Belmond Palacio Nazarenas

A member of the AFAR Collection, the convent-turned-hotel has original Inca walls and Cuzco’s first outdoor heated pool. From $595. This appeared in the October 2015 issue.

Talk about a sense of place: at the on-site Hypnôze Spa, the first fully oxygenated spa in the world, some of the five treatment rooms feature glass floors through which you can see portions of the original Inca walls and foundations. The treatments pay tribute to this history, too, with nods to Inca and Andean culture. The house-created organic product line uses Peruvian ingredients like Andean salt, coca leaves, and native herbs, while body scrubs and wraps feature local plants like maca, quinoa, and kiwicha. Herbal teas and healthy snacks are served at the spa bar, while a dedicated patio hosts yoga, Pilates, and stretching sessions.

Get into the Latin American groove with a salsa lesson at the hotel. Offered every Tuesday and Thursday in the Senzo Bar, the complimentary class walks couples through the basic moves of the dance, then sets you free to let the music take over. Afterwards, refresh with a glass of pisco, Peru’s national drink; the bar offers complimentary tastings of several varieties.

Many hotels offer afternoon tea—but rarely is the tea that’s served one that guests have created themselves. At Belmond Palacio Nazarenas, guests can tour the hotel’s “secret garden”, where the chefs grow ingredients for the kitchens, and pick some of their favorite herbs. The herbs are then packaged into tea bags, brewed, and served alongside a selection of sandwiches, pastries, and breads, all accompanied by jams using locally sourced berries. Available daily from 3:30-6pm.

Orient-Express has turned an 18th-century convent into a hotel, preserving the courtyards and frescoes. Native experts designed bath products that use coca leaves and white sage from Lake Titicaca. From $595. 51/(0) 16-108-300. This appeared in the January/February 2013 issue.

This hotel, Orient-Express’ fifth in Peru, completely blew me away. Officially opened last month, the 55-suite property is housed in a former 16th century convent turned chic retreat and features Cusco’s first outdoor pool. It is right next to Hotel Monasterio, the original luxury mainstay in Peru, and an easy walk from the artsy San Blas neighborhood and Cusco’s beautiful main square. All rooms are pumped with oxygen to combat possible altitude sickness from being at 11,000+ feet. The furniture was commissioned from local artists, butlers roam the halls to cater to every whim, and a small spa uses native Peruvian ingredients in its treatments. Despite the modern luxuries, the architects and archaeologists that worked alongside them were careful to maintain the whitewashed adobe walls, original fountains, and Inca ruins, which can now be seen under glass. Two nights here to explore Cusco is the perfect start before visiting Machu Picchu.