Palacio Nazarenas, A Belmond Hotel, Cusco

In two of its former lives, before being painstakingly restored and remodeled as a hotel by the Belmond group, Cusco’s Palacio Nazarenas was a convent and a palace. Convents and palaces don’t generally have the same aspirations, but odd as it sounds, the hotel manages to feel like both — as timeless and tranquil as a spiritual retreat, yet relentlessly cushy in its every detail.

Take this one, for example: to combat the effects of Cusco’s high altitude, upon eagerly obliged request, the hotel will pump oxygen into your room through the air conditioning system. It’s a little thing, but it’s indicative of the care that goes into making guests here feel comfortable. You sense it, too, in the under-floor heating warming the Peruvian marble bathrooms, in the iPad preloaded with a Cusco city guide, and in the ease with which you fall asleep behind soundproofed walls and blackout curtains. Even the modestly named Chica Junior Suites are anything but an afterthought. In addition to what’s already been mentioned, they come with intricately carved antique furniture, a separate bathtub and shower, on-call butler service, fresh flowers and plenty of space. The rooms get larger and views of the surrounding area better in the Suites (no modifier), the Grand Suites, and the Master Suites, the last of which has original carved ceilings and views of Nazarenas Square from its corner terrace.

The public areas are lessons in attention to detail, too. Take the guest lounge; housed in the building’s former chapel, it contains an interesting collection artifacts found during the restoration of the building. Over at the spa, opt for a treatment room with glass floors so that you can admire the ancient Inca walls beneath the building. Treatments, which use local ingredients like pink Andean salt, purple corn, avocado and coffee might put you in mind of a meal. The hotel’s poolside, candle-lit restaurant serves modern Peruvian cuisine utilizing herbs and edible flowers grown on the property. Given the level of care that goes into the guest experience here, they probably breed stinger-free bees to pollinate them.

How to get there:
The Belmond Palacio Nazarenas is located 5 km (15 min) from the Cusco Airport. Transfers are available for US$27 for 1 guest, US$32 for 2 guests, US$39 for 3 guests and US$52 for 4 guests, one way.