Magar Backpacker Hostel

The beds were really nice, but I can’t recommend the private rooms. After coming back from the Machu Picchu hike, we had no hot water and couldn’t shower for almost two days. Wi-Fi was unreliable, there were ants in the bathroom, and the music was very loud at night. Communication was difficult, and no one told us that extending our stay at the hostel would cost more than booking through Hostelworld, so we were charged extra. We weren’t allowed to cancel at first, but luckily the water issue eventually let us do that.

The main thing to know is that Saturday nights can be rough if you’re sensitive to noise. There’s a bar on the second floor, and when I arrived on a Saturday a live band played extremely loudly until 3 AM. I texted Magar Hostal and was told bands come every Saturday. The walls are thin, so you hear people talking at a moderate volume and doors slamming on your floor. The private room’s double bed was comfortable, and it had a TV with YouTube and Netflix. The facilities were fairly good. Wi-Fi worked, but it was slow enough that I switched to my hotspot a couple of times, so I wouldn’t work from here. The shower smelled like sulfur, though that may be common in Cusco. The noise is why I’d give it three stars rather than four.

The rooms are roomy and the price is great. I slept so well in that super comfortable bed. The breakfast was good, the vibe was lovely, and the service was really nice. Highly recommend :)

It was alright, and pretty cheap, so I guess you get what you pay for. The shower was cold and the attached bar was noisy. I got a medium-rare burger from the bar restaurant. My room was a bit dirty, with someone else’s hair all over the bed, which grossed me out.