peru-8-cuzco-sacred-valley

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214 4 Sleeping Cuzco has hundreds of hotels of all types, and just about the only thing they have in common is that they charge some of the highest room rates in Peru. Cuzco fills to bursting between June and August, especially during the 10 days before Inti Raymi on June 24 and during Fiestas Patrias (Independence Days) on July 28 and 29. Book in advance for these dates. Prices are market driven and vary dramatically according to the season and demand. Rates quoted here are for high season. Though the Plaza de Armas is the most central area, you won’t find any bargains there, and accommodations along Av El Sol tend to be bland, expensive and set up for tour groups. As Cuzco is such a compact city, it’s just as convenient to stay in another neighborhood nearby. Hilly San Blas has the best views and is deservedly popular. There are also many options west of the Plaza de Armas around Plaza Regocijo, in the commercial area towards the Mercado Central, and downhill from the center in the streets northeast of Av El Sol. Cuzco & the Sacred Valley Sleeping Cuzco Many of Cuzco’s guesthouses and hotels are located in charming colonial buildings with interior courtyards, which can echo resoundingly with noise from other guests or the street outside. Many places that offer breakfast start serving as early as 5am to accommodate Inca Trail trekkers and Machu Picchu day-trippers. For this reason, early check-ins and check-outs are the rule. With advance notice, most midrange and top-end places will pick you up for free at the airport, the train station or the bus terminal. Inquire about hot water for showers before committing yourself to a hotel. It’s often sporadic, even in midrange accommodations, and there’s nothing worse after a multiday trek than a lukewarm shower! In some hotels the hot water is more reliable on some floors than others. It helps to avoid showering at peak times of day, and it’s always worth telling reception if you’re having trouble – they may simply need to flick a switch or hook up a new gas canister. All places listed claim to offer 24-hour hot-water showers, and unless otherwise noted, midrange and above places include cable TV and internet access. The top hotels all feature rooms with heating and telephone; exceptions are noted in the review. All top-end and some midrange hotels have oxygen tanks available, at a price, for altitude sufferers. Cuzco’s swanky top-end hotels are usually booked solid during high season. Reserving through a travel agency or via the hotel’s website may result in better rates. CENTRAL CUZCO Many of the side streets that climb northwest away from the Plaza towards Sacsaywamán (especially Tigre, Tecsecocha, Suecia, Kiskapata, Resbalosa and 7 Culebras) are bursting with cheap crash pads. High-end hotels on the plaza are often overpriced. oEcopackers HOSTEL $ (Map p198; %23-1800; www.ecopackers<strong>peru</strong>.com; Santa Teresa 375; dm S25-41, d/ste S120/135; iW) Thought has been put into this big backpacker haven that’s a stone’s throw from Plaza Regocijo. One of the all-inclusives (with bar, pool room and sunbathing), it ups the ante by being clean, friendly and serviceminded. There’s lovely wicker lounges in the courtyard and the sturdy beds are extralong. There’s also 24-hour security. oInkaterra La Casona BOUTIQUE HOTel$$$ (Map p198; %23-5873; www.lacasona.info; Atocsaycuchi 616; suites incl breakfast from US$410; iW) Hitting the perfect balance of cozy and high style, this renovated grand colonial in tiny Plazoleta Nazarenas is simply debonair. Rustic meets majestic with original features like oversized carved doors, rough-hewn beams and stone fireplaces are enhanced with radiant floors, glittering candelabras, plush divans and gorgeous Andean textiles. Even though the telly is tucked away, tech isn’t far with laptop loans and iPod docks. Service is impeccable and highly personal. Niños Hotel HOTEL $$ (%23-1424, 25-4611; www.ninoshotel.com; Meloc 442; s/d without bathroom US$25/50, d/tr with bathroom US$55/79; iW) Long beloved and highly recommended, these hotels are run by a Dutch-founded nonprofit foundation that serves underprivileged children in Cuzco. Both are in rambling colonials with sunny courtyards. Refurbished rooms are bordered with bright trim and feature plaid throws and portable heaters. In the coldest months there’s hot water bottles to tuck in bed. The public cafeteria features homemade cakes and breads as well as box lunches.
