We recently stayed at hotel Monesterio in Cuzco. We booked the hotel with American Express and it gave us lots of perks. However when you get there you have to remind them of your deal, otherwise they will try to charge you for everything. A man by the name Carlos was at the conciege he totally lied to us and told us our train ticket to Machu Pichu was not from the train station in Cuzco and tried to sell us tickets on the Luxury train owned by Orient Express. We took a trip to the train station and found out that he was trying to scam us. Unlike the other hotels owned by this company. We found the staff a little on the nasty side. They expect a tip if they answer a question and it was a great turn off.

My husband and I just returned from a 2week stay in Peru, ending with 3 nights at the Monasterio in Cusco. I booked through their web site and used a special rate for a deluxe room (extremely nicer than the standards,with a garden view terrace and many amenities.) Also the l0% fee as indicated by previous review was included and clearly stated.

However, the main reason I gave this hotel an "excellent" was not only for the elegant look, the serene environment (we were also fortunate that during most of our stay it was not overtaken by tour groups - which regularly stay there); but for the service and terrific attitude of the entire staff.

It is devastating to become very ill so far from home; it is very stressful to end a trip in such a beautiful country needing a doctor and being in a medical clinic all day & night.
However, the staff, from the conceirge, the manager, housekeeping, doormen, waitstaff, etc. all pulled together and got my husband and I through a terrible ordeal.

My husband had became quite ill during our last 2 days and needed immediate attention. The caring, effiicient conceirge called a doctor as I stood there, and within minutes he was in our room. The doctor was excellent and knew exactly how the situation should be handled. He even accompanied us to the medical facility and stayed most of the time with my husband. Meanwhile the hotel kept calling the clinic for me when I returned to rest, and kept me up to date up on progress reports as my spanish was elementary at best. They provided taxi service for me coming and going from the clinc, with no charge.

The housekeeping staff moved in and out of our room during the times I wandered around the beautiful grounds-- to clean up and refresh the room without bothering me. The waitstaff at the hotel treated me as family since I was alone. Even the boutique ladies checked on me and sent my husband a good luck charm. The business office manager was there to help me with emails I had to send, changing flights, etc., as I was so stressed I could barely turn a computer on.

Flowers were brought in to cheer me; the manager personally checked on me. I cannot say enough about the care and professionalism of the Monasterio during a crisis that could have ruined our entire trip. They stepped up to the plate and gave me more than any l0percent could cover. I would say if you are going to be ill in Cusco, you could not find a hotel that took you in as a family member quite like Monasterio.

We both agreed their prices are higher than other hotels in Cusco, but their genuine concern, care and hospitality shone like the stars they have acquired. And to be in such a gorgeous, yet serene and calming environment was a necessity.
There is a chapel unlike anything I have ever seen, and so many nooks and crannies with views of San Blas rooftops, gardens, 3 courtyards full of flowers and wonderful sitting areas. I felt I was in a special wonderland, and was just disappointed my husband did not get to enjoy it.
Yet, he did not have the additional stress of worrying about me being alone in Cusco as I had the Monasterio family.

If you don't like the prices, don't stay there. But if you can afford it, go for it; as it left us with wonderful memories of the "locals" banding together to take care of strangers in their country.

I would not hesitate to return to the Monasterio...even with my husband's illness we returned with warm, positive feelings for every lodge we stayed in Peru; but the Monasterio clearly showed their class and pride in customer service from the moment we walked in the door.
A huge "mucho gracias" to all the members of the Monasterio hotel family and Dr. Jorge and his team.

This hotel is among the best places to stay in Cusco, but that says more about Cusco's economic status and less about the hotel. While the hotel is lovely, with a unique atmosphere and great servcies, our stay was overshadowed by our perception that the hotel and its staff lack integrity. The issue has to do with the 10% service charge they apply to any service item you use at the hotel. e.g. if your room is $300/night, you pay a $30 service charge per night, which is enough (in my mind) to cover the concierge, door man and porter.

They don't tell you about this service charge - it just shows up on your bill at the end of your stay and it is grouped in to look like a government tax. So while any other Orient Express Hotel we have stayed at in the past has clearly had an optoinal tipping policy given the service fee, we found the staff at this hotel somewhat sneaky. For example, when we asked the massage therapist if a tip is charged to our room along with the massage, said we should tip her in cash. So we tipped her 15%, only to find another 10% service charge related to the massage on our bill. Another issue we had the hotel was their transportation policy. If you catch a taxi to the airport yourself from outside to hotel, it costs about $5. But if the hotel calls you a taxi (the same taxi), the hotel charges you $28.

It's not so much about the money (as we knew we were paying to stay at one of the top hotels), it's more about the hotel's lack of intergrity related to their service charge, and the dishonesty of the staff. I think tourists would do well to see come more competition from international hotel chains. Maybe it'll keep everyone a little more honest.

Bottom Line: If you have money to throw away, you'll enjoy your stay at he hotel. But this tourists (who does like her nice hotels) will pay $100 less and stay at the Libertador Palacio Inka the next time around - equally as nice, just $100 expensive.

This was the best hotel we stayed in on a tour around Peru. Wonderful atmospheric setting, warm & engaging service and delightful food.

We stayed for two days before and two days after visiting Machu Picchu and they let the account run through, looked after our bags and replaced them straight into our second room (You can only take one 5kg bag each on the train from Cusco to Machu Picchu).

The courtyard is a very romantic setting for a drink or long lunch and the room service is impeccable. We did have a chewy duck in the main restaurant but they took it off the bill and offered an alternative which was fair enough.

The bar is great with a huge fireplace, excellent nibbles and is just the best place to relax after a hard, breathless day touring the sights. They will do you a Coca tea at any time for free.

We had the oxygen piped in (sounds just like air-conditioning) and seemed to help with the adjustment to the height. The rooms are beautifully decorated with original paintings, great bathrooms and proper shutters outside the windows to shut out the light.

If you stay in Cusco, you have to stay here...or else you will always regret missing out on one of the classic hotels of the world