The Luxe Cusco Hostel

The staff were friendly and helpful, though most of them spoke no English, which is why I’m giving two stars instead of one. The room itself was uncomfortably cold the whole time, with no heating at all. Getting to the private room meant walking through a women’s dorm, which felt uncomfortable as a man because I felt I was intruding on their privacy. The kitchen was only open for use from 11-2 and 3-6, and the so-called king bed was two smaller mattresses pushed together, with the seam right down the middle.

I was really unhappy when I saw the “private room” we had booked. It was actually a dormitory on the top floor, with no windows and a terrible smell. We left and found another place, which was much better and cheaper, with a real private room. We lost a couple of dollars because of Hostelworld’s cancellation policy, and also had to spend time finding somewhere else.

We booked one night but liked it enough to extend our stay to three. Our room had three single beds, and we’d definitely recommend the hostel. The staff were really helpful, and the historic main square is only a two minute walk away.

My bus got in an hour and a half earlier than expected, so I reached the hostel at 5:30 am. The reception was open, but when I asked if I could sit on their sofa for a couple of hours until the day started and shops and restaurants opened, they flatly said no. I also asked if they knew of anything open at that hour and got another no. They didn’t even try to help. I could understand if reception had been closed, but it wasn’t. I’ve stayed at lots of other hostels where they let you wait as long as you have a reservation for that night. Some let you use the bathroom, and some even offer breakfast if you’re leaving before it starts the next day. I was only asking to sit for a little while.