Belmond Hotel Monasterio

Looking out of the window at Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel in Cusco, hearts may soar as high as the Andean mountains. The stirring views, together with an authentic immersion in Peruvian culture, make a stay here truly uplifting. Just steps from Cusco’s lively central square, the hotel is set in a restored 16th-century monastery built on the foundations of an Inca palace. From the outside, whitewashed stone walls give little hint as to the splendid interiors within. Guests enter to discover graceful archways, cobbled paths and a cloistered courtyard complete with scented flowerbeds, a fountain and a 300-year-old cedar tree. It’s blissfully tranquil here and Cusco’s altitude is easily managed. As well as a welcoming muña tea on arrival, oxygen-enriched air is available in the rooms. For extra relaxation, bath butlers will draw up the perfect soak, while Andean treatments are available in a dedicated massage room. Rich oil paintings adorn the walls – the hotel houses one of Cusco’s finest collections of 18th-century colonial religious art. Expert-led art tours give an insight into their history. Further treasures include a gilded 16th-century chapel.

Guests dine on a modern proposal based on a classic European fusion with Peruvian ingredients at El Tupay restaurant by chef Larisa Vesterbacka and enjoying one of Cusco's best sopranos with a live opera show with sumptuous candlelit feasts. At Oqre restaurant our renowned Peruvian chef Jorge Muñoz presents Peruvian classics from the Coast, Hughlands and Jungle with his own creative touch overlooking the hotel's Main Courtyard and presenting his Sunday Brunch season; at Oqre Bar you will find an enticing ambience for a relaxing drink and Peruvian canapés. Pre-excursion artisanal treats are available at the on-site deli.

A range of in-house activities includes salsa dancing, cooking classes and pisco tastings. On the doorstep a vibrant scene awaits; markets, galleries and contemporary cafés blend with phenomenal Inca ruins.