Booking
I booked as usual through the Hilton app. I initially made a flexible reservation for 4 nights — the fact that it turned into 8 nights was entirely down to COVID-19 measures. We were unable to continue our trip to Arequipa as planned, since the region was hermetically sealed off. In that sense, the flexible reservation proved to be an advantage. I booked a standard room with 2 beds.
Location
From Cusco Airport (CUZ) it’s approximately 8 kilometres to the hotel, depending on the route. Since I didn’t yet have a local SIM card, we took a taxi. Wi-Fi at the airport is virtually non-existent. The hotel sits on the hill near Sacsayhuaman. It’s located right on a bend in the road, but since the rooms face the other direction, street noise is barely noticeable. Restaurants and the Plaza de Armas are about a fifteen-minute walk away. Uber is also an option, but the neighbourhood is safe enough to explore on foot at night with the usual precautions.
Check-In
Check-in was smooth and friendly. My Diamond status helped secure a room with a city view. During this period, no additional charges were applied to room service orders.
Room
Something I’d never experienced before was having a room on the first basement level. The initial impression of the room was quite good. To the right of the entrance was the bathroom, and inside the room a desk along one wall with the beds on the opposite side. The minibar was empty, but two bottles of water were replenished daily.
Facing the bed was a television with the most important channels available (covering South and North America).
The bathroom is adequate and clean. Rather than a shower cubicle, it had a bathtub. Toiletries were also provided, as is standard for the Hilton brand, and perfectly sufficient for a short stay.
A lovely surprise was the welcome amenity waiting for me in the room: a small knitted Inca hat as a keyring along with a card. I found this gesture genuinely charming.
Amenities
At the time, certain local festivities were taking place in the open-air atrium; there is also a spa area and a fitness centre. Due to the COVID measures, these amenities could not be tested.
Restaurant
On the ground floor there is a restaurant where breakfast is also served. Breakfast is available as a buffet, which includes local specialities. A breakfast to-go could also be ordered through reception — particularly useful when taking day tours that depart as early as four or five in the morning, such as a trip to Machu Picchu.
Check-Out
Check-out was straightforward and friendly. We were able to arrange a late check-out and then leave our luggage there for the evening, giving us a relaxed farewell to Cusco.
Verdict
The stay was exceptional value for the price. The location is very quiet, yet everything is within walking distance or easily reachable by affordable taxi or Uber from the airport.
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