When planning our trip to Peru, we knew we wanted to stay at a boutique hotel in Cusco. Something ideally close to the city center, reasonably priced, and with a good restaurant. While browsing through booking.com, I stumbled onto El Mercado. This charming, Peruvian owned hotel seemed like the perfect place to stay. About our experience…
The Location
Tucked into a side street just three blocks away from Cusco’s main square, El Mercado has the perfect location. There’s no exterior facade to the property except a large blue door, which makes it different than many other boutique hotels in Cusco. Once you walk in, you’re led to this beautiful patio with colorful chairs in distinct Inca textiles that surround the bonfire.
The Scene
The front desk clerk gave a warm welcome and led us to their gorgeous patio. There, we were welcomed with a warm cup of coca tea (a must for the altitude) and a staff member sat down with us and explained every little detail about the hotel. It felt like we were staying at someone’s home. El Mercado Cusco draws an international crowd as we heard everything from Spanish to French during our stay.
The Room
The room was average size, with a comfortable bed that comes handy after a tough day of hiking. The staff also restocked the room every day with four water bottles at no charge, which I thought was a nice touch. The little details… this why I was looking for a boutique hotel in Cusco. I find that smaller properties pay more attention to the guest and their needs. The only thing I missed from the room was a tub. Not that I am a big tub person, BUT it would’ve been great to soak in one after our Rainbow Mountain Hike. I was in pain!
The Food
Whether you’re staying at El Mercado or another boutique hotel in Cusco, or anywhere in the city for that matter, I highly recommend you make reservations at their Taberna Restaurant. We arrived quite hungry and immediately ordered lunch: a delicious causa and soup. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. We ended up eating there several times as we got back from our tours quite late with zero energy to venture out!
When looking for a boutique hotel in Cusco, we made sure the rate included breakfast. Our outings were quite early and we did not want the extra hassle of dealing with breakfast. I am all for a great hotel breakfast and El Mercado Cusco delivered. The breakfast included a warm and cold buffet, crepes made to order, made to order fresh juices, and fresh pastries. If you are going on an early outing, the staff will put together a to-go bag for you!
The Service
If there’s a highlight of our stay at this gorgeous boutique hotel in Cusco was the service. The staff was friendly and attentive at all times. They also went above and beyond. When I returned from Rainbow Mountain, I asked if there was a place I could wash my boots. The front desk clerk insisted on cleaning them himself. I tried to say no, but he wouldn’t have it. I thought that was the loveliest gesture.
Boutique Hotel in Cusco: El Mercado
If you’re looking for a boutique hotel in Cusco, I recommend El Mercado. Nothing sponsored here, we paid with our hard earned cash money. The location, decor, and the food make it the ideal place to stay in Cusco.
El Mercado, Calle Siete Cuartones, 306, Cusco City Centre, Cusco, Peru; Website
