First of all, let me say that this place was an absolute godsend after taking an overnight bus from Puno, which we barely got any sleep on, and then getting altitude sickness once we arrived in Cusco. The Sonesta Hotel Cusco is located in a great area for anyone wanting to explore the city. It is only a few minutes from the airport, which they offer free airport pick-up from. They were so kind to us during our stay and even allowed us to check in at about 6am after that aforementioned hard journey from Puno.
Being able to relax and take a bath here was more than welcomed after many 4am-6am cold showers that we had previously experienced in Peru. The place is comfortable with enough space to move around the room and not feel cramped into a little box. The balcony outside of our room was also a nice little touch that we were able to enjoy.
As I said before, it is in a great location. Cusco is a fairly walkable city if you are in decent shape and don’t mind walking a little to get to where you want to go. We had no issues walking around and finding the places we were looking for (Ben is also much better at navigating a new city than I am). The hotel is located a few blocks from the Sun Temple (a popular tourist attraction). It was also only a few more blocks from the main square which is a must see. We may or may not have also enjoyed some McDonalds here… sometimes when you are traveling for a long time, it’s nice to just have something you are familiar with even if it is a McDonalds, although the food in Peru is very good.
We were also able to find a cool market fairly close to the hotel called The San Pedro Market. This market has many things you may want or need. We were able to finally find a typically Peruvian jumper that I had been looking for pretty much since we stepped foot in Peru (these jumpers are everywhere, but I can be a little picky about clothing). This market has food, souvenirs and awesome little stalls that made you any kind of mixture of fruit juice that your heart desires. We had a tasty blend of mango, orange, and passion fruit.
The first morning we were at the hotel and discovered what they offered for breakfast, we were more than a little pleasantly surprised. This was by far the best breakfast I’ve ever had at a hotel to date. We found ourselves looking forward to breakfast each morning and even planning out what we were going to get the next morning. They had everything from typical Peruvian dishes, fruits, fresh juices, breads, egg station, fresh guacamole, little desserts, meats, cheeses, and so much more. Just thinking about this breakfast makes me hungry and wish we could have it every morning!
Overall we had a great stay at the Sonesta Hotel Cusco. It is in a great location, has free airport shuttle, nice rooms, friendly staff, and amazing breakfasts. We would definitely stay here again if we were to travel back to Cusco.