Hostal Tayta Wasi

The bed was very comfortable and warm, and the hot water was lovely. We arrived late in the evening, and the receptionist was helpful, bringing extra pillows and a heater because the room was so cold. The TV remote didn’t work until the third replacement. The toilet door wouldn’t close, which left me feeling a little exposed. Breakfast was terrible.

They let us in at 3AM after our long ride from Puno, where local protests had delayed our bus by more than 20 hours. That was appreciated. We were told check-out was strictly at 9:30AM, and staying later meant paying half a day, $10 in our case. It wasn’t the kindest response, but it was understandable and acceptable. The trouble came with room #205, which faced the main street and was hard to sleep in because of the heavy traffic. Despite other reviews saying the beds were comfortable, ours was small and had a very squeaky frame. In the morning we found a couple of bed bugs crawling around on the sheets. At $21/night, above the average for hostels in Cuzco, it was not a great experience. We told the front desk about everything and didn’t even get an apology.

After 30 hours of travel, I reached the Hostal at 10pm, only to be told there was no room for me. They hadn’t picked me up from the airport, even though we’d arranged that a few days earlier. The receptionist spoke very little English, but I had my booking confirmation printed in Spanish. They failed to honor my booking, sent me back out onto the street to find somewhere else, and wouldn’t call a taxi for me. It was a very disappointing experience with very poor service. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone.

The staff were super friendly and accommodating, and the place was very clean. Even though it’s listed as a hostel, they cleaned the room every day. It’s right next to the bus station to Ollantambo, and the double room was a great price.