Were it not for the acoustics, I would give this hotel a 5, but it is true that this place is not meant for the light sleepers. Too bad, because the rooms are very clean and comfortable, well appointed, and spacious. If there was a time that sheets and towels were not up to par, then I would say that the management learned its lesson. Our sheets, pillowcases, towels and bathroom rug, were sparkling white every day. Th bed itself was very nice and we slept great each of our three nights, and I am a light sleeper. Yes, I could hear noise sometimes, from outside only on a Friday night, and a couple of times from the early risers at the hotel who were leaving at dawn or before for Machu Picchu, but I always fell right back to sleep just afterwards.
The hotel breakfast buffet is excellent with fresh fruits, fresh fruit juices, an array of delicious probiotic yogurt drinks, coffee, tea and herbal infusions to your heart´s content, a variety of whole grain cereals, fresh bread, delicious slices of avocado, and eggs to your liking. Everything tasty and nutricious, and with the backdrop of a lovely view. An additional nice touch is that all day and night you can help yourself to any of those hot drinks. What a sweet and practical gesture! The staff members are very kind and helpful. They even provide complimentary airport pick up and drop off, and answers to all manner of questions. This is a lot of bang for your sixty bucks for a double. Regarding the neighborhood, it is a real one, where real people work, live, dine, etc. There are some excellent restaurants nearby, from a great local cevicheria across the street that closes at 5 every day, that won´t win any architectural awatds for its exterior, but once you step inside, it´s adorable, crowded with locals, and serves fresh and delicious ceviche, to cafes with yummy desserts, Chinese restaurants and pizza made in a wood fired grill. We also got some excellent recommendations for dinner, only a couple of blocks away. One place we really liked was Antojitos, where I had the best fettucini primavera in my life. And it was very refreshing not to eat with the tons of tourists near Plaza de Armas. There is a difference between being a traveler and a tourist, and some of us do appreciate authenticity. A bonus after dinner- across the street from that restaurant is a park, where every night the young people of Cusco are rehearsing their dance steps for later public performances. Biggest nice surprise, we left the hotel one morning, walked just a few seconds up to Avenida Garcilaso, and caught the beginning of a gorgeous religious procession (Corpus Cristi). Stunning! LIterally hundreds, if not thousands of locals, of all ages and both genders, dressed in intricate and beautiful costumes, floating their way down the street, in a variety of local dances. Each of the perhaps 50 groups of dancers, was accompanied by their own band of musicians, playing live drums, pipes, guitars, flutes and more. WIth the sun beating down, not a cloud in the bluest sky, temps in the 60s, and surrounded by locals enjoying the procession meant for them, we felt very lucky to be there then. What a treat! The hotel was also a nice location for shopping at the huge nearby Handicraft Market, less than a 5 minute walk away. Yes, I did pass by automotive shops en route, but so what. As a woman walking alone, I always felt safe. People in Cusco are polite and friendly, Ironically, regarding safety, the much overrated section of San Blas is someplace that was nice to visit for it´s architecture and views, there is charm to be found there for sure, but there was also a large presence of drug addicts, so, no gracias, I would not want to be in a hotel up there. I would rather stay with the real folk, car parts and all. At night, after having walked and visited places all day, no energy left to do anything other than take a taxi, for when we wanted to dine someplace different, Taxi prices were never more than 4 to 7 soles (between one dollar and two), and this was without any bargaining. I would most definitely recommend Unumizu to my friends, as well as stay here again myself.