Picolo recommends · Hotel in Cusco, Peru
JW Marriott El Convento Cusco
Inside the hotel, behind glass and under the floors, lie Inca foundations that the colonial builders simply built on top of.
Walk through the lobby and the floor gives way to excavated stone: Inca walls, uncovered during restoration and left on display. Above them rises a convent from the 1500s, wrapped around one of the largest cloisters in the old town.
The rooms themselves are modern and comfortable, with no surprises. There is a spa, and the historic centre starts the moment you step out of the front door.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose JW Marriott El Convento Cusco
We chose it for the meeting of eras: Inca masonry, colonial arches and the comforts of an international hotel under one roof. It suits travellers who want history around them and predictability in the room.
The rooms feel like a high-end chain, which is reassuring but less personal. If you want character in every corner of your room, a smaller colonial house will give you more of it.
What you get
- Inca walls on display inside the hotel
- Spa
- Modern, comfortable rooms
- International service standards
- Large cloister
A day at JW Marriott El Convento Cusco
- Morning
- A look at the Inca foundations before the lobby gets busy.
- Midday
- A climb up to San Blas, the artists' quarter.
- Afternoon
- An hour in the spa to recover from the steep streets.
- Evening
- Back down through the old town to dinner near the main square.
Location
Historic centre, Cusco, Peru
Open in MapsQuestions about JW Marriott El Convento Cusco
Can you see Inca ruins at JW Marriott El Convento Cusco?
Yes. Inca walls found during the restoration have been left visible inside the hotel, so you can see them without leaving the building.
Is JW Marriott El Convento Cusco in the old town?
Yes, it is in the historic centre, so the main square, churches and markets are all within walking distance.
Does JW Marriott El Convento Cusco have a spa?
Yes, there is a spa on site, alongside modern rooms built inside the historic convent.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
How Picolo chooses
Our editors pick every hotel themselves, and most of them we have stayed at. No hotel can pay to be included or ranked higher. When you book through our links, Hotels.com pays Picolo a small commission. It never changes the price you pay, and it never decides what we write.
