Where to Stay in Cusco

Cusco is the gateway to Machu Picchu. Let’s face it, if you are planning a trip to see Machu Picchu, then you are probably passing through Cusco.

Cusco is one of my most favourite cities in the world. It is beautiful, full of history and cute cafes and there is SO much to see and do. I recommend staying in Cusco for more than just a day. I think 3 days is the perfect amount of time to have time to see the best parts of Cusco and perhaps even go on a sneaky day trip to a nearby glacial lake or some ruins.

One of my favourite things about Cusco is the amount of beautiful and affordable hotels! On my last trip there (yes I’ve been more than once 😅), I took AGES trying to decide which one to book because there are just too many good choices.

Luckily, you have this guide to help you decide where to stay in Cusco so that you don’t fall into the hotel booking blackhole. In this guide, I have broken down my top recommended hotels by type:

Hotels located near Plaza de Armas (the main square of Cusco)
Hotels with a view of Cusco
Unique places to stay outside of Cusco (Ollantaytambo, Urubamba & Pisac)

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A Complete Guide on Where to Stay in Cusco For First Timers

Table of Contents

Comparison of the Best Places to Stay in Cusco

The table below can be used as a quick comparison summary of my top recommends on where to stay in Cusco.

Hotel Name	Location	Stars	Cost	Check Prices and book
Katari Plaza Cusco El Virrey	Plaza de Armas	⭐⭐⭐	💲💲	Book here
Hotel Plaza de Armas Cusco	Plaza de Armas	⭐⭐⭐	💲💲	Book here
Loki Hostel	10-15 minute walk to Plaza de Armas	⭐⭐⭐	💲	Book here
Hotel Encantada Casa Boutique Spa	1km from Sacsayhuaman	⭐⭐⭐	💲💲	Book here
Antigua Casona San Blas	San Blas	⭐⭐⭐⭐	💲💲💲💲	Book here
Casa Cartagena Boutique Hotel & Spa	2 blocks from Plaza de Armas	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	💲💲💲💲	Book here
Stardome Spiritual Experience	Ollantaytambo – Sacred Valley	⭐⭐⭐	💲💲💲	Book here
Vertical Sky Suites	Ollantaytambo – Sacred Valley	⭐⭐⭐	💲💲💲💲💲	Book here
Wifala Harmony Hotel	Urubamba – Sacred Valley	⭐⭐⭐⭐	💲💲💲	Book here
Condor’s Nest	Pisac – Sacred Valley	N/A	💲	Book here
Pisac Inn	Pisac – Sacred Valley	⭐⭐⭐	💲	Book here

Staying in Plaza de Armas

Plaza de Armas is the main square in Cusco and there are lots of benefits to staying here or near here. The first time I visited Cusco with Dave, we stayed about a 20 minute walk from Plaza de Armas. Our hostel had amazing views, but we found ourselves wishing we had booked something a little closer as we were constantly walking to the square and back.

The second time I stayed in Cusco, I booked a hotel right in the middle of Plaza de Armas and I’ve got to admit that it was awesome! I never felt that annoying feeling of “oh my gosh I’m exhausted and now I have to walk back to my hotel,” because it was just so central! More on where I stayed both times below.

It is easy for tour companies to pick you up (as opposed to the hotels located on narrow alley ways.)
You are within walking distance to everything – San Pedro Market and all of the restaurants and cafes you desire.
It’s super easy to find your way back to your hotel because you just need to find Plaza de Armas.

Top hotel recommendations in Plaza de Armas

El Virrey Boutique: This is where I stayed last time. I chose it because it was affordable, had good reviews and was located in Plaza de Armas and some of the rooms had amazing views of the square. I do realise now that I should have requested a room with a view as sadly we didn’t get one but otherwise it was a nice hotel and had everything we needed, including complementary cocoa tea in the lobby 24/7.

Hotel Plaza de Armas Cusco: This was the other hotel I was trying to decided between when we booked El Virrey. This one is a little more expensive (not by much though). I kind of wished I’d booked this one.. it has amazing views from some of the rooms but also has an amazing café and rooftop with views of Plaza de Armas! I’m just imagining eating my breakfast and drinking my morning coffee up there. Maybe next time!

Hotels with a view of Cusco

There’s something very special about seeing Cusco from above. Mind you, you don’t need to book a hotel with a view for this. There are plenty of viewpoints above Cusco to see while you are there which I have listed in my blog post here.

Staying in a hotel with a view of Cusco does make you feel like you are living like a queen though. Dave and I stayed at Loki Hostel on our trip to Cusco and there were epic views of the city from both the bedroom AND the bathroom (we got a private room).

kerry looking out of window from Loki Cusco at the view of Cusco — *Looking out at the view from Loki Hostel*

Booking Tip

If you want a room with a view, just ask for one when you book. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. 😉

Top hotel recommendations with a view of Cusco

Loki Hostel: If you want something affordable and/or like to party and meet people, definitely give Loki Hostel a try! I’m not sure there are views from every room but I know for sure that at least one of the private rooms has views. The room was also MASSIVE – your money goes a long way here. So if you book Loki, request a room with a view!

