Casa Andina Private Collection, Cusco...And the Silver Riband Goes To.....
Written: Aug 18 '07 (Updated Aug 19 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Handsomely appointed main house, good attention to detail throughout *
Cons: * Rooms are disappointing, but provide standard comfort
The Bottom Line: The Casa Andina is trying very hard, and gets there on occasion. Worth the bother in most events.
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| tombarnes's Full Review: Casa Andina Private Collection Cusco |
The Casa Andina Private Collection is as small chain within the slightly larger Peruvian chain of Casa Andina Hotels. Their new hotel in Cusco has already proven itself popular with visitors to this incomparable Andean city.
Our stay here was very brief, as I could not obtain a reservation for our final night in Cusco at the hotel where we had been staying comfortably for nearly a week. A quick taxi ride from the Plaza de Armas brought us to their door.
The hotel has been carved out of a 16th century mansion with several later additions. In its more recent history, the mansion was simply a ruin, but before that it had been a backpacker's hostel, having long since shed its days of glory as a private house. The new owners have done an impressive job with the restoration of the old house and have been sensitive in their additions to the property.
Arrival
We were received cordially, however abruptly my requests for a larger room or suite were politely rebuffed. The hotel was apparently full the day we checked in and upgrades were out of the question.
I did ask to see several rooms, and we were shown two rooms in response. The first, a triple on the second floor of the main house, was quite acceptable on every level except for the stairs, which would have been too much for my father to negotiate. We eventually took a room in the third courtyard.
As for the rest of the arrival, mate (coca tea) was served to us in the courtyard while we filled out our paperwork and surrendered our passports. On our way to our final room, we noticed the solemnity with which the rooms were arranged, almost suggesting the cells a convent.
Room
The room we were given was comfortable enough, but was not luxurious in any way. The room was acceptable. Period. Gloomy green bedcovers, dark wood armoires (with bathrobes inside- a plus to be sure) took up most of the room. I will give them credit for offering complimentary bottles of mineral water along with coffee and tea, but hospitality should extend beyond just that. When compared to the thought an imagination given to the public spaces, the thought given to the rooms was almost nil. We had no complaints about the comfort of the beds, or with the comfort of anything, for that matter.
Bath
Tiled neatly with beige tiles, the bath was perfectly functional, if without excitement. There were plenty of towels and the same Jardin del Zen bath amenities I'd seen elsewhere in Peru.
Dining
Their restaurant is called the Limac Pampa, in honor of the square in front of the hotel. The pictures on the website make the dining rooms appear rather grand. In truth, the various rooms are attractive, but they are also crowded when the hotel has a full house. We enjoyed the pleasant courtyard at lunch. The menu is ambitious and relatively expensive for Cusco. Lunch was very good, if perhaps heavier than we might have hoped for. Not wanting as much food later in the day, we took our dinner in the sitting room next to the bar. Attractive surroundings, yes, but the bar menu needs improvement.
Spa
The hotel plans to open a spa some time later in the year. Where they are planning to put it is another question entirely. I could see no evidence of construction. Supposedly, an additional 38 rooms are under construction as well, which will bring the total to 100.
Shops
An expensive jewelry store and a small shop with local handicrafts are tucked away in a corner of one of the courtyards. Several local sellers have been given the run of the main courtyard to sell their wares. The quality of items in the shops is generally better than what you will find in the courtyard, local color notwithstanding.
Public Rooms
Great care has been expended upon the outfitting and decoration of the public areas of the hotel. Strong color is used to good effect throughout the public rooms, lending them more interest than the guest rooms. Antiques and artwork are liberally used throughout. Even the courtyards and stairwells have odd bits of pottery or statuary placed here and there to give interest to spaces which might otherwise be left fallow.
I also liked the free internet service extended to guests, though it should be noted that guests are allowed time in half hour segments. One needs to go to the registration desk in order to get the password.
Service
The Casa Andina Private Collection has done an outstanding job with the physical attributes of the place, but I feel that the service was not up to the quality which would immediately place it in the top tier of hotels in Cusco. They are trying very hard, but simple things like billing need to be sorted out when one arrives, and not twenty minutes before guests are scheduled to leave for the airport. They really lost a few points in my estimation when they announced that they couldn't find the voucher from the travel agent through whom I had booked. Though the problem was eventually sorted out, couldn't they have told me the day before?
Cost
We paid about $120.00 for our standard room through Octopus Travel, an online discounter. The regular rates for the same room are generally about $220.00 in high season. The suites go for about $300.00 or more. The cost of the rooms is not justified in their present state. This is a hotel which wishes to place itself at the higher end of hotels in Cusco, but does not come through on enough fronts to justify paying a higher rate. Thus, the silver riband goes to them for the moment. They may have to strive harder for the blue.
Casa Andina Private Collection
Plazoleta de Limacpampa Chico 473
Cusco, Peru
Tel. 51-84-23-2610
FAX 51-84-23-2629
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tombarnes
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 - Top 100 |
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Member: Thomas Barnes
Location: Fort Lauderdale & Washington, DC
Reviews written: 675
Trusted by: 436 members
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The King Edward rises again! Watch for it in 2009!
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