Budget hostels

At the lower end for people on a really tight budget (hello backpackers!) you can find some really cheap hostels for as little as $5 a night. Facilities at these kind of hostels will be incredibly basic and you’ll be lucky to get a warm shower at price. You probably won’t find any of the really cheap hostels on the online hostel booking sites, so you’ll need to be in Cuzco itself to find these types of places.

Quality Hostels

For people who can’t afford hotels (or just prefer the social aspect of hostels) but still want a comfortable place with decent facilities there are some really good quality hostels in Cusco, often with private rooms available if you don’t want to sleep in a dorm. Expect to pay around $15 a night at the better hostels. Some of the better hostels in Cusco are listed on the Hostels World website – check out www.hostelsworld.com

Casa de la Gringa is one of the better hostels in Cusco. Also see my article about finding a good hostel in Cusco

Budget Hotels

Next up the accommodation ladder are the budget hotels which cost anything from around $15 to $40 a night. Most of the online hotel booking sites don’t list the budget hotels, and the best place to find a room for this kind of price is probably in Cusco itself. The budget hotels are usually clean and confortable and more than adequate for most travelers.

Mid-price Hotels

There are a lot of mid-price hotels in Cuzco that cost in the region of $45 to $150 per night. At this kind of price you’re going to experience quite a lot of luxury in a place like Cusco. Check out sites like www.hotels.com or expedia.com to search for mid-price and luxury hotels. Also see my article about finding the best hotels in Cusco.

Luxury Hotels

If you like to travel in style and money is no object then there are some very exclusive and luxurious hotels in Cusco. Probably the most well know is Hotel Monasterio which is a 5 star hotel and is positioned right in the middle of Cusco’s tourist center. Expect to pay over $500 a night at this rather exclusive establishment! Find out more here.

Apartments in Cusco

If you intend to stay several weeks or more then the best value accommodation is probably an apartment. There are many apartments available to rent in Cusco that you can rent for as little as a week. The San Blas area is probably the best place to find an apartment in Cusco. Also see my article about finding an apartment in Cusco.

Staying with families

If you really want to immerse yourself in Peruvian culture and also improve your Spanish then there are also many opportunities to live with Peruvian families in Cusco. There are many Spanish Schools in Cusco that can arrange for you to live with a family.

For many years Cusco has been a bit of a Mecca for backpackers and travellers touring around South America. I think I’ve read that Cusco is one of the top 3 tourist destinations in all of South America, although don’t quote me on that! But that’s the main reason why there are so many hostels.

When I knew I was moving to Cusco the first thing I did was book myself into a hostel for about a week so that I had somewhere to stay while I was looking for someone to live.

Personally I’ve always preferred hostels to hostels but it’s all down to personal preference. If you’re looking for luxury then you won’t find it in a hostel.

What I love most about hostels is the social aspect. Most hostels contain a common room and/or dining area which are always great places to meet fellow travellers (who are usually very open and friendly). I’ve met many great people while staying in hostels and had many amazing conversations.

In Cusco the cost of staying in hostels can vary quite a bit, which is usually down to the amount of services offered. Some hostels provide a lot more services than others. If you have a laptop then you’ll be pleased to know that several hostels in Cusco are now offering wifi which is always a bonus.

How to find a hostel in Cusco

If you’re travelling around Peru for any length of time then you most likely have a Rough Guide to Peru, or a Lonely Planet guide or something like that. Those books always list a number of the best hostels.

Personally I usually use the internet when I’m looking for a hostel. The site I normally use is http://www.hostelsworld.com. Another popular site is http://www.hostels.com/. What I like about these kinds of sites is that they allow travellers to rate and review the hostels they’ve stayed in so you can really get an idea of whether the hostel will be ideal for you based on other peoples experiences. Another great advantage of these websites is that you can book a bed or a room online so you don’t have to worry about the hostel being full up when you arrive.

If for some reason you’re unable to make a booking before you get to Cusco then there’s no need to worry. There are cheap hotels and hostels all over the main tourist centre of Cusco, and most of them are within a 10 minutes walk of each other, so it should never take you very long to find a place to stay.

In a future article I will be listing most of the highest rated hostels in Cusco.

Sometimes it’s difficult to decide which is the best hotel to stay in, particularly when there are so many choices. If you’ve travelled a great deal then you’re probably very aware that websites and brochures often paint a very different and rose tinted scene to the actual reality of the place.

If you’re looking for cusco hotel reviews then I recommend checking out the following websites:

Trip Advisor - I believe that Trip Advisor is the internets biggest travel review site. They have a section on Cusco hotels that you can find here

Yahoo Travel – You can find several reviews of Cusco hotels on Yahoo’s travel section.

Virtual Tourist – Another great resource for Cusco hotel reviews – Click here

Lonely Planet - The world famous Lonely Planet guidebook also has extensive information on its website. You can find several reviews of both hotels and hostels. Click here

Rough Guide – Although it doesn’t contain reader reviews, usually anything chosen for inclusion in the Rough Guide books are because they are high quality. – Click here

Hostels World – Features many reviews of hostels and cheap hotels in Peru and Cusco – Click here