Site Inspection at JW Marriott El Convento Cusco

Location and ambiance

The JW Marriott El Convento Cusco is an exquisite luxury hotel located in the heart of Cusco, Peru. Located roughly 20 minutes from Cusco Airport, it's best to have your car service scheduled ahead of time to take you straight to the hotel. The hotel is a short 5-minute walk to the Plaza de Armas- the central square of Cusco.

Guests are encourage to meet Panchita, the resident alpaca, who visits 5 days a week

Property Overview

Exterior

The hotel's exterior is Spanish colonial architecture, from the white-washed walls, stucco roof, well-preserved stone facades, ornate balconies and a central courtyard.

Lobby and Common Areas

The lobby is expansive and beautiful. A massive gold mosaic to honor Inti- the Incan Sun god- is mounted behind the reception desk. It’s designed to look like the sun and consists of 76,500 Swarovski crystals.

Just to the left of the reception is the entrance to the Augustinian convent, which has been carefully preserved with relics dating to the 16th century.

The blend of both Spanish and Incan elements is very thoughtful and like a microcosm of Cusco itself.

The main courtyard is absolutely stunning and features Spanish-style architecture with a central fountain and even an on-site herb garden. During the day, Panchita- the resident alpaca- can be found walking around and greeting guests.

Guest Rooms and Suites

There’s 6 different room types at El Convento:

• 31 Inca Wall: 29-34 sq m with views of the pre-Colombian Inca wall.

• 95 Deluxe: 27-39 sq m with partial views of Cusco or to the neighborhood.

• 14 Family Rooms: 29-36 sq m with views of the central courtyard and with 2 double beds.

• 6 Terrace: 31-35 sq m with private terraces to the central courtyard.

• 6 Luxury Suite: 69 sq m suit with living area, guest and main bedroom and terrace.

• 1 Imperial Suite: 90 sq m with living and dining room, guest and main bedroom with a large terrace overlooking Cusco.

An interesting detail is that all rooms have special oxygen piped in to help guests acclimate to the high elevations in Cusco. As such, the windows in the non-terrace rooms don’t open to keep the oxygen-rich air inside.

Dining

Qespi Restaurant

I dined at Qespi for breakfast two of the mornings while I stayed at El Convento and the spread was impressive. There was a mix of American and Andean-specific breakfast food with typical offerings like an omelet station, plenty of fresh juices you would find in Andean zone countries and a special gluten-free area.

Of note, they have an excellent system in place for guests with early morning excursion pickups. Guests can call reception the night before and they will have prepared food available to pick-up as early as 4am before you head out on an early-morning excursion (which is nearly any activity you'll do in the area)

Meetings and Events

The JW Marriott El Convento Cusco offers six different meeting and event spaces ranging from 20 sq m to 552 sq m (the main courtyard). The sales manager told me they do plenty of weddings, which tracks given the beautiful courtyard. They also work with a “Paco Andino” or local shaman, who can perform a traditional Cusquenean ceremony.

Wellness and Spa

I also toured and was fortunate to spend some time in the spa. The relaxation area consists of a relaxation pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and chromotherapy (a.k.a. light therapy) showers.

There’s separate treatment rooms as well for nail services and massages. The spa is a great space to decompress after all the rigorous tours and activities guests are getting in on. The massage I got was the perfect way to relax after hiking Rainbow Mountain earlier that day.

Note there is no gym, but given Cusco’s 11,152 ft elevation, it's unlikely guests coming from sea level would be using a gym.

The JW Marriott El Convento Cusco is an excellent hotel for clients that want luxury service and amenities in a restored historic property in the heart of Cusco, central to the Plaza de Armas. Contact me to learn more and use my firsthand knowledge of Peru to plan your upcoming vacation!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Cusco, Peru. In need of further inspiration? Check out Caitlyn Johnston’s guide, Everything You Need to Know About Cusco, Peru.