Breakfast is not included. The other branch is at Fierro 476. La Lune BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$ (Map p198; %24-0543; www.onesuitehotelcusco. com; San Agustín 275; d incl breakfast US$450-550; iW) Christened the anti-hotel, it’s hard to get more exclusive than this: a two-suite hotel with 24-hour concierge service from its French owner, Artur. He wants you to relax. So stays also include drinks from a full bar and a professional massage under a stained glass window. So far, it has been a hit with visiting celebrities and diplomats. Suites are luxuriant, with tasteful modern decor, organic Cacharel bedding and an optional bed for Fido. Each suite takes two guests maximum, the pricier option comes with Jacuzzi (filled with rose petals at your bidding). Casa Cartagena BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$ (Map p198; %in Lima 01-242-3147; www.casacarta gena.com; Pumacurco 336; suites from US$450; iWs) Fusing modern with colonial, this Italian-owned boutique hotel is dripping in style. Its sixteen suites feature walls with oversized stripes, king-sized beds, iPod docks, bouquets of long-stemmed roses and enormous bathtubs lit by candles. Management boasts that both Neruda and Che Guevara bedded down in this historic mansion, actually a modest pension half a century ago: no word on how their politics fit in now. There’s a lovely onsite spa and room service is free. Hotel Arqueólogo BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$ (Map p198; %23-2569; www.hotelarqueologo. com; Pumacurco 408; d/superior incl breakfast S384/451; iW) Feeling luxurious but also lived-in, this antique French-owned guesthouse gives a real feel for Cuzco, down to the Inca stonework. Tasteful rooms with original murals and tapestries overlook a vast courtyard paved in river stones. Relax on the lawn out back, pet the three-legged dog or sip a complimentary pisco sour in the fireplace lounge. The sale of local weavings helps fund public libraries. French, English and German are spoken. Hotel Monasterio LUXURY HOTEL $$$ (Map p198; %60-4000; www.monasterio.orient -express.com; Calle Palacio 136; d from US$700, ste S2150-5952; iW) Arranged around graceful 16th-century cloisters, the five-star Monasterio has long been Cuzco’s jewel, with majestic public areas and over 100 rooms surrounding genteel courtyards. Jesuit roots show in the irregular floor plans, though some of the renovation touches (ie a plasma TV that emerges from the foot of the bed) seem a little gauche. In addition to two high-end restaurants, don’t miss the chapel with its original goldleaf paintings. Midori HOTEL $$$ (Map p198; %24-8144; www.midori-cusco.com; Ataúd 204; s/d incl breakfast S221/280; iW) Popular with small tour groups, this small hotel is classic and comfortable. Enormous rooms feature a living area, brocade fabrics and firm beds. Locally recommended. Pariwana HOSTEL $ (Map p198; %23-3751; www.pariwana-hostel.com; Mesón de la Estrella 136; dm S24-36, d with/without bathroom S98/85; iW) Resembling spring break, this notably clean, newer hostel is filled with uni-types lounging on poufs and playing ping-pong in the courtyard of a huge colonial. Wi-fi connection comes in the common areas. Beds in newish dorms are wellspaced and the penthouse suite is well worth the splurge. The chic bar is invite-only. Tierra Viva HOTEL $$$ (Map p198; %60-1317; www.tierravivahoteles.com; Saphi 766; s/d/tr incl breakfast S300/330/360; iW) With modern stylings and notable service, this new Peruvian hotel chain offers two comfortable midrange options in downtown Cuzco. The Plaza de Armas option (Suecia 345) is more spacious, with an interior courtyard. Doubles sport hardwood floors or Berber carpets, white linens and colorful throws. Buffet breakfast is available from 5am on. The Point HOSTEL $ (Map p198; %25-2266; www.thepointhostels.com; Mesón de la Estrella 172; dm S22-30, s/d without bathroom S50/80; iW) An industrial-sized party palace, with daily events, on-site bar The Horny Llama, foosball and a grassy backyard with hammocks. Another good choice for the socially inclined. Hosts electronic music parties of some note. Hostal Suecia I HOTEL $ (Map p198; %23-3282; www.hostalsuecia1.com; Suecia 332; s/d incl breakfast S60/90; W) Most rooms in this pint-sized guesthouse are very basic, but location and staff are fabulous and there’s a sociable, stony, indoor courtyard. 215 Cuzco & the Sacred Valley S C L u E zC E P O I N G
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Page 47 and 48: 237 COMMUNITY TOURISM IN THE SACRED
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Page 71 and 72: 261 YELLOW RIVER LODGE A cozy, lazy
Page 73 and 74: 263 BE SAFE IN THE JUNGLE In recent
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Hotel Turistas HISTORIC HOTEL $$ (%
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