Thirty years, in four chapters

The Simple Charm of Abittare Hotel in Cusco

Find your hotel in Cusco

A hotel can set the tone for your visit to a city, providing a canvas to paint your memories of the trip. When I visited Cusco with a friend from college, we happened to find ourselves in the a perfect hotel to provide such a backdrop for first-time visitors like us: Abittare Hotel.

The hotel is in a prime location, on the side of Qorikancha and two blocks away from the Plaza de Armas. The property is secluded, which is a benefit for travelers looking for a bit of peace and quiet. However, it is a little difficult to find — the door occupies a nondescript wall with only a tiny plaque displaying the name of the hotel to guide hapless guests. My friend and I arrived late at night and thus were quite distressed when it appeared the hotel did not exist at all. Apparently this is a relatively common reaction, according to the amiable receptionist who rushed outside after hearing our distraught cries.

Once we calmed down from the initial panic and went inside, we were immediately delighted by the quiet hotel oasis. There are two floors of rooms arranged in squares around open-air plazas. At night, you can look up and see the stars and the Sun Temple’s dome cresting over the roofs in the distance.

The décor in our double standard room was simple and elegant, with blue trim on white and gray walls reminiscent of the French-inspired San Blas neighborhood up the street. All aspects of the bathroom were designed as quadrilaterals, from the tiny soaps to the toilet seat. The Wi-Fi was spotty in the rooms, and some noise leaks through the walls, but all our complaints melted away as soon as our weary bodies sunk into the cloud-like beds.

The service is impeccably attentive. My friend had a very early flight, and the front desk was ready to help him at the crack of dawn with breakfast to go (meeting all of his dietary restrictions, no less). Because there weren’t many people staying in the hotel, the cooks brought breakfast to my room later that morning. I dined on my ham and cheese croissant with a cup coffee and fresh papaya juice as I watched the morning news in bed.

Though their web presence is severely lacking, Abittare is certainly a mid-range hotel on the rise. For travelers looking for simple comfort in Cusco, it is a perfect fit.

If you would like to book a trip to Cusco with a stay in the lovely Abittare Hotel, contact us.

Related Post
Best Private Villas Mancora Aracari's founder and CEO, Marisol Mosquera, reviews her top picks of the best private villas Mancora, in northern Peru. I am just back from sunny Ma...
A Special Invite to Hacienda Huayoccari in the Sacred Valley Are you pining for exclusive travel experiences? Do you want to connect with culture, community and craft from the comfort of your own home? Don’t mis...
Stay onboard Steamship Yavari during a Lake Titicaca tour Our testimonial in Lake Titicaca tour Aracari discovered during a recent visit to Lake Titicaca that the Victorian steamship Yavari has now been fitt...
‘Tis the season: Gift giving in Patakancha In the spirit of the holidays, Aracari just returned from a gift-giving trip to the village of Patakancha set high in the Sacred Valley that surrounds...
Arequipa’s Pisco Route Pisco is Peru’s national spirit and has been an integral element to Peruvian life and culture for more than 400 years. Outside the city of Arequipa, i...
Visiting the Mario Testino Association in Barranco, Lima It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in Lima, and I decided that I wanted to see the new exhibit Piruw and Wanu at the art gallery MATE. I wandered down ...