Pariwana Hostel Cusco

We really enjoyed our stay at this hostel! We booked a private room for three, which was spacious and relatively clean, though the sheets were a bit stained. The hostel felt safe and welcoming, with plenty of organized events and activities for guests to join. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to take part as many trips in Cusco start very early in the morning. Overall, a great place to stay – safe, social, and comfortable. We’d highly recommend it.

This hostel needs a lot of work. Security is an issue both at the front door (where a lot of people just wandered in) and in the dorm rooms (which didn't shut). The wifi and mobile phone reception is impossible in the dorms and the place really wasn't clean with a mouldy odor throughout. The Pariwana in Lima is so much better than here.

I am completely disappointed with this hostel in Cusco for many reasons. Which is too bad, because I stayed at the Pariwana in Lima and quite enjoyed it. In Cusco there are so many issues: 1. The rooms are always left unlocked and sometimes the doors don’t even shut properly. My friend didn’t even get a key! 2. There is ZERO security in the building - anyone walks in without looking at bracelets. Today a whole family took up half of the common space, breastfed their son and the children were screaming and knocking over our things on the shared table. They even pushed my friend off the couch. I’ve seen many sketchy people come in and out with no regard for the safety of the guests. 3. Speaking of guests, the hostel website says adults only. There have been very young children (ages 2-16) in the hostel the whole time I’ve been here. 4. There are supposed to be 2 bathrooms in a dorm of 10 people, 1 of which has been locked for the entirety of my stay. The other has been taken by someone throwing up most of today. 5. The “free wifi” is basically non-existent. I’ve been using my phone as a hotspot to be able to connect or download anything. Inside the rooms the wifi and LTE doesn’t work at all. There are no windows in the room, basically a cement box, so no wonder. 6. The SMELL is atrocious in every part. Diesel fumes from the street are constant through the main area, the actual dorms have mold and a dingy smell constantly. Honestly, I have no idea how this place gets good reviews.

The hostel was decent but the only complaint we have is that it was noisy. Our room was right by the check-in counter/lobby. We heard the doorbell ringing all night to let people in, as well as people walking to their rooms. We didn’t get much sleep which was too bad because we had a big 5 day Salkantay Trek the next day, so we were exhausted.

Close to the historic center and everything you’d want to visit, options to sign up for tours here itself, and staff is very accommodating! They’re always willing to give suggestions for what you can do, plus they have plenty of fun activities going on daily. Highly recommended!

The overall value for money lies in the ambiance, amenities, and overall environment. While there's a stringent visitor policy in place, I recognize it's for safety reasons. Overall, it's satisfactory.