Plaza Nazarenas, Centro Historico

Belmond Palacio Nazarenas

★★★★★

Belmond Palacio Nazarenas is the address that most luxury travelers choose in Cusco, and it earns the reputation. The building stands on Plaza Nazarenas, a small, quiet square a couple of blocks uphill from the Plaza de Armas, on a site with a layered history typical of the city: Inca foundations, a colonial palace and later a convent of the Nazarene nuns, restored and opened as a hotel by Belmond. Inside, the restoration preserves stone Inca walls, arched cloisters, carved doorways and fragments of colonial frescoes, and pairs them with calm, contemporary interiors in Andean colors, with alpaca throws, local textiles and art. Accommodation is all suites, around fifty of them, arranged around the cloisters and courtyards, many with fireplaces, heated floors, deep bathtubs and private terraces or balconies, and the hotel enriches the oxygen in the suites, which genuinely helps many guests sleep better in their first nights at altitude. The outdoor heated pool, set in a cloister courtyard surrounded by colonial arches, is one of very few in Cusco and a glorious place to sit in the high Andean sun. The hotel's restaurant focuses on Peruvian and Andean ingredients, and there is a spa with treatments based on local plants. Belmond also runs the luxury Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu and the Sanctuary Lodge beside the citadel, and its concierge team arranges private guides, trains, Sacred Valley excursions and dinners in the city. Service is polished, personal and discreet, and the scale is small enough that staff quickly learn your plans.

Who it suits: honeymooners and milestone trips, travelers who want the finest hotel in the old city with a calm retreat to return to after long days of sightseeing, and anyone who is worried about altitude and appreciates oxygen-enriched rooms. Families can take larger suites, though the atmosphere is quiet and adult. It is not a social hotel with a scene; the pleasures are the cloisters, the pool, the fireplaces and the sense of history.

Location math: Plaza Nazarenas is one of the most atmospheric corners of Cusco, a short walk from the Cathedral, the Plaza de Armas and the twelve-angled stone, and on the edge of San Blas, whose lanes climb from just behind the hotel. Qorikancha and the San Pedro Market are fifteen minutes on foot, and Sacsayhuaman is a steep walk uphill. Taxis can reach the plaza, which is a real advantage over hotels on the stepped lanes. Cusco airport is around twenty minutes away by car, traffic permitting, and the Sacred Valley about an hour.

Practical notes: rates are among the highest in Peru, peaking in the dry season from May to September and at festivals such as Inti Raymi in June; the rainy season from November brings better availability. Book early for the busiest months, and reserve spa treatments and dinners at the same time. Ask the concierge about combining your stay with Belmond's train and Machu Picchu hotel, and about the papal visit on 15 November 2026, when the area around the Plaza de Armas will be closed off. Drink plenty of water, go slowly on your first day and let the staff know if you feel unwell.