Picolo recommends · Hotel in Cusco, Peru
Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel
Stone arches frame a cloister with an old tree at its centre, and the noise of Cusco stops at the heavy wooden door.
The cloister is quiet in the thin mountain air, with arcades on four sides and a tree that has been growing in the middle for longer than anyone can say. Monasterio was a seminary in the 1500s, and the chapel, all gilded baroque, is still part of the building.
Many rooms can have oxygen added to the air, which helps a great deal at this altitude. The Plaza de Armas is only a few minutes away on foot.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel
This is our pick in Cusco. Few hotels let you sleep inside one of the city's best-known historic buildings, and the oxygen-enriched rooms make the first nights at altitude far easier.
It is one of the most expensive addresses in the city, and some rooms in the old building are dark and on the small side. If you want light and modern space, look elsewhere.
What you get
- Former seminary from the 1500s
- Oxygen-enriched rooms
- Cloister with an old tree
- Restaurant in the historic building
- A few minutes from Plaza de Armas
A day at Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel
- Morning
- A slow breakfast under the arches of the cloister.
- Midday
- A walk to the Plaza de Armas and the cathedral.
- Afternoon
- A look inside the baroque chapel when it is quiet.
- Evening
- Coca tea in the cloister after a long day at altitude.
Location
Historic centre, Cusco, Peru
Open in MapsQuestions about Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel
Does Monasterio have oxygen in the rooms?
Many rooms can have extra oxygen pumped in, which eases the symptoms of altitude sickness during your first nights in Cusco.
How old is the building at Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel?
The hotel occupies a former seminary dating from the 16th century, with an original cloister and a baroque chapel.
Is Monasterio close to the Plaza de Armas?
Yes, the main square is a few minutes' walk away, so most of the old town is easy to reach on foot.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
How Picolo chooses
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