The hotel occupies the traditional house of the ‘four busts’, a colonial construction built upon the ruins of an Incan palace that was once part of the Qorikancha Temple. The Incan remains can still be seen in the lobby area and in the hotel bar where one entire wall is built with original Incan stonework. In the heart of this wall you can see the ‘Stone of 8 Angles’ made from a type of plutonic rock like Diorita Vede which is formed deep in the earth. This stone is the centre of this historical structure.

The Palacio del Inka Hotel is a museum hotel that inspires with its world-class art collection. They have a stunning collection of over 165 paintings, 60 of which are originals from the famous ‘Cusco School’ tradition that you can admire during your stay. Some elements of the mansion, such as the arch and the stairs, have remained intact since the Inca period. The hotel is part of  the Marriott International Luxury Brand and has recently been recognized by “Travel + Leisure” as number 3 in their ranking of the ‘Top 10 city hotels in Central & South America”.

The rooms reflect a modern touch on colonial Cusco including gold leaf decorated bed heads, mirrors and traditional weavings re-worked in a modern style to decorate the walls. Deep red, plum and chocolate colours abound giving rooms that deep, lush feeling of luxury. Bathrooms come with a bathtub, shower and Gilchrist and Soames amenities.

We have stayed in rooms in both the main modern block as well as the colonial section of the hotel. On our most recent visit we stayed in a junior suite in the colonial section and while these rooms are slightly smaller than rooms in the modern block they definitely have more charm and original colonial features. For a splurge opt for the stunning ‘Kuychi’ suite which has magnificent frescoes painted on the ceiling by the same artist (Mario Castillo) who also painted the ceiling of the church in Andahuaylillas known as Latin America’s Sistine Chapel! For staying in these rooms you receive a certificate of stay for living the “millenary experience” in the hotel.

For great rates at Palacio del Inka click here

The public areas of the hotel have also been re-designed in the same style with a well achieved mix of old and new like the modern fuchsia pink and grey colours in the restaurant mixed with colonial style furniture and the lobby, a large, blue space designated as a ‘museum’ to showcase colonial pieces dating from the hotel owners’ private collection.

There are three reasons why we really like this hotel: 1) The staff is friendly, courteous and helpful in every respect from the moment you check-in to the moment you walk out the front door on your way home. 2) They have done an excellent job of preserving the charming Incan and colonial features of the building itself while ensuring a warm, comfortable and modern stay. 3) Their on-site tour operator VENTURIA can offer unique experiences like the Cusco City Tour and Machu Picchu Tour right from the lobby!

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• • We recommend you head first to their fabulous sister resort Tambo del Inka which is in the Sacred Valley and is the perfect location to acclimatize to the altitude before spending a few days in Cusco.

• • • Ask for the pisco sour making class which was good fun and there is also a cheese and wine station available in the evenings if you want to try some Peruvian wines.

   

  • If you want a spot of relaxation we highly recommend visiting the luxurious Palacio del Inka Spa. This is the largest spa in Cusco and the only hydrotherapy circuit in town! Great for relaxing those tired muscles after a day of sightseeing.

Click here to request your Machu Picchu tour experience

Click here to see more luxury hotel options in Cusco

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The Belmond Palacio Nazarenas is located on what was once known by the Incas as ‘the route of knowledge’ or Pumacurco street which runs from the Incan ruins of Sacsayhuaman to the Qoricancha, the main temple of the Incas. This 8,000m2 property is full of history and serves as a nice introduction to Cusco’s Incan and colonial roots with Incan artefacts and walls found throughout the hotel alongside colonial architecture and artwork.

A bunch of flowers is handed to each guest upon arrival, the type of flower specifically chosen to represent the virgins or ‘beatas’ who once lived in this monastery. The hotel was previously a ‘beatario’, built for daughters of the native aristocracy who didn’t qualify to become nuns but who could live a chaste and cloistered life here.  Designer Janah Rapoport has clearly tried to maintain this history with a definite feminine feel throughout the hotel with unadorned cream walls and simple, subtle yet tasteful contemporary colonial style.

