10 Best Hostels in Cusco Near the Plaza de Armas
The highest-rated hostels near the Plaza de Armas in Cusco on Booking.com (as of October 1, 2026) are Viajero Cusco at 9.3, Way Kap at 9.2, Auquis at 9.1, and Pariwana, Black Llama and Casa Tunki at 9.0. Dorm beds ran about US$7 to 32 a night.
In this guide
Short answer: The highest-rated hostels near the Plaza de Armas in Cusco on Booking.com (as of October 1, 2026) are Viajero Cusco at 9.3, Way Kap at 9.2, Auquis at 9.1, and Pariwana, Black Llama and Casa Tunki at 9.0. Dorm beds ran about US$7 to 32 a night. Pick Way Kap for sleep and Viajero for a social scene.
How We Ranked These Hostels
We ranked each hostel by its public guest score on Booking.com, read on October 1, 2026, and kept only places listed as hostels with a score of 8.7 or higher and at least 200 reviews. Each card names the platform, the score, the number of reviews and the date.
Prices are the cheapest dorm bed and the cheapest room for one adult on two sample nights, October 20 and November 14, 2026, read on Booking.com the same day. Walking times come from OpenStreetMap foot routing at a flat pace, so add time for any street that climbs. We do not sell hostel beds, and no hostel paid to be here. There are no hostel photos, only a map card with the street.
Party Hostel or a Good Night of Sleep
Decide this before you look at scores. Four of the ten hostels here sell a social scene: Viajero Cusco, Pariwana, Loki and Wild Rover all run a bar, and Loki and Wild Rover advertise parties outright. The other six do not advertise party nights. At 11,150 ft (3,400 m), sleep is part of acclimatizing, and a bar under your bunk on night one is a bad start.
Our advice is simple. Sleep in a quiet hostel for your first two nights, then move to a social one if you want the scene. Most people do the reverse and feel it on the Rainbow Mountain bus at 4 a.m.
Where Cusco Hostels Cluster
Most hostels in Cusco cluster west of the plaza, between San Pedro market and the hill of Santa Ana. Cuesta de Santa Ana is one of the steepest streets in town, and three hostels on this list sit on it. The streets south of the plaza, around Calle Quera and Mesón de la Estrella, are flat and just as close.
If your bag is heavy or you land in the morning from sea level, choose a hostel on level ground. A taxi drops you at the door, and you skip a climb you will feel in your chest.
The 10 Hostels, by Style
The cards are grouped as social hostels, quieter hostels and the lowest prices. Within each group they follow the Booking.com score, highest first. Each card lists the score with its source and date, the walk to the plaza, dorm and room prices, heating where listed, and how noisy the place says it is.
| Hostel | Booking.com score (reviews) | Walk to plaza (min) | Dorm bed (US$) | Room (US$) | Noise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viajero Cusco | 9.3 (2,004) | 6 | 18 to 19 | 79 to 87 | Bar, live music, parties |
| Way Kap | 9.2 (1,231) | 9 | 17 | 59 | Garden and bar, no parties advertised |
| Auquis | 9.1 (229) | 10, steep | 7 | 18 | Not stated |
| Pariwana | 9.0 (1,447) | 7 | 18 to 19 | 92 to 102 | Bar and restaurant |
| Black Llama | 9.0 (1,088) | 7 | 16 to 18 | 118 to 142 | Garden and bar |
| Casa Tunki | 9.0 (339) | 8 | 26 to 32 | 91 to 113 | Small, restaurant and bar |
| Loki | 8.9 (487) | 11, steep | 12 to 13 | 38 to 40 | Regular parties |
| Blacky | 8.9 (713) | 7 | 7 to 10 | 22 to 36 | Not stated |
| Wild Rover | 8.8 (615) | 12, steep | 12 | 72 to 73 | Party hostel, soundproofed rooms |
| Saqray | 8.7 (847) | 6, uphill back | 12 to 13 | 31 to 34 | Not stated |
Viajero Cusco Hostel
Calle San Andrés, southwest of the plaza, Cusco 6 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$18 to 19, room US$79 to 87 per night, checked October 2026 source
The highest score on this list and the most reviews behind it: 9.3 on Booking.com from 2,004 guests as of October 1, 2026. It is adults only, with a bar, a restaurant and live music, so expect a crowd in the evening. Dorm beds started around US$18 and doubles around US$79 on our two sample nights. Book it if you came to meet people, not to sleep at 9 p.m.
