Hotel Luna de Oro Cusco

The rooms were tiny and in rough shape, with tiny toilets too. The towels and bedding looked as if they’d been washed in the river. Still, the bed was okay and we slept. They didn’t clean while we were out on day trips, and we had to ask for more towels and shampoo. There were huge spiders running around, and we had to kill them with a slipper. The entrance looked sketchy, and the hotel itself seemed like it had been built in the Inca times of 1500's. To use the elevator with luggage on the fourth floor, you go into a strange dungeon-like room and ride a jack-like lift, closing the door and holding a button until it reaches the top. It’s all open and felt very sketchy. Getting in and out was a hassle because the doors were locked all day, and nobody came to open them unless we knocked for five minutes. Our first interaction was bizarre. They spoke no English, though Google Translate helped. Staff were quite rude and didn’t seem to want to be bothered, which was the worst service we experienced in Peru, where people are extremely nice. If you don’t speak Spanish, don’t come here. I’d read the reviews from the past year and thought it seemed okay. But getting up the massive flight of stairs was hard even though I’m 28 and fit. After a long day hiking, it was the last thing we wanted, and we ended up getting an Uber or taxi, believe me. We also needed a later checkout because our flight was delayed. We pleaded for just one more hour, but they wouldn’t budge and made us pay for another full day. I’ve been to plenty of places around the world and never met people so rude and unwilling. Please don’t come, even if the price looks attractive. Pay a little more for a better location, service, and rooms. I really hope this saves someone from the misery we went through.

The main door was locked, so we had to wait for staff to let us in or out. I’ve never encountered that practice elsewhere and can’t think of a reasonable excuse for it. Our first room smelled bad and the toilet wouldn’t flush, so we asked to move. In the second room, we discovered in the evening that the tap was broken and there was no hot water. Staff said a plumber could only come in the morning and nothing could be done, though they did give us keys to another room just to shower. The room was dirty, with stains on the sheets and shoe prints on the wall and floor. Don’t be tempted by the prices, find a better place and enjoy your holiday.

What finally made me write this was the payment mess. The amount they showed us was in CAD. I asked several times in both English and Spanish if that was Canadian dollars. We only had American dollars, so I converted the amount and paid the correct sum. The receptionist kept insisting it was wrong and that we had to pay the same number in US dollars, even though the charge was in Canadian dollars. They held us there going over it again, with another staff member on the phone, while we were late for the airport. Our Uber was outside honking and we nearly missed it. I’ve never met such incapable staff, unable to convert Canadian dollars to US dollars. The staff were rude and always seemed bothered, which made the room problems harder to deal with. The rooms were very small, damp and smelled of mildew. The bathroom was unfinished, with the foundation visible, and there was a crack in the ceiling. Water was either boiling hot or cold, with no comfortable middle. They didn’t clean while we were out, so we had to ask for shampoo and towels. A wet towel left overnight was still soaking the next day. The lobby was dark and shady, with the lights always off. To get in or out, you had to knock about ten times because they kept the door locked. Staff knew no English, so communication was extremely difficult. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

We stayed five nights. The staff were lovely and personable, always ready to help. The hotel was clean and well kept, the location was good, and the beds were comfortable. Highly recommend.