Cusco Hotels and Accommodation

(Cusco / Cuzco, Peru)

Enjoying an ongoing tourist boom, the city of Cusco is home to literally hundreds of different hotels and accommodation options. Whilst this lodging truly comes in all shapes and sizes, accommodation in Cusco does share something in common, in that the rates are amongst the highest on offer in the whole of Peru, taking full advantage of its popularity.

The busiest times tend to be the most expensive periods, with hotels in Cusco being notoriously expensive anytime between June and August. This is particularly the case around the Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) on June 24th. Outside of this high season, you may well be able to negotiate more favourable accommodation rates if you simply politely ask.

Where to Stay

The city of Cusco is quite compact and although the hotels around the central Plaza de Armas are especially desirable, cheaper accommodation is available in nearby neighbourhoods, such as the San Blas area. Various guest houses and hotels surround Cusco's Plaza San Blas, such as the budget Hospedaje Inka on the Suytuccato, and the Hostal Rumi Punku on the Choquechaca, which is known for its impressive Inca stonework.

Close by is the five-star Hotel Monasterio, an Orient Express Hotel, which is without question the number one hotel in Cusco and home to beautiful cloisters from the 16th century.

Accommodation along the Avenida El Sol tends to cater well for tour groups staying in Cusco, although it is often rather bland and unappealing. The best hotels on the Avenida El Sol include the Hostal Pascana, the Cristina Hostal, and the rather upscale Hotel Libertador Palacio del Inka, which is a stylish colonial mansion boasting luxury accommodation at its finest.

In the Plaza Regocijo neighbourhood of Cusco, there are many further hotels to choose from. Budget travellers will likely favour the Loki Backpackers Hostel on the Cuesta Santa Ana, while those with a little more to spend should consider the Hotel Royal Inka, which faces the Plaza Regocijo. Those headed for the world-famous site of Machu Picchu often stay overnight in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes, or choose to camp along the Inca Trail at Phuyupatamarca (Phuyupatamarka), overlooking the Urubamba River Valley.