Hotel Encantada Casa Boutique Spa: Located up near the Sacsayhuaman Ruins, this hotel has such incredible views of Cuso from the rooms and the rooftop terrace. It also has a spa with a hot tub which is just perfect for post adventure relaxation. The courtyard is also absolutely gorgeous at Hotel Encantada.

Cusco hotels that scream LUXURY

Cusco is the perfect place to stay at a really nice hotel because the prices are a lot more adorable than other countries like the USA, Canada and Australia. If you don’t have an extremely jam packed schedule like we did and you do actually have time to relax at your hotel, I say why not!

Casa Cartagena Boutique Hotel & Spa courtyard at night — *Credit: Casa Cartagena Boutique Hotel & Spa via booking.com*

Top Cusco hotel recommendations that scream LUXURY

Antigua Casona San Blas: San Blas is a really nice neighbourhood to stay in. There are some lovely markets that you can visit in the square and loads of nice restaurants and cafes. This boutique hotel is family-owned and operated and has a private spa and yoga studio on site, as well as its own restaurant and bar. Looking at the décor of the rooms in the photos makes me want to decorate our apartment like this! It’s so cozy! The reviews are extremely high and say the breakfast is to die for. 😍

Casa Cartagena Boutique Hotel & Spa: Just 2 blocks from Plaza de Armas square, this boutique hotel practically screams luxury with the most beautiful spa you will ever see and an outdoor swimming pool. All of the rooms have balconies overlooking the hotel’s beautiful gardens. I’m definitely tempted to splurge a little and stay here next time Dave and I are in Cusco. I feel like I’m really manifesting a return trip now haha!

Other places to stay outside of Cusco

Cusco isn’t the only place that you could stay in this area. There are some really unique small towns and and cool hotels a couple of hours from Cusco.

Ollantaytambo

Even if you don’t stay in Ollantaytambo, you should still definitely do a Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco because it is a truly beautiful place. Ollantaytambo is a small town located at the bottom of some really incredible ruins. I’ve heard nothing but great things about staying in the town from friends who have stayed there.

I did a Sacred Valley Tour on both of my trips to Cusco but next time I’d love to stay here for a couple of nights.

Ollantaytambo is also where you get the train to Machu Picchu from, making it the perfect stopover on the way or the way back.

*Credit: Stardome Spiritual Experience via booking.com*

Stardome Spiritual Experience: This is where I would stay! The accommodation is set in gorgeous rooms with huge glass windows looking out at the mountains. The communal dome is perfect for star gazing, doing yoga and watching the sunrise and sunset. WHAT A DREAM!

Vertical Sky Suites: For those of you who are adrenaline junkies, this is the PERFECT hotel for you! You can choose from two different suite styles. One is a dome with crazy mountain views (a little less crazy) and the other is a capsule that is literally on the side of a cliff. You need to do a little via ferrata to get to it so the entire stay is one big experience in itself. Imagine the crazy views though!

Urubamba

Urubamba sits in the heart of the Sacred Valley and is perfect if you are looking for a bit of a slower rhythm. The town has a much more local feel to it, with colourful markets, family run bakeries and tuk-tuks zipping around.

If I were to stay in Urubamba, I would stay at this unique hotel. The design and architecture of the hotel is like nothing I’ve ever seen before!

Pisac

Pisac Town, also located in the Sacred Valley but a bit closer to Cusco is very artsy and somewhere a lot of long term travellers tend to settle for a longer about of time. Above the town are the Pisac Ruins, which I visited on a day trip from Cusco and was blown away.

If you want a hotel with a view of the surrounding mountains, have a look at the Condor’s Nest, otherwise if you would prefer to be in the centre of town, Pisac Inn is perfect.

Where Dave and I would choose to stay next time we visit Cusco

I definitely want to stay for a couple of nights somewhere in the Sacred Valley if we have the opportunity to visit Peru again. I also definitely want to go back to Cusco for a few nights too because I just love it there. Personally I’d love to stay at the Stardome Spiritual Experience in the Sacred Valley and then in Cusco I’d love to stay at the Casa Cartagena Boutique Hotel & Spa because wow!

If you are curious about why I think Cusco is worth visiting, you can read my blog post which includes details on what I love about Cusco and things that I don’t like about Cusco, as well as who I think Cusco is perfect for.

If you do end up visiting Cusco, I hope this blog post helps you find the hotel of your dreams and you have the best stay! If you stayed somewhere else that you loved, let me know where in the comments.

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