Sacsayhuaman is a massive 15th-century Inca ceremonial complex overlooking Cusco from the north, its three zigzag walls of perfectly fitted limestone boulders — some weighing over 120 tonnes — constituting one of the most extraordinary examples of Inca engineering in existence. The site hosts the Inti Raymi festival each June solstice in a spectacular recreation of the Inca Festival of the Sun. Hotels in Cusco are within a 30-minute walk or short taxi ride of Sacsayhuaman, making it an essential addition to any Cusco itinerary.
Built within the 16th-century Monastery of San Antonio Abad, the Belmond Monasterio is the most extraordinary hotel conversion in the Americas — its cobblestone courtyard, the carved stone arches, and the original chapel are so perfectly preserved that breakfast here feels like a sacrament. The oxygen-enriched rooms for altitude acclimatisation are a practical genius. Nothing in Cusco comes close.
Built on the foundations of the Inca sun temple Qorikancha — the walls of which are incorporated into the hotel structure — this Starwood Luxury Collection property offers rooms with original Inca stonework visible from the beds, a spa drawing on Andean healing traditions, and a restaurant celebrating Novo-Andino cuisine. The most historically layered hotel experience in the Americas.
A 16th-century convent facing the Plaza de Armas converted into JW Marriott's most historic property, with cloistered courtyards, original stone arches, and a rooftop terrace with one of the finest views of Cusco's cathedral and the surrounding Andean mountains. The spa and the LIMA restaurant serving elevated Peruvian cuisine are both excellent.
Inkaterra's 16th-century colonial casona on the beautiful Plazoleta Las Nazarenas has only eleven suites, each with original wooden floors and Cusqueña-school paintings. The Inkaterra brand's commitment to ecological and cultural preservation is expressed in the cuisine — which uses highland ingredients from community gardens — and the staff-led archaeological walks.
The finest hotel in Aguas Calientes — the town below Machu Picchu — Sumaq combines traditional Andean design with luxury service in a location that allows the earliest morning access to the citadel. The restaurant's seven-course Andean dinner menu and the thermal bath programme make an overnight here far more compelling than it sounds.
A converted 16th-century colonial mansion in the artistic San Blas neighbourhood with 93 rooms across several buildings, a garden patio, and the Casa Andina group's reliable quality standards at prices that represent outstanding value for the setting. The in-house oxygen therapy programme is genuinely helpful for altitude adjustment.
