This stay was sponsored, but all opinions are my own. I do not accept or write about sponsored stays unless I truly enjoy them.
Cusco is arguably one of the best known cities in the whole of Peru- and for good reason. Not only is it the spring board for infamous sites such as Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain and the Sacred Valley but it is also a vibrant and bustling destination in its own right. You could easily spend over a week here wandering the cobbled streets, getting lost in the rich Incan history, or relaxing in the many independent coffee shops and restaurants. I ended up spending around 8 days total in Cusco, and during that time I stayed in four different hotels and hostels. Although I found that in general the quality of hotels in Cusco seemed to be better than other parts of Peru (though the price sometimes reflected this!), my absolute favourite hotel in the city was Casa Andina Premium.
One of the most important things I always look for when picking hotels is location. It's so important to me to be right in the centre of a city, within walking distance of good coffee and the main tourist attractions. In Cusco, the Plaza de Armas is definitely the beating heart of the city. You will likely start every single one of your days here and will also head here to book any trips or tours. Your day will often go in a full cycle and finish here as well, as the square is overflowing with restaurants and popular bars. Therefore, I was super keen to make sure I was within walking distance of the Plaza, and Casa Andina Premium definitely provided this! We easily reached the Plaza within a few minutes walking, and were even closer to some of the most popular coffee spots in the city.
Even though Casa Andina is so close to the heart of the city, as soon as we walked through the front doors it felt like we had stepped into a real oasis. The hotel is set in a beautiful eighteenth century mansion and centred around a stunning colonial courtyard with big comfy chairs and a water fountain. There was also a really cute little coffee cart, that was transformed into a breakfast cart in the morning! I thought this was such a great touch, and reflects the essence of Casa Andina hotels. The entire space gives an amazing, calm feeling- we arrived at the hotel the day after we were back from a Machu Picchu trek and it was the absolute perfect space for us!
On arrival, we were greeted immediately by the most wonderful staff who took our bags and showed us to our room, which was a Superior Matrimonial and which I was absolutely in love with! The highlights were definitely the huge bed and the bathroom which was beautifully modern with a super powerful shower- again, after a few days trekking to Machu Picchu, this was exactly what we needed!
After spending a few hours relaxing in the bedroom, we headed downstairs to explore the rest of the hotel. My favourite room was an amazing lounge that was filled with comfy sofas and armchairs- we ended up sitting in here for a while just relaxing and reading our books. I also loved how festive the entire hotel felt- we were there the start of December, and there were so many lovely Christmas touches!
The lounge led straight into a gorgeous little bar, where you could also get (very good) coffee and the best Pisco Sours I've had so far in Peru!
Next, we headed to the restaurant for dinner. The restaurant is located just off the courtyard, with the option of outdoor seating which would be so lovely on a warm summer evening. Once again, the staff were impeccable and the meal was absolutely delicious. We both had a Pisco Sour to drink (how could we refuse?!), and I had spaghetti carbonara with chicken for my main, while Kee had the traditional Peruvian dish of Lomo Saltado. We couldn't resist dessert, so we both ended up getting a dish called 'Three Leches' which was an amazing cake. We both headed back to our room very full up and satisfied, and had an amazing nights sleep!
The next day, we headed back down to the restaurant again for a buffet style breakfast. They had provided every option you could wish for- from hot dishes to sweet breads and cakes. There was also a professional coffee machine and a wide selection of juices, and detox juices. In the courtyard, the coffee cart had been transformed into a station where you could order your own eggs exactly as you wanted them, with whatever toppings you wished for. I opted for a ham omelette, while Kee went for cheese scrambled eggs.
Casa Andina Premium honestly felt like an oasis in the busy sea that is Cusco.I was so impressed with the service from all the staff, the food and most of all the rooms! The hotel has everything you could possibly want or need (and more). If you are looking for a break from the backpacking or the best base to explore Cusco from- Casa Andina Premium has you covered.
Thanks so much for reading as always, and I will see you in my next post!
Saz
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