Home Garden Hotel

The location made it easy to get around Cusco and see the places we wanted. We stayed a couple of nights for hiking, and the staff were always ready to help. Our room was cleaned every day. A heater and hair dryer were available on request, which was fine for us. We had a great stay and would come back.

Our room was clean and opened straight onto a lovely garden, even though it didn’t have a window. Breakfast was delicious, and the team were very friendly. They didn’t speak English, but I speak Spanish, so that worked out fine. It’s a cute little hotel right in central Cusco, with bars and restaurants all around and an easy walk to everything. We loved staying here.

I usually don’t leave negative reviews, but I’d strongly advise against booking here, or suggest cancelling if you already have a reservation. When we arrived after a long journey, we saw that local authorities had condemned the hotel as uninhabitable. Staff hadn’t mentioned this. The place also looked very different from its online photos: the courtyard grass had been replaced by stone and dead grass. On our second night, someone painted the walls in our bedroom and bathroom while we were out. Nobody told us anyone had entered. When we came back, the room smelled of wet paint and thinner, with what seemed like a very high level of fumes. It was already late and there was no manager around, so we stayed the night. The next morning, my friend and I both had severe migraines and splitting headaches, along with nausea. I had to take painkillers because mine were so strong. After checking out, we spent an hour trying to reach the manager. There wasn’t one available until 7:00 p.m. on the night we checked out. The conversation felt like a game of cat and mouse: the manager kept trying to get us to cancel our Booking.com reservation ourselves. We had two more nights booked for after Machu Picchu, and we would have been responsible for the full payment unless the hotel confirmed it would cancel without fees. We believe they may have been trying to avoid paying fees. We genuinely think the room may have been uninhabitable, and were close to involving local authorities. There were other problems, too. The bathroom window looked directly onto a corridor where people walked, so they could see us while we used the bathroom. Our room was right outside the breakfast area, and people yelling there regularly woke us between 6:00 and 7:30 a.m. There was no sound insulation at all. For my health, safety, hygiene, mental health, and overall experience, I’d strongly recommend staying elsewhere. I’m happy to spend $7 on a hostel bed while backpacking, and this was 10 times, maybe even 50 times, worse than any place I’ve stayed before. Future guests, beware.

The hosts made my time in Cusco really special. They kept my bags while I was on the salkantay trek and even packed snacks for the hike. They were warm, friendly, easy to communicate with, and helpful throughout. Breakfast was tasty and served daily from 7 to 9 a.m., and bottled water was available to buy. My room was cozy and beautiful, and the central plaza was a quick walk away. They also helped arrange my airport transport. I’m not sure why recent reviews are negative. I’d definitely recommend this hotel.