Location
Cusco, Peru

In the heart of Cusco, a city high in the Peruvian Andes that blends Inca and Spanish colonial history and culture, Casa Cartagena features 16 luxury suites in a historic house just off the main square. The property earned recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site following the meticulous restoration of its carved Inca stone walls and colonial frescoes. Colonial architecture overlays an ancient Inca complex that was once occupied by reigning nobility, and all rooms surround a peaceful courtyard, a configuration that remains true to the original design. Each suite has a private balcony. Plush beds have down comforters and hypoallergenic pillows, plus central heating and an enriched oxygen system to help adjust to Cusco’s high altitude. Decor melds contemporary and colonial styles with splashes of bright color against a neutral palette. En suite bathrooms have a bathtub with mineral bathing salts, Tatami-style shower, bidet and toilet, and robes and slippers. Additional room amenities include Wi-Fi, LCD television with cable, in-room safe, writing desk, and a butler at your service.

Time permitting, guests may join the hotel’s free daily Pisco sour lesson, where you can glean detailed instructions for preparing Peru’s national cocktail. Or rejuvenate at the Qoya Spa, featuring organic products that use ancient Peruvian ingredients like Andean mint, salts and coca leaves. At the hotel’s historic La Bodega de la Chola restaurant, enjoy local Peruvian flavors in a space where Pablo Neruda was once inspired to write poetry and Che Guevara spent many bohemian nights.