Hostal Comarca Imperial

The rooms were a little cold, but there were plenty of duvets and sheets. Staff were friendly at check-in and very accommodating, and the price was good for what we got.

The hostel itself was comfortable and quiet, with a basic breakfast included. The staff were lovely and very accommodating, and the manager understood our concerns and offered some compensation. But I wouldn’t book tours here. Our Machu Picchu by car trip was awful: six hours in a sweltering van with broken air conditioning, and people ended up vomiting. The lunch sat out covered in flies and was completely inedible. The accommodation had holes in the walls, noise, and mould. We were confused the whole time about where to go and what to do, and nobody gave us key details, like which circuit our guide wanted us to book or what time to pick. The so-called breakfast was just a bread roll and cold coffee, so we ate elsewhere and took the train home. I’d book with a reputable company that has good Google reviews.

There’s a lovely view from the common area, the neighbourhood and location are great, and the staff were helpful. They brought a heater when I asked, which was a big plus, but the room stayed freezing. I assume the building is poorly constructed, with no insulation in the windows, roof, or walls. The floors in both the room and bathroom were extremely cold too. I also found the lighting really uncosy, and the room hadn’t been cleaned very well when we moved in, with hair here and there.

We stayed two nights in this small, cheap hostel. The room was a bit cramped, and the private bathroom was outside. Breakfast was awful and sad-looking, despite all the reviews elsewhere calling it amazing. They also add a hidden 5% if you pay by card. Staff were quite helpful even though they spoke little or no English. They did our laundry for 5 soles per kg and called us a taxi to ollantaytambo.