Niños hotel

We stayed three nights at the Niños Hotel while in Cusco and loved it. We stopped in Cusco a few days earlier so we could reserve rooms for later in the week. All the rooms with private bathrooms were taken so we got two double rooms with the shared bathroom at the corner of the courtyard. We felt lucky to even get rooms since they were nearly booked.

Our rooms were cozy and opened out into the courtyard, which was filled with tables and chairs. Breakfast was not included in the cost of the room, but the price was reasonable and the breakfast was delicious. You could order a small, medium or large breakfast depending on how hungry you were. I got the medium, which came with eggs, fresh rolls, bread and jam, juice, coffee/tea and fruit. The large also came with a yogurt. Delicious! The cost was added to our room tab so we didn’t have to pay each morning. The courtyard was also nice for sitting and relaxing in the afternoons.

All profits from the Niños Hotel go towards children’s charities. They help feed and clothe orphans in the city. This hotel is the boy’s hotel and each room is the name of a boy they’ve helped. Niños Hotel 2 is the girl’s hotel. But don’t be confused, anyone can stay at either hotel.

The hotel is about 4 (long) blocks from the Plaza de Armas. It is downhill the entire way to the plaza, so be warned that it is an uphill walk home every night. The door to the street is locked all the time and you ring a doorbell to get in. We felt safe here even though it felt like a safe neighborhood to begin with. They also do laundry service for about S/4 per kilo. I took advantage of it and left some clothes in the laundry bag one morning. They were ready for me that night, I think, but I forgot to pick them up until the next morning.

The hotel also has a little café where you can order a little pricier food, mainly sandwiches. There is a nice indoor seating area with couches, magazines and books as part of a book exchange. You can even buy giant 2.5L bottles of water there. We really enjoyed our stay here, especially the filling breakfasts. The only negative for us was the shared bathroom with tiny shower stall and one morning was noisy outside (on the streets) pretty early.

Hotel Niños won the prize for "best two star hotel in Cusco" twice. There are two locations. They have lovely patios, are safe, with friendly staff, and have great breakfast and the best hot showers in Peru. All profits go directly to their own long term projects for undernourished kids. More info on their website, www.ninoshotel.com. Book in advance as they are popular.

Cozy and cute hotel centrally located in Cusco, $18 for a single room w shared bathroom. The profits from the hotel gives the neclected children of Cusco a warm meal, hot shower and help with schoolwork. Go there, you'll love it. They also have apartment for long stay and a Hacienda outside Cusco.