Hostal Pablos House

Pablo’s house is simple, but the room had everything and more than many places do. It was clean and comfortable, with hot water. The street was quiet, yet the town square and lots of restaurants were close by. The friendly male host had coffee and tea available all day, and they even left us a welcome bag of snacks and our country's flag.

My room was ready right at noon, as promised, and was so comfortable that I napped after visiting Machu Picchu. The only downside was the window, which didn't close completely, letting a faint smog smell into the room at night. I've noticed a strong smog smell at night in many places I've visited in Peru. I don't know whether people are burning things or it's car exhaust and the way the city is laid out, but it wasn't a problem for me. Pablo’s hostel has stairs, and I was on the third floor. There didn't seem to be many other guests while I was there. My room had a chain lock on the inside, and they gave me keys for both the room and front door. The room had clear checkout instructions, a towel marked for drying your feet after a shower, and scissors for the shampoo and soup, with a sign showing where to hang them. Those small details, along with the thoughtful way the place is managed, gave me a lot of confidence. I saw the man who checked me in working in the attached shop too. He carefully taught someone to fold sweaters, then arranged the items himself. He also made sure I got the right change in coins after I paid the Booking.com price in US dollars. He said payment in soles would cost a little more because of the exchange rate. I appreciated his attention to detail. There was a gift bag on the table with a flag and my name printed on a sheet stapled to it. The snacks were delicious, and I ate them during my Machu Picchu trips. I only realized later that breakfast was included, but I left so early I didn't use it or hear about it. Before check-in and after checkout, we could wait in the lobby, use the bathroom, store luggage, and get free hot or cold water and tea. There's a mini fridge too. The hostel is right by the bus line, and since town is so small, almost everything is nearby. Facing the street from the front, take two lefts to reach Main Street and walk up to Consettur for bus tickets. When the lines are long, you can see the bus queue as soon as you step outside. The market is a good place to get food.

The bus ticket office is just across the way, about a three-second walk, so the location couldn't be more convenient. Staff were friendly and thoughtful, even putting my country's flag and a goodies bag in my room. I also really appreciated being able to leave my luggage while I went to Machu Picchu early in the morning. The hot water wasn't warm enough for me, which was the one thing I didn't like. Even so, I had a splendid stay and would come back if I visit Machu Picchu again.

The rooms were clean and comfortable, and I appreciated having cold water that had been boiled first so it was safe to drink, plus free luggage storage. The price was a real bargain. Contact the owner directly for a better rate than Booking.com. The hot water did come and go a bit.