Miraflores and tell him you want either a 5 star hotel (Marriot is located in Miraflores) or a 3 star, 2 star and so on (they are nice in Miraflores)

but, if I were you, I would stay in the airport, by the time you pass immigration, it would be maybe 12:30 AM and then if you take the taxi you will be there at 1:30 for what? while you check in in the hotel it would be maybe 2:00 AM see? for what? sleep 2 hours to go back , take a taxi back to the airport?

nah, go upstairs and take a supper and wait for your flight. You should arrive one hour earlier anyways.........

good luck to you and don't worry cause the airport is safe inside.

see ya

better stay in the airport :), will be more fast, easy and safe :)................ and u will save some money and time too :):P