New JW Marriott at Gateway of Machu Picchu is built on Grounds of Colonial Monastery and Features Ancient Inca Artifacts
(Cusco, Peru – September 19, 2012) Marriott International continues to grow its world-class luxury JW Marriott hotel brand with the opening of the 153-room JW Marriott Cusco. The much anticipated hotel stands at an altitude of 11,154ft above sea level, the company’s highest-altitude hotel, and is situated at the gateway of the Andes mountain sanctuary Machu Picchu. The hotel will feature a highly customized design built around a colonial church and ancient Inca artifacts found on the site. The property will also epitomize the approachable elegance that distinguishes the JW Marriott brand, a global portfolio of 52 luxury hotels and resorts.
“In the last few years Cusco has become known for its luxurious accommodations and spas, making it a natural decision for Marriott International to introduce the JW Marriott brand as our first property in the destination,” said Rob Steigerwald, Chief Operations Officer for the Southern Americas at Marriott International. “We are thrilled to have Inversiones La Rioja as a partner on this project, and reveal our first world class JW Marriott luxury brand hotel to Cusco.”
For dining and recreation at the JW Marriott Cusco will feature two restaurants – Pirka Restaurant, which will include an original colonial wall from the convent and offer modern Peruvian cuisine; and the Qespi Bar & Ninna Sonnco Lounge. The hotel will also feature 24-hour room service, a foreign currency exchange office and retail stores such as HStern, Ilaria and Kuna. To ensure guest relaxation and well-being, the hotel will boast a state-of-the-art fitness center and a 3,300 square foot Spa with dry saunas, steaming rooms, and a relaxation pool.
“We are confident that this unique and visually stunning hotel will become a historic landmark in Cusco attracting travelers and groups from all over the world,” said Heinz Prelle, General Manager at the JW Marriott Cusco. “The hotel honors the vibrant history, culture of the Incas and the rich heritage of Peru.”
The 153 rooms and suites will all include luxury bedding, high speed internet, 42’’ plasma TV, alarm clock with iPod/iPad docking station, high-end coffee machine and the brand’s signature Aromatherapy Associates bathroom amenities.
“The JW Marriott Cusco Hotel is a very exciting property for the company and the most historic and unique hotel for the JW Marriott brand portfolio,” said Mitzi Gaskins, VP & Global Brand Manager, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts at Marriott International.
Located in the heart of Cusco’s historical district, the JW Marriott Cusco will feature archeological exhibits with the findings uncovered during excavation work dating back from Pre-Hispanic to Colonial and contemporary cultural superimposition. During the construction phases of the hotel, property owners Inversiones La Rioja, collaborated with national and international institutions that provide protection to human heritage.” These institutions include:
- United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- The National Institute of Culture (INC)
- The Municipality of Cusco
- San Agustin de Cusco University
Few leisure destinations in the world compare with Cusco, designated a World Heritage site in the 1980’s and located in the Andes 11,000 feet above sea level. The city has witnessed the rise of the Inca Empire as well as its demise with Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 16th century. The city’s colonial art school is recognized as one of the most prolific in the Americas. Above all, Cusco serves as the gateway for the world-renowned mountain sanctuary Machu Picchu – accessible only by train along the sacred Urubamba valley – as well as other landmarks, such as the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the Inca sites of Kenko, Puca Pucara and the market towns of Pisac and Chincheros.
At an elevation of 11,200 feet above sea level, the JW Cusco will be the first Marriott property to have an in-room supplemental oxygen system to alleviate altitude adjustments.