Pisko & Soul

The breakfast was the highlight for me: fresh crusty bread, a few kinds of jam, several teas, and eggs cooked to order. It gave every day we stayed there a great start. The hostel itself has a rustic look, but it's very clean and well priced for the location. The staff are friendly, answer lots of questions, and will call someone if they need to find something for you. One of the best hostels we've stayed in.

The street-facing rooms can get noisy around 3 am, when tour agencies picking people up for trips such as rainbow mountain keep honking until their guests come out. That seems to happen all over Cusco, though. Otherwise, it's an adorable hostel with rooms like old English inns and taverns. Some things look a bit old, but the hot water and restrooms work well. The staff are lovely, and breakfast includes bread, butter, toast, yogurt, a local kind of granola and eggs.

We landed early in the morning, and since a room was free, they let us check in ahead of time. The bed was fantastic, Wi-Fi was good, and they served free pisco sours at 9 pm. Breakfast had eggs, fresh bread, cereal and yogurt, and the staff were lovely. When they noticed me shivering over breakfast, someone quietly brought over a gas heater and set it beside me. Shops and restaurants are an easy walk away. The only downside was street noise, which comes with staying downtown. Highly recommend!

The common area was pleasant, with a TV and Netflix, and my room even had a heater. Showers got hot after running for a few minutes, though the computer wasn't working while I was there. The hostel can arrange tours too. It's about a 10-minute walk to the main square, and close to the local food market for inexpensive meals, fresh juice, or sandwiches. There are also a few laundries nearby. The woman on staff was really friendly. When she came on shift, she let me have breakfast for free after I arrived at 6 a.m., even though the man had refused. He also tried to overcharge me at checkout.