The Belmond Palacio Nazarenas boasts 55 suites ranging in size from a generous 35m2 to an expansive 130m2. Unlike sister Hotel Monasterio, you won’t find somber tones and abundant ‘pan de oro’ artwork here but low-key, understated subtle design.

All suites are sumptuous with fabulous travertine marble bathrooms complete with heated floors, Spanish showers and twin sinks.  Exquisite bed linen and a comprehensive pillow menu including a selection of innovative herbal pillows from the on-site Hypnoze Spa guarantees a deep slumber while the oxygen pumped into each suite ensures the effects of Cuscos’ altitude are barely felt.

All suites are equipped with a complimentary bar, so ask your butler to teach you how to make Peru’s trademark drink the Pisco Sour in your room to enjoy at leisure! If coffee is more your style, then your personal espresso machine is on hand or if you prefer  a more herbal refreshment try the herbal tea made from herbs picked in the gardens right outside your suite…

Palacio Nazarenas strives to introduce the visitor to the local culture and traditions with a host of daily activities including talks on local culture, the history of the hotel and tours of the property visiting the herb gardens and Incan ruins. A well-equipped library has a great selection of excellent coffee table books about Peru ranging from the history of all the paintings found in the hotel to the local Q’ero culture.

Five colourful patios are filled with edible flowers and herbs which are then used in the restaurant and bar to make delicious, fresh food inspired by what’s in season. Friendly and interested staff will do everything they can to make your stay unforgettable. Room rates include an excellent breakfast which we enjoyed sitting next to Cusco’s only heated outdoor swimming pool.

Click here for great rates at Palacio Nazarenas

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• If it’s a nice morning, take a complimentary yoga class on Sunday, Monday or Wednesday mornings and then have your breakfast pool-side for a delightful start to the day.

• We love the Senzo Bar for evening cocktails! Don’t miss the free salsa classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and their delicious pisco sour.

• Explore the hotel property and you will find lots of little nooks where you can sit and read or just relax surrounded by local plants and trees.

To see more luxury hotels in Cusco click here

How to get to Cusco

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Portuguese designer Ana Patricia Piña was hired to maintain the cultural and historic essence of the hotel and retain original features such as the chapel which is now the reception area, the original colonial wall of the convent in the Pirqa restaurant and the archaeological exhibition spaces with Incan and Killke (the culture prior to the Incas) archaeological remains. The pillars in the central courtyard for example were removed piece by piece for restoration during the construction work and then lovingly re-installed giving an authentic feel to the colonial courtyard.

The decoration is inspired by the colonial era with colonial art, furnishings and antiques found throughout the hotel. A sparkling waterfall of diamonds draws you into the reception area with an incredible 65,000 Swarovski crystals twinkling in representation of the Incan Sun God Inti.

Dark chocolate and plum colours in the Qespi bar and Nina Sonnco lounge area along with plump cushions, comfy sofas, antique books and live music on weekend evenings make this an ideal place to relax with friends or curl up with a good book in front of the fire.

All rooms as you would expect from this luxury brand are sumptuous and come complete with luxury bedding, aromatherapy brand amenities, ipod docks and an in-room oxygen system if you are feeling the effects of the altitude. Marble bathrooms have a separate bath tub and shower.

Some of the deluxe rooms are located on the lower floors and have original Incan feature walls. A special lighting system simulates daylight so you don’t feel like you are in darkness in the middle of the day and it does feel nice to be so close to Cusco’s history. The premium rooms all have balconies overlooking the colourful central courtyard and there are also seven luxurious suites.

The whole Marriott experience is created to ensure you have a great stay. The 300m2 spa located in the basement is no different and is perfect for an hour or two of relaxation. Soothing turquoise, gold and beige tones lull you into a peaceful state while the Jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and relaxation pool ease any aches from your body. The spa also offers a series of treatments and we can highly recommend the relaxation massage with Melissa which was one of the best massages we have had in Cusco.

