last update: June 19th 2013

Travel: Hotels

18th-century property in Cuzco reborn as luxury hotel Palacio Nazarenas

18th-century property in Cuzco reborn as luxury hotel

by Jessica Miller | June 17th 2012 | 09:51 am

After three years of arduous restorative work with eight full-time archaeologists and the supervision of Peru's National Institute of Culture, an 18th-century palace-convent in Cuzco, Peru is ready to begin its second life. This time, however, the adobe halls and brick archways will be filled not with repentant ascetics, but with adventurous travellers. From indigenous spa treatments to Andean cuisine, the 55-room all-suite hotel Palacio Nazarenas will serve as ambassador for the fiery Peruvian culture that pulses on all sides, imparting upon guests a strong sense of place – and what a vibrant place it is. Cuzco is the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America, once the crowning jewel in the Incan empire and now the gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

A guest suit with original Inca walls at Palacio Nazarenas

Out of reverence for its past, the Spanish colonial-era property was first carefully reconditioned using spoons, brushes and a delicate hand. Pre-Inca and Inca walls were brought to light, becoming part of several guest rooms and public areas. Ancient artefacts were also uncovered during the accompanying excavation – all of which was done by hand – and have taken up residence in the hotel library. A historic chapel has been converted to a guest lounge, and a smaller one has been dedicated to private worship for locals. Structures that had been built on the grounds in more recent years, however, were replaced with new buildings that echo the bygone architectural style of the renovated palace, such that the property is now a glimpse into the past.

Yet a stay at Palacio Nazarenas is no time trip, as every suite features top-of-the-line amenities like Bose sound systems and a lightly scented oxygenated atmosphere designed to gently acclimate guests to the altitude at 11,000 feet above sea level. A mobile phone with Cuzco-wide reception and an iPad also come with each room, providing city guides, restaurant tips, news and films.

The social centre is the spacious heated infinity pool (the city's first outdoor swimming pool) and Senzo restaurant, where young Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez and his team of Andean cuisine experts (including a potato pundit and a chef who specialises in infusions of Sacred Valley herbs), are blending the authentic and the avant-garde for unique Andean fare. Dishes feature only food sourced from within a small radius of the hotel and include highlights such as eucalyptus-infused cheese and Malaya, a traditional cut of meat cooked for an entire day at low hear in eucalyptus emulsion.

The spa is also putting Peru in the spotlight with native ingredients like coffee, cocoa and pink Andean salt, while over in the boutique, local handicrafts and creations from the country's rising art and design mavens dominate the shelves. Nearly everywhere guests may glance – from the reception desk that took a nearby wood carver six months to finish, to the original frescos revitalised by Peru's foremost painting restorer – it's all a product of local talent and Peruvian hands, which makes Palacio Nazarenas as authentic as they come.

Visit the hotel homepage