Cirqa Hotel

Arequipa, Peru

A visit to the colonial capital of Peru simply won’t do without a stay in an equally historic location. Sculpted from immaculate sillar stone, 16th-century monastery Cirqa’s striking barrel ceilings and raw walls allude to the city of Arequipa’s founding in 1540. Sleek, modern touches – from emerald velvet chairs and elegant floor lamps to archways filled with great panels of glass – balance the past with the present. Eleven sophisticated rooms vary between compact hideaways and spacious chambers, all a stone’s throw from the city’s main square.

Join one of the hotel’s walking tours to tick off everything from the colourful Santa Catalina convent to the rocky Chilina valley. On your return, take a seat beneath the crystal chandeliers of the on-site restaurant for rocoto peppers stuffed with beef ragù – Arequipa’s signature dish – and a glass of crisp Peruvian white. Hold your breath for the opening of the rooftop eatery, where views of the city and its three neighbouring volcanoes will surely take it away.

Doubles from £280. 00 51 1 700 5151, cirqa.pe

Words by Jas Matulewicz.

This review was taken from the Christmas 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.