Sitting on the Plaza las Nazarenas in Cusco's Centro Histórico, a sixteenth-century colonial mansion that once served as the residence of conquistador Gonzalo Pizarro carries a layered past written into its very stones — Inca ashlar masonry at the base, Spanish baroque stonework above, the two civilizations stacked in permanent, uneasy conversation. Inkaterra La Casona was carved from this structure in 2010, its eleven suites arranged around a two-storey arcaded courtyard where hand-cut stone columns and terracotta roof tiles have been left exactly as found, the central lawn furnished with a circle of low pre-Columbian-style carved stone seats that anchor the space without competing with the architecture. Inside, the interiors draw from the colonial hacienda tradition — white lime-plastered walls, exposed timber ceiling beams, polished hardwood floors — layered with antique Peruvian furniture, heavily carved Andean baroque doors, and Persian-style kilim rugs in deep crimson and ochre. Beds are dressed with striped Andean textile runners, fireplaces clad in grey stone offer warmth against Cusco's high-altitude nights, and gilt-framed mirrors catch candlelight in the common rooms, where oxblood walls and leather wingback chairs give the atmosphere of a private gentleman's library transported to 3,400 metres. The effect is less hotel than inhabited palace, the kind of place that makes its age felt without ever feeling preserved under glass.

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Inkaterra La Casona is located in the traditional Plaza de las Nazarenas, surrounded by vibrant, cobblestoned streets. This 16th Century manor house stands on the training grounds for an elite army of Incas, and had Spanish Conquistador Diego de Almagro and ‘Libertador’ Simón Bolívar among its illustrious guests. After being harmoniously restored by Inkaterra throughout five years, emphasizing its original architecture, Inkaterra La Casona reflects the encounter of cultures and traditions across centuries. Surrounding the main patio, its 11 suites are provided with chimneys, heated floors and extra-large bathtubs. Its halls are decorated with colonial furniture, Pre-Columbian textiles and original murals. The Yacu therapy room offers bespoke treatments and, like the manor’s dining room, uses products derived from local sources. Those who sleep within the stone walls, beneath the exposed beams, gain a deeper understanding to the city’s cultural heritage.