Description: After four days on the Inca Trail we were ready for some comfort when we arrived back in Cusco. We booked this hotel before we left the UK. We knew we’d be getting back late from Machu Picchu so we decided to have somewhere nice ready to receive us.
Location
The hotel is on Kurkurpata. It wasn’t the easiest hotel to find but that may have been due to the lack of knowledge on the part of our taxi driver. We had an address and a small map of it but he had no clue. He ended up driving around for ages and then having to stop to phone them, before dropping us in the Plaza de San Blas, a couple of minutes walk away. The road that the hotel is on has no access for cars (or at least we never saw any and our taxi driver didn’t take us to the door) so if you have lots of bags then it is perhaps not ideal.
The location is good in general, however. It is located near the Plaza de San Blas, which is a pretty square with lots of restaurants and shops nearby. It is only a five minute walk to the Plaza del Armas, the main square in Cusco. The area around the hotel is quiet and not too touristy which is always a bonus for us.
Check in
Despite our arrival not being until about 11.30pm, the desk was manned. You have to knock on the door, however, this is true at all times of the day. All hotels in Cusco seem to keep their doors locked throughout the day. The check in process was smooth and efficient and took no time.
The Room
Our room was a small apartment type room. On the ground floor there was a kitchen area with everything you’d need if you wanted to do self-catering. There was a large fridge, oven, hob, pots, pans and crockery. They also provided some basic foods, which you had to pay for if used, such as pasta and sauce. In the fridge there was a selection of drinks to choose from, again not free, and snacks on top of the fridge. Down here there was also a sofa, although it wasn’t the most comfortable I’ve ever sat on. The bathroom was downstairs. There was no bath, just a shower but it was a really lovely powerful shower and to us after four days on the Inca Trail it was like heaven! The hotel provided the usual toiletries, including a lovely exfoliating soap. There were plenty of towels provided and everything was spotlessly clean.
Upstairs was the bedroom area. The stairs themselves were wooden and quite slippery so be very careful walking around with socks on. The bedroom had a flatscreen TV, which had a good selection of channels including some English language ones. There was a safe, hanging area and a large double bed. Before that night I’d spent three nights sleeping on the floor in a tent so to us it felt like sleeping on air to sleep on any bed! However, it remained comfortable on the second night so I don’t think it was just my post-Trail state talking. There was plenty of bedding for warmth as we were there during the cold period and there were plenty of pillows. Again, everything was spotless and cleaned daily.
Breakfast
At this hotel you rang down to reception and breakfast was brought to your room: bliss – breakfast in bed! You could order tea or coffee along with eggs cooked to your liking. Along with this there was a bowl of fruit and a selection of bread and jams. While not as extensive as a buffet breakfast the ability to have it in bed was an added luxury and the food was very tasty so I did not feel hard done by.
Other Points
There was free wifi in the hotel, although we only had one phone with us with which to connect to this so we did not really use it. There was also a computer in the hotel which guests could use to access the Internet which was really useful. There was never anyone else using the computer so we didn’t have to wait at any point. Around the computer there was a selection of books for guests to read or exchange, which I always think it a bonus in a hotel, especially one that is a long way from home as it is a pain to take a lot of books on holiday. In general the hotel was very quiet and we didn’t hear or really see any of the other guests. The hotel was nicely decorated although I felt that the rooms were a little bland.
Price
The price was $75 per night (about £47). We booked the hotel through booking.com and this was the price they gave us. I think this was a fair price for the hotel. Cusco hotels are sought after so seem to be more expensive than the average price in Peru. I would have certainly expected to pay more for it if it were in Europe as the room was lovely.
Conclusion
I would say that this is a good choice for a Cusco hotel. The room was comfortable and clean and the breakfast was good. The staff were friendly and the shower was like heaven after the Inca Trail. However, we stayed in another Cusco hotel before the Trail, the Mirador Los Apus, and I did prefer that one. It had a lot more character and I think if I were going back to Cusco I would chose that one.
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