Hotel
Palacio Nazarenas, A Belmond Hotel
An all-suite Belmond hotel in a former palace and convent on Plazoleta Nazarenas, with oxygen-enriched suites, a heated outdoor pool and Pía León's Mauka.
A former 16th-century monastery built on Inca foundations, with a baroque chapel, cloistered courtyards, Cusco School art and the Oqre restaurant.
Good to know
Belmond Hotel Monasterio is one of Cusco's grand historic hotels and has welcomed guests since 1965. It stands on the foundations of the palace of the Inca Amaru Qhata, whose stonework is still visible, and in 1595 the site became the San Antonio Abad Monastery, a place for monks to study and worship. An ornate baroque chapel was later built within its walls, and it is still used for ceremonies today.
The heart of the hotel is its cloistered courtyard, where a 300-year-old Andean cedar, described as the last of its kind in Cusco, still grows. Around it are 97 rooms and 20 suites. Standard rooms range from about 19 to 41 square metres, junior suites from 31 to 47 square metres, and there are one-bedroom suites with added oxygen, a welcome option at Cusco's altitude. The hotel houses a prized collection of Cusco School paintings, so walking the corridors feels a little like visiting a museum.
There are two restaurants and a bar. Oqre serves Peruvian cuisine with a twist in a courtyard framed by the old cloisters, and its chef, Jorge Muñoz, saw it nominated for best restaurant in Cusco at El Comercio's Premios Somos 2025. El Tupay offers international fine dining, and the hotel's listings mention live opera. The Oqre Bar serves cocktails and small bites. There is also a spa treatment suite, and live music features in the hotel's programme.
The hotel is popular for weddings and honeymoons, with four event spaces, and it highlights Inti Raymi and Cusco's other festivals for guests planning a stay around them. It holds an EarthCheck certification for 2025.
Monasterio suits travellers who want history, atmosphere and service in the centre of the city, and it is a natural choice for a first visit, especially if you want to be within walking distance of the main churches and museums. It lies on the Plazoleta Nazarenas, next to Palacio Nazarenas and the Museo de Arte Precolombino, a short walk uphill from the Plaza de Armas. The airport is about a 20-minute drive away, Poroy station about 40 minutes, and the train ride to Machu Picchu takes around three and a half hours.
The San Antonio Abad Monastery, founded in 1595 on the foundations of the Inca Amaru Qhata's palace.
97 rooms and 20 suites.
Yes, the one-bedroom suites are offered with added oxygen.
Oqre for Peruvian cuisine with a twist, El Tupay for international fine dining, and the Oqre Bar.
Yes, an ornate baroque chapel that is still used for ceremonies.
It holds a 300-year-old Andean cedar, described as the last of its kind in Cusco.
About a 20-minute drive.
It became a luxury hotel in 1965.
Tour operator
A Cusco-based adventure company running the Inca Trail, Salkantay, Lares and Rainbow Mountain trips, with ISO certifications and community projects since 2013.
Café
A women-led specialty café in a restored colonial house near the Plaza de Armas, buying from women coffee growers and listed among the world's 100 best…
Thing to do
The Inca citadel on a ridge above the Urubamba, about 80 km from Cusco, visited on one of three official circuits reached by train and bus…
Restaurant
Virgilio Martínez's restaurant and research centre beside the Moray terraces, serving a lunch tasting menu of Andean ingredients at around 3,600 metres.