Hotel Montecristo Cusco

An old, lovely place for budget travelers who want their own room and bathroom, just somewhere to sleep. Service was pretty good, though there are areas to improve. There's no heat in the rooms, but they put enough covers on the beds to keep you warm. The rooms are a bit dusty, so ask the staff about it if you care. I didn't. And don't miss the aqueduct a couple of blocks uphill!

I needed oxygen as the altitude started affecting me. I was coughing and I'm asthmatic, so I asked each morning about the hotel's oxygen. They said they'd have it, but it never appeared. The oximeter didn't show up either. I stayed three nights and didn't receive oxygen at all. Apparently hotels are required to have it because of the high altitude. My room was okay, clean and tidy, with a comfortable bed, though the carpet was a little ripped. Hot water sometimes didn't work. When I asked, they told me to let it run for two minutes until it warmed up.

The reception space echoes, so it can get noisy at night when guests have conversations there. Still, I had a great stay in Cusco and felt good about my choice. The price was right, and the location was great. I just need a clean bed, a hot shower, wifi, and friendly people, not fancy accommodation. This hotel had those things. Joshep and Millie at reception were very helpful and always ready to assist. Breakfast wasn't fancy, but had the basics to start the day: juice, coffee, eggs, bread, and fruit.

Avoid room 207 if you want to sleep. It's above the office with a direct vent, so you can hear staff talking through the night, and it backs onto the stairwell, where travelers start moving around at 4 a.m. There was no water either. The hotel said it was a citywide problem, but we found water across the street and at other nearby places when we went to dinner.