Pariwana Hostel Cusco

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 WATER DOESN’T WORK! They shut off the water every day from 4pm - 11pm due to a failure in planning for sufficient water reserves. Meaning NO FLUSHING TOILETS, NO SHOWERS, NO RUNNING TAP WATER! They also locked the doors to the communal bathrooms at this time. This meant the smell in the rooms were awful and the drains stank so bad we couldn’t get to sleep. Don’t get me wrong the staff were great and very helpful but the lack of water reserves is poor planning and a health hazard and makes the stay very uncomfortable especially if you have an early tour and cannot shower afterwards or before you go to bed if you want to go to sleep pre 11:30pm.

Had an amazing time at Pariwana Cusco. Got a private room and even if it’s not new, it’s pretty comfortable. It’s located at the best location in Cusco, very close to the plaza de armas. The staff is awesome. They promote everyday activities to socialize. This hostel attracts the right kind of people. Very easy to socialize if your solo or in group. One of the best hostels I’ve been.

The staff at periwanna is awesome. From reception, Melina and Jeremy and more. To the bar and kitchen, Diego, Jesus, Boris, Ingrid, who always remembered my breakfast order. To the ones cleaning the rooms, Xiomara and more. The volunteers, Yeonji and more. Everyone remembered my name and always smiles. I could practice Spanish with them and switch to English when I didn’t know something. It was a comfortable place to spend almost three weeks. You can party and be social or find somewhere quiet when you want to relax. I actually stayed in the Lima pariwana first, and had an equally great experience, which is why I chose to come to Cusco parawanna. El jefe, Ingrid, the manager of all the hostels, does a great job keeping the same vibe in all the hostels. She has a great smile too.

Definitely Reccomend Had an amazing stay there. People are very nice and they do activities every day for us to get along with the other guests. Definitely reccomend. And besides that, its the best location in Cusco, very close to Plaza de Armas.

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!