When you open your window on Cusco, you can expect your heart to soar as high as the Andean birds. Viewed from Belmond Hotel Monasterio, the sight of this ancient city cradled in the embrace of Peru's vast mountains is among the world's most stirring. This hotel allows travellers to immerse themselves in Cusco's rich history and experience the city in a completely unique way.A 16th-century monastery built on the foundations of Amaru Qhala's Inca palace, the building was damaged during an earthquake in 1650. During its restoration, a tiny but splendid Baroque chapel was added, which you can still visit to this day. Belmond Hotel Monasterio is now recognised as a historical landmark by Peru's National Institute of Culture.Part of the magic is that from the outside, the whitewashed stone walls of Belmond Hotel Monasterio give little hint as to the splendid interiors within. But step inside the hotel's cool, quiet confines and you'll see graceful stone arches, cobble-stones and original oil paintings. Stroll a little further and you'll come to our cloistered courtyard complete with lush, scented gardens and a fountain. It's here you'll find a 300-year old cedar tree, a testament to the living history of this special place. Guests have remarked that spending evenings in the courtyard under starry skies makes them feel like they've been transported into a lyrical novel.It's blissfully tranquil here, and there's no need to worry about Cusco's altitude. Besides the muña tea you'll be welcomed with, you can request our a room with oxygen-enriched air. Our butler will even draw you a bath, for some well-earned relaxation after exploring the city. What's so heart-warming about Belmond Hotel Monasterio is its personal touches. Oil paintings adorn the walls of our bedrooms, and the hotel as a whole houses one of Cusco's finest collections of 18th-century colonial religious art.