BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi,

I´m heading to Cusco in the next few days and I´d really like to book a place before I stumble out of the bus at 6 AM. I´m hoping to stay in the San Blas area and my shitty Lonely Planet only lists one spot in the area. I don´t care for party spots and tend to gravitate towards the mellow side. I would appreciate your help.

By the way, I´m staying at the Arequipay Backpackers House in Arequipa based on YOUR recommendations and it is absolutely wonderful. Most accommodating place I´ve been in yet. Hope you all can come through again for me!

Thanks!

Kyle
www.travelpod.com/members/kstuart

All I'll say is don't stay in Casa de Campo. It's in San Blas and has an amazing view, but it wasn't worth staying in a bad hostel.
We had to call reception if we wanted to go to the bathroom so they could turn on the water. And we got billed for the 'free' breakfast (which was a really great breakfast). For US$80 a night for the room we sort of expected something a little nicer. Oh, and once you get up to San Blas and into the hostel you staill have 30 or 40 big steps to go up to get to the rooms. Not easy at that altitude!

I stayed at Home Sweeet Home in Cusco, San Blas.
I'm not sure if I can recommend the place. It wasn't bad, but not so good either. They were getting organised, as the place was newly started (in Sept 07).
The owners were very friendly and helpful though, a Swiss guy and his Ecuadorian wife (or girlfriend).
A great view over Cuzco.

I do recommend the Pakcha Real. I had my own very pleasant room and I think at the time it was US$5. The concierge was friendly, if a tad pushy about selling tours and such, and the laundry service was the best. And San Blas is one of my favorite places period.

i second pakcha real. we had a private room.. it was so clean and warm! overall really really good quality for the price. we didn't get any sense of the staff trying to sell us tours or anything, but that may have been someone different than in zaab's experience. i can't recommend them enough! it's very quiet there. oh, and they have a huge adorable dog too.

Hey all,

Thanks for your feedback. We actually ended up at Pirwa Backpackers Hostel in San Blas. Nothing really exceptional and rather cold at night. Can´t really recommend it, but can´t outright knock the place either. 46 soles for a double with shared bath and friendly staff that say my name everytime they see me - rather funny.

I will check out Pakcha Real once I return from the Inca Trail.

Cheers!

quote:

Originally posted by xoom:
i second pakcha real. we had a private room.. it was so clean and warm! overall really really good quality for the price. we didn't get any sense of the staff trying to sell us tours or anything, but that may have been someone different than in zaab's experience. i can't recommend them enough! it's very quiet there. oh, and they have a huge adorable dog too.

I remember that dog! He followed me one day to the top of Cusco where I took a tour of the ruins on horseback (I finally gave in and bought a tour, but it was a great way to see everything).

quote:

Originally posted by zaab:

quote:

Originally posted by xoom:
i second pakcha real. we had a private room.. it was so clean and warm! overall really really good quality for the price. we didn't get any sense of the staff trying to sell us tours or anything, but that may have been someone different than in zaab's experience. i can't recommend them enough! it's very quiet there. oh, and they have a huge adorable dog too.

I remember that dog! He followed me one day to the top of Cusco where I took a tour of the ruins on horseback (I finally gave in and bought a tour, but it was a great way to see everything).

lol! aww. we actually did that tour too. the guy (marco) there didn't push it on us at all though, we just saw the sign and asked about it. but unfortunately the horses didn't like us.. we limped our way back to the hostel and marco called a doc to see us.. we ended up having to go to the hospital and my friend had to get a sling. the next day they took the sign down advertising the tour. when were you there? before january?

quote:

Originally posted by xoom:

lol! aww. we actually did that tour too. the guy (marco) there didn't push it on us at all though, we just saw the sign and asked about it. but unfortunately the horses didn't like us.. we limped our way back to the hostel and marco called a doc to see us.. we ended up having to go to the hospital and my friend had to get a sling. the next day they took the sign down advertising the tour. when were you there? before january?

Yeah, way before January. August,2004. My horse wanted to break into a gallop at every opportunity which was fun but a bit nervewracking since it was my first time on a horse in, oh, over 20 years.

i wonder if it's the same horse guy!!

Loki Hostel, which also has hostels in la paz and lima. VERY RECOMMENDED

Be aware that the Loki has a large number of reports of thefts. All Loki's are great for parties due to the ready availability of drugs. But if that isn't your thing consider elsewhere. One beef, which I agree with, is that they are running out of business the small family run places that were the mainstay of the backpacker trade, especially in Cusco and La Paz. In every occasion a group of gringos arrive in town with a load of cash and take over a prime historical site which they promptly gut and turn into a party center.

Like GoodtimeBob said, stay in Loki if you want the "party", which consists of mostly australian and irish guys getting plastered. In other words, might want to find somewhere else!