KIMSA Hotel

The hotel is lovely, set on a quiet, picturesque street, and the center is a seven-minute walk away. The courtyard and rooms are beautifully decorated. What stood out most was the staff, who were very sympathetic, responsive, and good-natured.

I was very happy with my stay. The hotel is close to Plaza de Armas, the main square and home to the cathedral, as well as Plaza Nazarenas, a lovely quiet park with Museo de Arte Precolombino and its associated restaurant. San Blas is nearby as well. The hotel is simple, with a delightful shared area where you can sit and enjoy the garden. It was modestly priced, $30 when I stayed in January. Breakfast was solid, with scrambled eggs, breads, cereals, fruit, coffee, milk, and various juices. The staff were courteous and spoke English. They’ll also hold your bags after checkout until you take a taxi to the airport.

We liked being right by San Blas, a relaxed, artsy part of the city, while still only a few minutes on foot from the main square. The hotel was clean, and the breakfast was more generous than what we got at other places during our three weeks in South America. My girlfriend and I stayed several nights before and after the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu. Sophia, Julio at reception, and the rest of the staff were so welcoming. They handled every question and request with a smile. We’d book here again if we return to Cusco. Thanks for all your help, Sophia, Julio, and team.

Breakfast was a problem too. We went down around 8:30 on three mornings, and the meat had run out with nothing offered in its place. On the day we needed to leave at 6:15, breakfast was available, but much of it wasn’t ready when we arrived and the eggs only came out at 6:10. At other times, the tea was cold. Noise was the bigger issue. First, a family staying above us had a child screaming from 6:30, so we had to change rooms. We were told the family had rented for months and staff couldn’t speak to them because it wouldn’t help. The replacement room was near the lobby, where people spoke loudly, sometimes right outside our door until nearly midnight. Nobody told us when they might ask guests to keep it down. Worst three-star hotel I’ve stayed in.