We were given the opportunity to visit the Inkaterra La Casona hotel in Cusco. This is part of the luxury Inkaterra chain and it is an exclusive hotel very near to the Plaza de Armas, at the heart of this ancient Peruvian city.

The Inkaterra La Casona is the first boutique hotel and first Relais & Châteaux property in Peru. This alone is enough for visitors to be sure that this prestigious and exclusive hotel can be the right choice for a relaxing time in Peru.

The hotel feels exclusive from the moment you arrive. The large wooden door is always closed and the first impression is that this is not the correct entrance as there’s no bell or anything to announce your arrival. But when we got closer our host immediately opened the door and greeted us, knowing that we were supposed to visit them at that time. The hotel operates as a private house for a limited number of guests and is not open to the general public, so the doors are always closed and guests are spotted on cameras.

When we say exclusive we really mean it. The hotel has 11 beautifully-decorated suites, all of which are located around the small garden in the hotel and have different outward-facing views.

Unfortunately we did not have enough time to stay at the hotel, as we were travelling to Machu Picchu Pueblo (also named Aguas Calientes) and staying at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, but our host Mr. Elvis was kind enough to show us every detail of the property on our tour.

The Inkaterra La Casona is a very old mansion (XVIth. Century)  and one of the first Spanish buildings in Cusco. The property has been restored with approval from the government and in 2008 it was converted into a luxurious hotel just in front of Plaza Las Nazarenas, a few minutes’ walk from Plaza de Armas. There are some parts of the pillars of the hotel that maintain the original look as a tasteful contrast and preserve the historical heritage and authenticity.

The one thing that caught our attention at Inkaterra La Casona was the relaxing atmosphere and the quiet setting. Inside the hotel the ambience was also very quiet, which made us realize that it is the perfect place to chill out. Mrs. Denise Koechlin, wife of the owner and CEO of Inkaterra Mr. José Koechlin, is the one responsible for the decoration of the Inkaterra hotels, and as we walked around it was easy to see how attentive to details she is.

Facilities and services at Inkaterra La Casona, Cusco

In the lobby we were immediately faced with a fireplace that is lit after 6pm creating a very cosy environment. There isn’t a bar at the hotel and instead they operate a bar service. The reason for this is that they prefer hotel guests to sit in front of the fireplace and order their drink in a peaceful environment.

In the restaurant they serve breakfast buffet (5 to 10am), a-la-carte lunch (12 to 03pm.)and a-la-carte dinner (7:00 to 10:00 p.m., as well as there being a station for afternoon tea with some cookies and cake, which is served from  4 to 6 pm. There’s also a permanent fruit station on the patio for guests.

Next to the entrance there’s also a boutique gift shop called Inkaterra Gallery, where guests can purchase some local products such as clothes, jewellery, souvenirs, postcards, films and books.

Finally there’s the YACU Therapy Room with 100% natural spa products, providing various massages in both the therapy room and in guests’ suites, with services and products for an extra charge.

Suites at Inkaterra La Casona

The 11 suites are split into 3 categories: 4 patios on the ground floor facing the courtyard, 5 balcóns on the second floor and 2 plazas facing Plaza Las Nazarenas, all of which have the exact same amenities but vary in size and services.

Guests can find everything they need for a peaceful and luxurious stay in their suites, such as wifi internet, a stone fireplace, a large king or twin beds, marble bathrooms with Roman bathtub, shower, toiletries and lush towels, a closet, heated floors, a flat screen TV, a DVD player, iPod speakers, a minibar (with all drinks included in the room rate), a safe and a phone.

Apart from the VIP treatment, the suites also have a housekeeping service 3 times a day. This time we visited one balcony suite and one plaza.

A crib can be placed in all suites; an extra twin bed can only be placed for children up to age 12 in a Balcón suite – for an extra charge.

Special services are proposed at La Casona

Upon request you can have an entertaining movie night with popcorn, grilled cheese sandwich, a movie and ice cream.

Another interesting service is the “Pay-to-the-Earth Ceremony”, which is performed by a local Shaman, where the guest pays tribute to the Andean Gods – upon request and at an additional cost.

We left the Inkaterra La Casona satisfied with our tour and with the promise to come back in the near future, not only to visit this amazing city with such ancient culture but also to enjoy this splendid hotel.

Thanks Elvis for your time and we hope that the hotel continues to be a model for lodging and high-quality services.

Family Travel Secrets was welcomed to a site tour at Inkaterra La Casona. All opinions ad oodles of pictures remain our own.