I spent six weeks in Peru, staying in several hostels for different reasons, depending on my goals for a specific week or a specific need I had at that time. Here is my selection of the best hostels in Cusco where I stayed.
Cusco is a magnificent city with tons of activities available. Even though it is a bit touristy, I had great opportunities to connect with locals while staying in hostels.
Peruvians also travel, exploring their country, so I always had the opportunity to meet a solo traveler or a group of people going on adventures in their land.
Machu Picchu is the main reason many travelers visit Cusco, but I can guarantee that there’s much more. Wakrapukara, Huchuy Qosqo, and Choquequirao are only a few places you can visit, the list is long. Being the center of the Inca empire, the area around Cusco is rich in archaeological sites and diverse cultures that are waiting for travelers to discover.
Let’s talk about the hostels. This is the reason why you are here. The following breakdown of the best hostels in Cusco is a short list of each one and what makes them unique.
Gaia House is my favorite hostel in Cusco to meet other travelers. The vibe in the hostel is very chill, and the staff is very friendly. One can feel how happy they are to host people worldwide.
There are private rooms, small rooms to share (2 people), and a dorm with beds inside wooden boxes, like a capsule, which gives you privacy when you don’t feel like socializing.
They don’t offer any activities in the hostel, but the location is perfect for finding them: it is very close to the San Blas market and a few minutes walk from the Plaza de Armas. In their neighborhood, you will find several tour agencies and restaurants.
Beds are from 36 PEN, with Breakfast included in the price.
Flying Dog is one of the best hostels in Cusco for those on a budget. They have an equipped kitchen for those willing to cook. As for the accommodation, they have private rooms and shared dorms for four and six people. I stayed in private and shared rooms, and the private one was perfect.
The hostel is only a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas, and you have a few mini-markets and restaurants within walking distance. A couple of tour agencies are on the same street if you are looking for activities.
One of the best things about this hostel is its silence, which makes it a perfect place for those who need a bit of rest during their trip. If you are looking for action, the Teqsicocha and Procuradores streets are nearby, and several bars and clubs are open from Monday to Monday in these streets.
Beds from 28 PEN, breakfast included in the price.
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Selina is the best option for digital nomads in Cusco. They have two hostels near the Plaza de Armas. Every day, something is happening at Selina; there’s a board with the day’s activities for those willing to join. It is a very social hostel; you will meet like-minded people in the digital nomad scene and travelers exploring Cusco.
The facilities are the best I found in Cusco!! The beds are comfy, and the kitchen is one of the best I used during my travels in South America. There are a couple of common areas, a cinema room, and a library.
Their prices are higher than the other hostels on this list, but you get what you paid for. For digital nomads, they have a co-working space available for an extra charge.
After talking to the staff in Selina, they informed me that their pricing is similar to Uber’s. It’s based on demand, so they will be cheaper if more rooms are available and pricier if you book the last dorms/beds available.
If you want to save some bucks, make your reservation at the beginning of the week, on Mondays or Tuesdays. Usually, the hostel has fewer people during these days so you might get a better price.
If you are a digital nomad planning to stay on the road longer, they have a program called Colive that might be worth checking, depending on the countries/cities you plan to visit.
Beds from 46 PEN, breakfast can be included with an extra charge
This hostel is near the San Pedro Market, perfect for those willing to cook. Besides the market, you can buy groceries on Orion if you don’t find what you want in San Pedro.
The hostel is hidden in a tiny street where silence is the main rule!! Walking in the noisy city center with car honks can drive anyone crazy, so the fact you won’t hear anything makes this place a perfect stay for resting.
They have a fully equipped kitchen and a couple of common areas for people to socialize. There’s a travel agency inside the hostel, so you can easily arrange tours with them.
The breakfast included in the price was very good, with many fruits and eggs (yes, some hostels give you only one egg for breakfast!). Ukukus is a good choice if you are okay with walking a few minutes more to reach the Plaza de Armas.
Beds from 28 PEN, breakfast included
Magar’s location is also very central, with many tour agencies and restaurants within walking distance. The facilities are very modern, and the shared dorms have a lot of space with big lockers to store your backpacks.
The only thing I would have liked more about this hostel is if the kitchen was available for customers. Breakfast is included but very simple; I asked for some eggs, and they told me I could prepare them. So I went to a tienda nearby, bought them, and prepared myself. However, they allowed me to cook them because the hostel was empty; I don’t believe it’s a rule.
There’s a tour agency inside the hostel, making arranging tours easy. The best thing about this hostel was the location and modern rooms. Magar has the most spacious dorms of all the best hostels in Cusco on this list.
The social area has a ping pong table and a TV for a movie night. On the first floor, there’s a nice bar with music every night for socialization.
Beds from 34 PEN, breakfast included
Conclusion
This list of the best hostels in Cusco was created based on my experience staying in each. The number of options available in the city for accommodation and activities is impressive for the size of the town. Ten days is the minimum for anyone planning to visit Cusco; it can be more or less depending on the activities that interest you.
If you plan to visit Machu Picchu, read my guide about the Salkantay route without a guide. It’s a five-day trek with amazing views that reward you with Machu Picchu at the end.
Hope to see you here in the next article!! Bye!!
