I got a big room with balcony facing the cathedral towers (fantastic at night!). The staff was fantastically helpful, and the hotel has loads of history and character. My kind of place!

Travellers to Arequipa should keep in mind that there is no such thing as heating in town. At night it gets rather cold, so stocking up on "pantalon de lana" (long johns) etc. could be a good idea.

easy to find and good to stay

We got to know this place quite well as my husband and I both got sick and spent most of our time in the room. The room we were in was clean, very roomy and had high ceilings. It had a balcony facing the street with a great view. At night the church across the street was lit up and it was beautiful. We saw several wonderful processions/ parades, religious and otherwise. Being on the street it was noisy, however it didn't bother us. The front desk staff was cordial, but impersonal. Breakfast was typical Peruvian hostel fare - pan chuta, butter, jelly, coffee/tea. Found out too late that they would make eggs for you if you asked. The hostel was located near the Plaza de Armas which was a plus. I have no trouble recommending this place.

My husband and I stayed in a lovely, huge double room with lots of huge windows, nice bed, TV etc. My mother, however, was put in a dungeon of a single, with no windows, tiny, and still had to pay premium price. Our room was great, hers wasn't at all.