Cusco is the historic heart of the Inca Empire, a breathtaking Andean city perched at 3,400 meters above sea level in southeastern Peru. The city blends ancient Inca stonework with Spanish colonial architecture, creating a unique urban landscape that has earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. As the gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, Cusco is one of South America's most visited and culturally rich destinations.
Luxury hotels
Five-star and palace properties.
Belmond Hotel Monasterio
The most celebrated luxury hotel in Cusco occupies a beautifully preserved 16th-century Jesuit monastery with 126 rooms featuring colonial antiques, original Cusco School paintings, and oxygen-enriched air pumped to each room. The central cedar courtyard planted in 1598 and the chapel with original frescoes are magnificent. The Illariy restaurant serves refined Peruvian cuisine.
Inkaterra La Casona
Just 11 supremely private suites in a 16th-century colonial mansion on Plaza Nazarenas, each uniquely decorated with museum-quality antiques and Cusco School art. Rates include butler service, gourmet meals, a pisco sour tasting, and daily guided excursions. The most exclusive accommodation in Cusco.
JW Marriott El Convento Cusco
153 rooms in a restored 16th-century convent with an exceptional location directly on Plaza de Armas. The rooftop terrace with cathedral views is unrivaled, and the property features a full spa, multiple dining options, and the most central luxury location in the city.
Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Built on the foundations of two Inca royal palaces adjacent to Qorikancha, this 203-room Marriott Luxury Collection property blends original Inca stonework into its design. The basement reveals original Inca walls and the Tupay restaurant is one of Cusco's finest.
Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel
The finest hotel in Aguas Calientes with just 62 rooms, offering Urubamba River views, a full spa, and the best access to Machu Picchu. The Qunuq restaurant serves sophisticated Peruvian cuisine using local cloud forest ingredients. The optimal base for multiple Machu Picchu visits.
Fine dining
Michelin-starred and chef-driven restaurants.
MAP Café
Glass-enclosed within the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art's 16th-century courtyard, serving refined contemporary Peruvian cuisine with outstanding tasting menus and an exceptional pisco cocktail selection
Cicciolina
Two decades as Cusco's most beloved upscale restaurant, with Peruvian-Mediterranean fusion, the finest wine list in the city, and an intimate Colonial house setting
Senzo Restaurant at Palacio del Inka
Dining surrounded by original Inca walls with innovative Novo-Andino tasting menus celebrating Cusco's extraordinary highland ingredients
Chicha por Gastón Acurio
Celebrity chef Gastón Acurio's Cusco showcase celebrates regional flavors in a sophisticated colonial setting with Peru's finest ingredients
Exclusive experiences
Bespoke and once-in-a-lifetime activities.
Private Machu Picchu at Dawn
Arrange a private VIP Machu Picchu experience with an expert archaeologist guide who opens the site before general public entry, allowing photography in complete solitude. Includes luxury train in Vistadome or Hiram Bingham class.
Hiram Bingham Luxury Train Experience
Travel to Machu Picchu on the Orient Express Hiram Bingham train with elegant dining, white-glove service, and live entertainment. The train itself is a luxurious experience with four-course meals on board.
Private Inca Trail with Expert Guide
A completely private Inca Trail experience with a top archaeologist guide, luxury camping with proper beds, gourmet camp catering by a private chef, and personal porter service
Helicopter Tour over the Sacred Valley
Spectacular 30-45 minute helicopter tour over the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu (weather permitting), and Andean snowcapped peaks. The aerial perspective reveals the scale of Inca engineering impossible to appreciate from ground level.
Private Qorikancha Exclusive Access
After-hours private access to Qorikancha temple with a personal archaeologist explaining the Inca cosmos, gold decorations, and astronomical alignments - without other visitors present
Traditional Andean Ceremony with Paqo
Private despacho ceremony led by an authentic Andean paqo (healer-priest), with offerings to Pachamama, coca leaf reading, and an explanation of Andean cosmology in a ceremonial highland setting
Spas & wellness
World-class spa retreats and treatments.
Spa at Belmond Hotel Monasterio
Award-winning spa within the monastery hotel offering Andean-inspired treatments using local ingredients including quinoa, maca, and high-altitude flowers. Signature oxygen-altitude body therapy.
Inkaterra Wellness at La Casona
Bespoke wellness treatments in the colonial mansion using medicinal plants from the hotel's garden. Traditional Andean healing massages and altitude adaptation protocols.
Wayra Spa at Sumaq Hotel Machu Picchu
Cloud forest spa in Aguas Calientes with treatments inspired by Andean healing traditions. Hot stone massages and Inca healing therapies with Urubamba River sounds as backdrop.
Luxury transport
Travel in style.
- Car
- Private chauffeur-driven SUV from $150/day for Sacred Valley explorations. Hotels can arrange.
- Air
- Helicopter tours over Sacred Valley from $250/person for 30 min. Private charter from $1,500+ for full day.
- Train
- Hiram Bingham luxury train to Machu Picchu: $400-500 per person return, includes all meals and entertainment
- Airport
- Private airport transfer with hotel representative meet-and-greet: $60-100 from CUZ airport