The Best Hotels In and Around Cusco, Peru
Nestled in a steep valley in the high southern Peruvian Andes, Cusco is the old capital of the Inca empire, the jumping-off point for Machu Picchu, and studded with great places to stay, all bookable with Culture Trip.
Here, streets are lined with old Spanish buildings and ancient Inca walls – their massive stones pieced together without mortar in organically geometric shapes. There are buzzing indigenous markets, modish restaurants, bars, clubs and beautiful views at every turn. And nowhere in Peru has a better choice of hotels.
1. Belmond Palacio Nazarenas
Hotel
Set in a Carmelite monastery in the heart of old Cusco, Palacio Nazarenas oozes Spanish-colonial elegance with priceless antiques and a restored baroque chapel. Beds are draped with wispy nets and embroidered Egyptian linens, while colonial art and indigenous crafts adorn the walls. There’s a beautiful pool set among heavy stone cloisters, and the hotel’s Peruvian restaurant, Senzo, is one of the best in the city.
2. Belmond Hotel Monasterio
Hotel
Monasterio is one of the most luxurious classic hotels in South America. It’s housed in the center of old Inca Cusco in a rococo monastery replete with religious art and period furniture. Rooms are gathered in a series of cloisters and decorated with original art; some can be pumped with extra oxygen to help you acclimatize to high-altitude Cusco.
3. Palacio del Inka
Boutique Hotel, Spa Hotel
Locations don’t get closer to the Inca heart of Cusco than this palatial 16th-century mansion overlooking Coricancha – the ancient pre-Columbian temple of the sun and moon looted by Spanish conquistadors. Rooms sit in long cloisters and come in modern rich yellows and magentas, with retro-rococo flourishes. The spa, which has a big heated pool, is one of the best in Cusco – lit in low ambers and starry pin-spots, and faced with polished stone.
4. Casa Andina Standard Cusco Plaza
Hotel
Casa Andina may lack the colonial splendor of the grand Cusco hotels but for value and location it’s hard to beat. It sits alongside crafts shops and restaurants under the cloistered arches of the Plaza Regocijo, a block from the main city square. Rooms are small and functional in creams and grays, furnished with practical modern workstations and with plenty of light from tall windows leading to Juliet balconies.
5. El Mercado
Hotel
A stroll from the main square, Plaza de Armas, and with rooms set in the Colonial-era cloisters of the old market, El Mercado mixes Spanish-era grandeur with modern design from Peruvian architect Jordi Puig. Rooms come in warm creams with abstract textile carpets, Philippe Starck-inspired drapes, and bright modern art on the walls. They sit over a large central atrium with a fire pit and lounge chairs. The best restaurants in Cusco are on the doorstep.
6. El Retablo
Hotel
Set in a townhouse on a steep cobbled street 10 minutes from the center, El Retablo brims with local character. Rooms and public spaces are painted in the brightly colored floral and organic rococo patterns of traditional Peruvian reredos (portable altarpieces). Walls and beds are adorned with indigenous art. There are bars and restaurants nearby and the welcoming staff are helpful with organizing trips and tours.
7. Antigua Casona San Blas
Hotel
Sitting in the steep streets of the arty San Blas neighborhood, 15 minutes’ breathy walk from the colonial center of Cusco, Antigua Casona is an old townhouse with a range of modest-sized rooms in terracotta tile or rich wood and whitewash, furnished with heavy Spanish-era furniture. There’s an attractive atrium garden, an excellent restaurant and the hotel spa has a Jacuzzi, sauna and daily yoga classes.
8. Inkaterra La Casona
Hotel
9. Hotel Rumi Punku
Hotel
10. Niños Hotel
Hotel
11. Pantastico Bed & Bakery
Bed and Breakfast, Hotel
12. Casa Cartagena Boutique Hotel & Spa
Spa Hotel, Hotel
13. The Green House Bed & Breakfast
Inn, Hotel
14. Amaru Hostal
Hostel, Hotel
15. El Albergue
Hotel
16. Hostal Madre Tierra
Hotel
17. Tika Wasi Casa Boutique
Hostel, Hotel
Looking to explore further afield? Check out our expertly curated guide to the top boutique hotels in Aguas Calientes.
Alex Robinson contributed additional reporting.
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