Hotels in Cusco

Hotels in Cusco: prices, timing and areas

When to book a stay in Cusco for less

The time of year drives the price above all. The dearest is the dry season, from May to September, when the weather best suits treks to Machu Picchu and crowds head for the city. The peak falls in June, when the great Inca sun festival Inti Raymi takes place and prices run highest. The cheapest comes in the rainy season, in January and February, when frequent rain puts off some travellers and rates fall to their lowest of the year. The day of the week matters too: Saturday usually works out cheaper, while Friday tends to be the dearest. The best rates come from booking about eight weeks ahead, roughly fifty-six days before arrival. For June, Inti Raymi and Easter book early, as the central properties sell out fast.

What a stay costs by property type

Cusco has a wide spread of prices, so a hostel bed and a room in a five-star hotel in a former palace are worlds apart. The cheapest sleep is in hostels and simple rooms on the old-town lanes; you pay the most for luxury hotels on the Plaza de Armas and in the atmospheric San Blas district. Below are indicative nightly rates outside the June peak, in the local currency.

Indicative rates for a double room, outside the June peak. Between the rainy season and the season the gap can be wide, so check the real price for your dates in the search above.

Where a stay is cheaper and where it costs more

The most properties and the handiest base are in the Centro Histórico around the Plaza de Armas, near the cathedral, the restaurants and the tour desks where trips to the Sacred Valley leave from. This is where the choice is widest, from hostels to luxury, though the prices are among the higher. It is atmospheric, with city views, in the artistic San Blas district, higher up the hill among galleries and cafes, but the climb can be tiring at this altitude. It is quieter and cheaper further from the centre, though there you will want transport. The old town is walked on foot, and a taxi takes you to the airport and beyond.

Which stay in Cusco suits whom

• First time in Cusco. The handiest base is the Centro Histórico by the Plaza de Armas, from where you see the cathedral, Qorikancha and the markets on foot, with the tour desks at hand.
• For families. Hotels with family rooms near the centre, with heating for the cold nights at this altitude. Easy to mix sightseeing with a trip to the Sacred Valley.
• For couples. Boutique hotels and former palaces on the old-town lanes and in San Blas, with courtyards and city views. Good for a romantic stay before the trip to Machu Picchu.
• With breakfast. Many places include breakfast in the rate, handy before an early start on a trek or the train to Machu Picchu. They often serve coca-leaf tea to help with acclimatisation.
• On a budget. Hostels and simple rooms on the side lanes of the old town, near food and stops. You save the most outside the June peak.

Example hotels in Cusco with prices

From a hostel bed to a five-star hotel in a former palace, a few Cusco names with a from price. Just a starting point, as rates can rise noticeably in June, during Inti Raymi.

From prices, for a double room. In Cusco the same property can cost very differently in the rainy season and in June, so check your specific dates in the search.

When Cusco is more expensive

The dearest time is the dry season, from May to September, when the weather best suits treks and trips to Machu Picchu and crowds head for the city. The peak is June, when the great Inca sun festival Inti Raymi brings colourful celebrations at Sacsayhuamán, while earlier, at Easter, Semana Santa fills the streets with processions. The cheapest and quietest is the rainy season, in January and February, when frequent rain puts off some travellers and hotels tempt with the lowest rates of the year.