We will be spending 3 nights in Cusco this April, and wondered if anyone could recommend good hotel experiences? We generally prefer hotels that are charming and have a feel for the country we are in, as opposed to big modern hi-rise types.

Also, we noticed that the Hotel Monasterio now has oxygen pumped into the rooms. Is this a place we should consider because of this? Or is it just a gimmick?

I don't know that there are any "high rise" hotels in Cuzco. However, prices vary widely depending on your comfort zone.
First, I recommend that you stay in the Cuzco neighborhood of San Blas. It's charming, and a lot less crowded than places around the Plaza de Armas.
Second, if you spend more than $50 or $60 a night for a hotel, you're nuts. I found a nice, clean, characteristic place in San Blas for $38 - full bathroom, cable, breakfast, 24hr security.(I forget the name, but a very dependable listing is found in the Frommer's Peru book)
Third, the bit about O2 being piped in to the rooms is just silly, and, in terms of fire safety, possible dangerous. Unless you are very sensitive to altitude sickness the O2 will not be necessary. If you're worried, there are several medications (ie diamox) to prevent altitude discomfort.

Hi Jetkreemr,

The Monasterio is a 5-star high-end hotel. It was converted to a hotel about 10 years ago. Before that it was the Antonio Abad seminary, which was built upon the site of an Inca palace. As with 5-star hotels, the Monasterio provides superior service and accommodations for those willing to pay 200-500 a day (more if you want a suite). During the tourist season the hotel is generally booked months in advance, as are many of the higher-end hotels in Cusco. There is no lack of tourists who pay in the 150-300 a day range for a hotel in Cusco.

They do provide oxygen to some rooms as a convenience to those people who, because of physical need, require an oxygen fix at 11000 feet altitude. From my experience most people adjust to the altitude in a day or two, dependent upon where they came from (their home may be at higher altitudes), what physical condition they are in generally, and if they take a day to drink plenty of water, some coca tea and don?t push activities to much at first. There is no fire hazard to having oxygen supplied into a hotel room. A number of hotels in Cusco provide oxygen supplements with bottled oxygen.

If you have intolerance to the altitude in Cusco you should consider staying in the Sacred Valley, a lower altitude and there are a number of very good hotels with then easy access to the ruins of the valley and a trip to Machu Picchu. One of my favorites is the Pakaritampu in Ollantaytambo.

In Cusco, as ncanavan brought up, there are hotels and hostals in just about any price range. Lonely Planet Peru book has an excellent description of a number of places.
On line you can check www.peruperu.com for hotels in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

Happy Trails,
Davarian
[email protected]

Personal preference here, but I stayed at the Monasterio in Cusco in a suite and thought it was fabulous. I would stay there again in a heartbeat. It was very unique given its history. Yes it is expensive. Yes, we used the oxygen and found it to be very effective in thwarting the sleeplessness and sickness we felt. But everyone is different, so you may not need it. I would absolutely recommend it.

The San Blas area was in easy walking distance. This was actually one of my favorite parts of Cusco, as we enjoyed the viewing/purchasing of the exquisite art paintings. To stay there would be nice also. There were many eclectic eateries/bars in this area. I saw several places that looked interesting to stay.

There seems to be charming hotels in every category of service in Cusco. The one place I would not stay is directly on the Plaza de Arms. But again, personal preference.

Hotel Monasterio is an experience in itself. From the service we received when we arrived at the airport in Cusco to the last day it was outstanding. The hotel is unique and peaceful considering its only a block away from the square. We arrived there last week and rested in our room for about a hour with the oxygen ($25. add'l per day), it really seemed to help. We only had it for one day but we seemed so refreshed that we rescheduled our tour for later that afternoon rather than waiting a day to adjust to the altitude. The problem with the rx for altitude sickness is that it causes sleepiness and frequent/urgent urination--not a problem you want to have in Peru!

If staying in a 16th Century monastery filled with art is not your cup of tea, then you might want to pass this up. We loved it! They also provide hot coca tea 24/7 near the entrance to help you adjust naturally.