JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Review

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JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Review

"A former 16th-century convent packed full of pre-Inca, Inca and colonial artefacts; this feels as much like a trendy museum as it does a modern hotel. Elegantly styled and boasting one of Cusco’s only hotel pools, this property impresses across the board."

Location 9/10: Cusco's Plaza de Armas is less than a five-minute walk away – and despite its central location, boasts a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere within its Inca walls. The Museo de arte Precolombino in the cobbled Plaza Nazarenas is just at the end of the Street and there's also a rare, cheap and good quality vegetarian restaurant just three doors away called Comida Vegetariano. This is one of the best places in Cusco for light and nutritious food.

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Review

Style & character 9/10: Most Marriott hotels exude elegance and sophistication by the bucket load, and this place is certainly no different. From the moment you enter the impressive cobbled lobby you’re confronted with a grand centrepiece, formed of 76,000 tiny pieces of Swarovski crystal – and from then on this hotel continues to impress. There are dozens of fresh flower arrangements dotted throughout – and with its 26 brick arches the courtyard is not only one of the most aesthetically pleasing in Cusco, but it is also one of the biggest. No original art was found at the convent, but the hotel is covered in the work of contemporary Peruvian artists – changed every three months and available to buy.

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Review

Service & facilities 9/10: This is arguably the best-equipped hotel in Cusco – and while there's no fitness centre, there is a pool, steam room and sauna available exclusively to hotel guests. The poolside shower is notably impressive with its nine jets of water, flashing lights and the option to play music. On the basement level there's an archeological site of Inca masonry and ceramics, and every day at 6pm it's possible to join a free guided tour. There are four therapy rooms, where massages, wraps, hot stone and reflexology treatments take place. From the cheerful welcome of the concierge to the friendly chatter at the bar, the staff are bilingual and helpful.

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Review

Rooms 9/10: Sleek and stylish, with dark hardwood flooring, crisp linen and bespoke, not carbon copy, furnishings – the bedrooms are in keeping with the overall feeling of quality and sophistication. All come with huge televisions, Ipod docks and soundproof windows as standard, and extra oxygen can be pumped in via air vents on request. There are six coveted double rooms with terrace views and small balconies, and just one suite, room 82, has one original Inca Wall. Bathrooms are clad in slabs of sandy tavertine marble, sourced from quarries in central Peru, and there are both large bathtubs and spacious walk-in showers.

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Review

Food & drink 9/10: Pirqa, the Marriott's fine dining restaurant, takes pride in using local Peruvian ingredients where possible and its organic Andean specialities are particularly sumptuous. The black quinoa starter is delicious and the local peach and Gorgonzola salad is both perfectly sweet and tart. There's a bar menu of soups, veggie burgers and salads, and the breakfast buffet is arguably one of the best in Peru. There's an egg station cooking to order and a good selection of gluten free breads, fresh fruit and coffee. The cocktail menu is also very good – cheaper than Lima, costing between PEN 25-35 (£6-8) each.

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Review

Value for money 9/10: Double rooms from $300 (£240) in low season; and from $330 (£265) in high. Free Wi-Fi.

Access for guests with disabilities? There is one room on the ground floor that has easy access and a modified bathroom.

Family-friendly? There are five pairs of interconnecting rooms. Cots and extra beds are available upon request for an extra charge of $80 (£64) including breakfast. No kids' club but there is a children's menu.

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco Review

JW Marriott El Convento Cusco, Esquina de la Calle Ruinas, 432 y San Agustin, Cusco, Peru.
00 51 84 582 200