Overall our stay at the Cusco Marriott was a seamless experience in luxury with genuinely friendly staff on hand to meet our every need and make our stay as pleasant as possible. Definitely one of our top picks for luxury hotels in Cusco if you like staying at recognised brand hotels.

Click here to book great rates at the JW Marriott Hotel Cusco

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A great choice for those seeking a historical-style, luxury accommodation option in Cusco.

The Belmond Hotel Monasterio, as its name implies sits on the site of a Jesuit Monastery built in 1595 to train catholic priests in Cusco. Prior to this date, it was the Palace of the Inca Amaru Qhala.  Today, you won’t find any Incan remains in this property but you will find an exquisite example of colonial renaissance style architecture and a world famous Cusco landmark.

The hotel is home to the stunning Chapel of San Antonio Abad, one of Cusco’s finest examples of the colonial ‘pan de oro’ or gold leaf style art. This is one of the only churches in Cusco where you are allowed to take photos. It is also one of Cusco’s most sought after locations for weddings and is well worth a visit. The Belmond Hotel Monasterio also hosts one of Cusco’s finest collections of 18^th century colonial religious art with original paintings found throughout the hotel. If you are an art aficionado, the hotel will even organize a local art expert to come and take you on a tour of the art found within the hotel walls.

Since our last visit, nearly all rooms in the hotel have been renovated and now have a more modern, welcoming feel while retaining their historic charm. Rooms are decorated in a colonial style with replicas of colonial gold leaf art hanging on the walls and furniture in keeping with the opulent style of the hotel. Rooms have excellent beds and bed linen and bathrooms are now fabulous having been completely re-modelled in marble with spanish showers and L’Occitane amenities. All rooms come with I-pod docks, wifi and a complimentary shoe shine and turn-down service.

The Belmond Hotel Monasterio is a cultural landmark protected by the National Institute of Culture which means that no changes to the hotel structure are allowed. You are essentially sleeping in what were once the cells of the priests so don’t be surprised by small and in some cases dark bedrooms. Request a deluxe room which is slightly larger or a suite if you require more space.

One thing that does set Belmond Hotel Monasterio apart from other hotels in Cusco is the excellent Belmond service. No request is too big here and friendly staff do everything to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Rates include a buffet breakfast with excellent breads and pastries made by the in-house French pastry Chef that are also available in the Deli Monasterio Café next door.

Gregorian chants and classical opera surround you as you wander through the atmospheric colonial courtyards and when the lights come on at night you are transported into a peaceful world of elegance, history and tranquility.

For great rates at this hotel click here

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• Don’t miss the opera night in the Tupay Restaurant on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. This is a delightful evening of local fare and opera in the stunning setting (with great acoustics) of what was  once the old refectory.

• The oldest tree in Cusco (which is more than 300 years old!) is also found in the hotel’s central courtyard. This is a lovely place to enjoy lunch or an evening drink in the shade of this old cedar tree.

• Try one of their cooking classes if you have an afternoon free. Discover some of Cusco’s incredible produce and learn some recipes to take back home.

Click here to see more luxury hotel options in Cusco

Our favourite things to see and do in Cusco

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Eleven sumptuous rooms set around a typical colonial style courtyard make up one of the finest luxury boutique hotels right in the heart of Cusco. This hotel is all about intimacy, privacy, tranquility and pleasure. Every element of the building and service has been created with astonishing attention to detail.

This building breathes history, designated a historical monument, each stone in the building has been catalogued by the Peruvian National Institute of Culture and the lovingly sourced antiques and objects decorating the hotel dating from the Incan, colonial and republican eras make this one of the finest examples of colonial history in Cusco.

