Turi Wasi House Boutique

The staff were nice, and that’s the one star. I’m writing this at 1:45am while the percussion music keeps going. The noise is awful: Mythology, the club next door, doesn’t close until 3am, so don’t expect sleep before then. I checked in at 3pm, but the room wasn’t ready. It was on the third floor with three single beds, and it took ten minutes for hot water to reach it. The key machine was broken, so someone had to walk me to the room every time I came back. They have hot tea all day, but you can only drink it at reception. I’d rather have something cold available. The soft drinks, water, beer, and other drinks for sale are all kept at room temperature, and the fridge in my room didn’t work.

The staff were all friendly and helpful, and breakfast was good and convenient. It was continental style, though an attendant came by daily to ask if I wanted eggs made to order. With the low price and steps to Plaza de Armas, it’s still decent value, but go in knowing it feels like a hostel. My bathroom seemed recently updated and was very clean, though the rooms themselves weren’t the cleanest. You only get one roll of toilet paper at a time, and room cleaning was inconsistent. Mine wasn’t cleaned even after I left the “please clean” hanger out all day, so I had to awkwardly ask reception. The rooms got stuffy even in cool weather. Their only windows face the middle of the hotel, so there’s no ventilation unless you’re willing to risk a stranger climbing in. Noise was my biggest problem. I expected some city sounds after reading reviews, but the hotel is right beside a nightclub. From 10-11 each night, the bass and music were so loud I could make out every lyric. I’m not a light sleeper, but I needed earplugs and noise from my phone. Sleeping late wasn’t an option either: once breakfast starts at 6am, loud music, banging, and talking carry through the whole hotel.

The rooms were clean and nice, and the staff were very helpful. We had to leave early and couldn’t try breakfast, so they packed a sandwich, juice, and fruit for us to take. They even arranged a taxi to the airport. The downside was noise from nearby bars. It’s good value if you want to stay in the city center.

The location near the Plaza seems ideal by day, but at night it’s a nightmare. Nearby bars and clubs bring drunk people shouting until the early morning, so don’t expect a decent night’s sleep. The hotel isn’t wheelchair friendly because the elevator has been out of service for months. The rooms are old and quite expensive for what you get. In a tourist town like Cusco, I expected reception staff to speak at least a little English, but neither of the two people there could say a word, so we had to ask questions through Google Translate. I wouldn’t recommend it if you want to sleep.