- Adults only
- Bar and live music
- Restaurant
- Breakfast restaurant on site
Details checked October 2026.
Pariwana Hostel Cusco
Calle Quera, south of the plaza, Cusco 7 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$18 to 19, room US$92 to 102 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 9.0 on Booking.com from 1,447 reviews (October 1, 2026). A big colonial-style courtyard hostel with a bar and restaurant, seven minutes from the plaza on level streets. It offers a female-only dorm and pods with their own bathroom. Dorm beds ran about US$18 to 19 on our sample nights. A solid social choice that is calmer than the party hostels on Santa Ana.
- Female-only dorm
- Bar and restaurant
- Level walk to the plaza
- Breakfast served, rated good on Booking.com
Details checked October 2026.
Loki Cusco
Cuesta de Santa Ana, west of the plaza, Cusco 11 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$12 to 13, room US$38 to 40 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 8.9 on Booking.com from 487 reviews (October 1, 2026). The listing promises three patios, hammocks in the garden and regular parties, and that is the deal. It sits partway up Cuesta de Santa Ana, a steep street, so the 11-minute walk from the plaza feels longer on the way home. Beds were cheap on our sample nights, about US$12 to 13. Skip it on your first night at altitude.
- Regular parties
- Garden with hammocks
- Steep street
- Breakfast served, rated very good on Booking.com
Details checked October 2026.
Wild Rover Cusco
Cuesta de Santa Ana, west of the plaza, Cusco 12 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$12, room US$72 to 73 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 8.8 on Booking.com from 615 reviews (October 1, 2026). It calls itself a party hostel, and its listing says the rooms are on the far side of the building from the bar, with soundproofing. It is the farthest of the ten up the Santa Ana hill, about 12 minutes from the plaza at a flat pace and a real climb back. Dorm beds were about US$12. Go for the bar, not for the rest.
- Party hostel
- Soundproofed rooms
- Steep street
- Breakfast restaurant and bar on site
Details checked October 2026.
Way Kap Hostel Cusco
Calle Cenizas, near San Pedro market, Cusco 9 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$17, room US$59 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 9.2 on Booking.com from 1,231 reviews (October 1, 2026). It has a garden, a games room, a shared kitchen and a buffet breakfast, and it does not advertise party nights. San Pedro market is around the corner for fruit and cheap lunches. Dorm beds were about US$17 and doubles about US$59 on both sample nights. Our pick for most travelers who want a hostel price and a decent night of sleep.
- Buffet breakfast
- Shared kitchen
- Garden and games room
- Breakfast buffet, per Booking.com
Details checked October 2026.
Black Llama Hostel Cusco
Mesón de la Estrella, south of the plaza, Cusco 7 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$16 to 18, room US$118 to 142 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 9.0 on Booking.com from 1,088 reviews (October 1, 2026). A garden, a restaurant and breakfast with local fruit and cheese, seven minutes from the plaza on flat streets. Dorm beds ran about US$16 to 18, while its rooms priced like a mid-range hotel, US$118 to 142. Take a dorm bed here, and if you want a room, a small hotel will give you more for the money.
- Garden
- Restaurant and bar
- Level walk to the plaza
- Breakfast served, rated very good on Booking.com
Details checked October 2026.
Casa Tunki
Calle Meloc, west of the plaza, Cusco 8 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$26 to 32, room US$91 to 113 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 9.0 on Booking.com from 339 reviews (October 1, 2026). It is one of only two hostels here that lists heating on Booking.com, which matters from June to August when nights get cold. Dorm beds cost more than elsewhere, about US$26 to 32, and rooms ran US$91 to 113. Worth it for light sleepers in the cold months.
- Heating listed
- Restaurant and bar
- Pricier dorm beds
- Heating
- Breakfast served, rated good on Booking.com
Details checked October 2026.