The rooms are sumptuous and exquisitely decorated in a hacienda style. Underfloor heating, sound proofed windows, a lounge area and supremely comfortable beds and silky soft sheets makes this one of our top picks for luxury boutique hotels in Cusco. A fabulous marble bathroom with double sinks, inkaterra’s own organic range of amenities including the wonderfully useful stick of cocoa butter to soothe those altitude chapped lips and an enormous bath make this the perfect place for a romantic getaway or simply a great night’s sleep in the centre of Cusco.

Cozy throws draped across the benches in the courtyard keep you warm at night should you fancy a spot of star-gazing with the gentle scent of palo santo wafting past to keep the mosquitoes away. Specially mixed chill-out tracks or classical music piped throughout the hotel and hot-water bottles placed to warm your bed on a cold Cusco evening are just some of the details that make this hotel so fabulous.

Little extras like ‘tea-time’ served every afternoon make your stay even more pleasant. Create your own soothing brew from a variety of fresh herbs like chamomile, Andean mint and lemongrass accompanied with freshly baked goodies including banana bread and oatmeal cookies.  As you sip your tea and lounge in one of the plush velvet sofas in front of the roaring fire, you will wonder why you haven’t stayed at La Casona sooner and why you don’t live like this every day!

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Staff are incredibly discreet and attentive and will help you with whatever you need or simply desire. A request for a roaring fire to be lit in my bedroom and ready for when I emerged after a decadent bubble bath was no problem for my butler.

In La Casona, the old flows seamlessly around the new, and in keeping with Inkaterra’s track record for sustainability this hotel is certified as a sustainable tourism property, so you can relax in luxury AND feel good about it…!

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• You can also rent the whole property (subject to availability) if you are looking for an exclusive private escape in Cusco!

Click here for more luxury hotels in Cusco

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Owner Andres is originally from the San Blas district in Cusco and comes from a family of artists. He loves to travel the world and picks up pieces of art and inspiration as he travels which he then uses in the hotel. Fallen Angel is an extremely unique boutique hotel in a contemporary Cusco style. Andres shares his own vision and interpretation of what is going on in Cusco by mixing the various colonial, Incan and contemporary influences in a bid to stir emotion in those that visit. The concept is not to everyone’s taste but Andres admits himself that he likes pushing people’s boundaries, opening their horizons and getting them to have an opinion on what they see and experience at Fallen Angel, lovers of the concept or not.

The four loft-style rooms are named to reflect their interior – passion, tranquility, strength and freedom and are all suites with a lounge and bedroom area. Rooms are an eclectic, colourful mix of contemporary design elements including a giraffe rocking horse, modern day super hero figures and a tv washstand mixed with more traditional details like old chests and some  Cusqueno religious style art works.

Each room has been perfected with great attention to detail. Passion as its name would imply, has deep red walls, lots of texture in the vivid furnishings and a bathroom that forms part of the room itself separated only by a glass wall. A fluorescent yellow stork carrying a baby on its back by artist Jorge Flores completes the decor.

Tranquility is a more gentle, light space with high ceilings, white walls and a more soothing Finnish style bathroom in the centre of the room. Take a few steps and you are in the mini-gym next to the dining area and fully equipped kitchen should you feel like hosting a dinner party during your stay.  The idea for the ‘strength’ bedroom came from a vision of  strength in masculinity and is represented by deep blue textured walls and ceilings.

As you would expect in a luxury boutique hotel beds are excellent with 650 thread count sheets and excellent mattresses.  All rooms have ethanol fuelled fires to give rooms a cozy glow on cold, winter evenings and the Fallen Angel staff are on hand to help you with anything you might need.

Fallen Angel is defintely a concept that you will either love or hate. It’s definitely not for those seeking large chain hotels or a soothing, bland bedroom. But if however, you like trying new experiences and love a quirky, hip, contemporary place to stay packed full of contemporary Peruvian art then this is one not to miss.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights are busy in the restaurant downstairs so it can be noisy in the rooms – perfect for party animals. For those looking for a quieter nights sleep, mid-week is best.

• Tranquility and passion were our favourite rooms.

Click here for the best rates at Fallen Angel Luxury Guesthouse

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