Four-star Two MICHELIN Keys Historic centre, Arequipa
CIRQA by Andean
Eleven rooms behind white volcanic stone on Calle Sucre, in walls raised in 1540, a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- MICHELIN
- Two Keys
- Rooms
- 11
- Building
- Walls dating from 1540
- From the airport
- About half an hour by car, our estimate
The hotel
A monastery in the White City.
The estate dates from 1540, the year Arequipa was founded, and its stone walls are among the first that European settlers built in the Americas. It was once a monastery, and the restoration draws on the church of San Agustín nearby. The walls are sillar, the pale volcanic stone that gave Arequipa its name as the White City.
The team behind Hotel B in Lima and Titilaka on Lake Titicaca restored it and opened it as a hotel at the end of 2019, a member of Relais & Châteaux. Old brick arches meet a monochrome interior. The name plays on circa, with a Q for Arequipa, and each guest is given a host, reached by WhatsApp.
- The courtyard pool A plunge pool on a sunny, tiled inner patio, heated on request.
- Up on the roof A terrace bar on the roof, above the streets of the old town.
- A host of your own Meals, excursions and requests are arranged through one person, by WhatsApp or on an iPad from the hotel.
Rooms & suites
Stone vaults and arches.
Three categories inside the old walls, from the Claustro for two to the Bóveda over the terrace and patio.
- Room Claustro About 20 square metres, with a queen bed, for two.
- Larger room Aposento About 35 square metres, with a king or twin beds and a sitting area.
- Vaulted room Bóveda About 48 square metres, with two sofas, a separate bathtub and windows on the terrace and patio.
Dining
Arequipa cooking by the fire.
As listed by the hotel and Relais & Châteaux. Shown for information.
- Salón Modern Arequipa cooking Picantería dishes, in a glass-walled room by the fire or on the terrace
- Rooftop bar Drinks On the terrace above the historic centre
Good to know
Before you go.
- Arrival Check-in from 3 pm, check-out by 11 am.
- Children Welcome. Cots are available on request; the smallest rooms take two guests only.
- Pets Not accepted.
Getting there
Flying to Arequipa.
Rodríguez Ballón airport is eight kilometres north-west of the centre, about half an hour by car by our estimate. Scheduled flights come from Lima and Cusco, and private jets clear customs at the same airport.
- Cusco 45 min
- Lima 1 h 20
- Santiago 2 h 50
- São Paulo 3 h 55
- Miami 6 h 35 long-range jet
Questions
What guests ask first.
- How many MICHELIN Keys does CIRQA have?
- Two. The MICHELIN Guide lists CIRQA by Andean with two Keys.
- How old is the CIRQA building?
- The estate dates from 1540, the year Arequipa was founded, and later served as a monastery. Its walls are of sillar, the white volcanic stone of the old town.
- Does CIRQA have a pool?
- A small one: a plunge pool in the inner courtyard, which the staff can heat on request.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Arequipa?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Arequipa, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in Arequipa
Other hotels worth the trip.
Staying at CIRQA by Andean?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Arequipa, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.