Saqray Hostel
Calle Suecia, just above the plaza, Cusco 6 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$12 to 13, room US$31 to 34 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 8.7 on Booking.com from 847 reviews (October 1, 2026). Calle Suecia climbs from the top corner of the plaza, so you are six minutes from the cathedral but uphill on the way back. Beds were about US$12 to 13 and rooms about US$31 to 34 on our sample nights, cheap for this location. Fine for a budget traveler who wants to be close to everything.
- Shared lounge
- Close to the plaza
- Uphill walk back
- Breakfast not listed
Details checked October 2026.
Auquis Hostel
Cuesta de Santa Ana, west of the plaza, Cusco 10 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$7, room US$18 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 9.1 on Booking.com from 229 reviews (October 1, 2026). It had the lowest rates we found among well-rated hostels: about US$7 for a dorm bed and US$18 for a room on both sample nights. It lists heating, a garden and a shared kitchen. The catch is the address on steep Cuesta de Santa Ana, ten minutes from the plaza and a slow walk back up.
- Heating listed
- Shared kitchen
- Steep street
- Heating
- Breakfast not listed
Details checked October 2026.
Blacky Hostel and Apartments
Calle Tambo de Montero, west of the plaza, Cusco 7 min on foot to the Plaza de Armas (OpenStreetMap walking route at a flat pace) Dorm bed US$7 to 10, room US$22 to 36 per night, checked October 2026 source
Scored 8.9 on Booking.com from 713 reviews (October 1, 2026). Dorm beds were about US$7 to 10 and rooms US$22 to 36 on our sample nights, with a shared kitchen, a garden and a terrace. Seven minutes from the plaza. If you cook your own breakfast and want the lowest bill without the Santa Ana climb, start here.
- Shared kitchen
- Garden and terrace
- Level walk to the plaza
- Breakfast not listed
Details checked October 2026.
Cusco on a Hostel Budget
A hostel saves money for the trips that make Cusco worth the flight. Our budget day trips from Cusco start at US$27 for a half-day walking tour, and full-day Sacred Valley and Rainbow Mountain trips include hotel pickup, which in practice means pickup at your hostel door if a vehicle can reach it. Tell us the address when you book, especially on Santa Ana or in upper San Blas.
If you want a room with your own bathroom and a quieter street, our guide to the best hotels in Cusco near the Plaza de Armas lists well-rated options from about US$85 a night.
Questions people ask
Which hostels in Cusco are quiet?
On this list, Way Kap, Black Llama, Casa Tunki and Saqray do not advertise parties, and Way Kap has the best score of that group, 9.2 on Booking.com as of October 1, 2026. Viajero, Pariwana, Loki and Wild Rover run bars, and Loki and Wild Rover promote party nights. Bring earplugs anywhere, since stone buildings carry sound.
Are hostels in Cusco safe?
The well-reviewed hostels in the historic center are as safe as hostels anywhere. Use the lockers and bring your own padlock. Take a taxi booked by the front desk at night, and do not walk the empty stepped lanes of San Blas or Santa Ana alone late. Check the US State Department page for Peru before you travel.
How much is a hostel in Cusco per night?
On our sample nights in October and November 2026, dorm beds in well-rated hostels near the plaza ran about US$7 to 32 on Booking.com, and most sat between US$12 and 19. Rooms ranged from about US$18 to 142. Prices rise from June to August and in late June around Inti Raymi.
Do Cusco hostels have heating?
Few do. Of the ten hostels here, only Auquis and Casa Tunki list heating on Booking.com. Nights from June to August drop near freezing, so ask for extra blankets, sleep in a warm layer and pick a dorm away from the courtyard door. If you feel the cold badly, a small hotel with heating is worth the extra money.
Sources
- Booking.com, Cusco properties filtered by type Hostel (scores read on each hostel page) checked October 2026
- OSRM foot routing on OpenStreetMap data (FOSSGIS) checked October 2026
- US Department of State, Peru travel information checked October 2026
This guide was last reviewed in October 2026. Prices, rules and timetables are quoted with the date we checked them.