The Peruvian city of Cusco, some 11,000 feet (3,360 m) above sea level, was at one time the capital of the ancient Incas. Having lost its noble title with the end of the Incan civilization, the city now suffers the indignity of being called the “Gringo Capital of Latin America.”

Most Cusco visitors flock to nearby Machu Picchu during high season.

Throughout the year, but especially during the tourist high season, from April through November, visitors fill the streets, almost all enroute to see the towering majesty of Machu Picchu.

For many, Cusco, a beautiful and interesting city in its own right, is the place for purchasing Pablo Neruda poetry, developing photos, and for a privileged few, eating at the only Michelin-starred restaurant in South America.

But if you ever find yourself delayed enroute or just lingering, one hotel in Cusco stands above all others. Not by the luxuries, but because all profits go toward raising and feeding underprivileged Peruvian children.

Niños Hotel has been operating since 1998. At the helm is Titus Bovenberg and Jolanda van den Berg, with their large family. The hotel is a simple affair, tucked away a few blocks from the city center (Plaza de Armas) in the suburb of Calle Meloc.

The hotel’s main entrance opens onto a gracious courtyard where travelers often curl up in a chair with a good book and a cup of coffee. The hotel rooms, which surround the courtyard, are not identified by numbers; rather, each room is named for one of the street children supported by the project. Artworks by the children adorn the walls.

The hotel offers comfortable accommodations with private (US$ 34 per night) or shared bathrooms (US$ 28 per night). The private bathrooms have showers only, but travelers should note that water in the dry Andes is a scarce commodity, and conservation is much appreciated by the locals. While the hotel has no central heating, all the rooms have portable heaters and plenty of warm Peruvian blankets.

The beds are comfortable and the décor is clean-lined, with Swedish leanings. While there are no phones in the room, the front-desk staff tries very hard to make sure messages are kept and sent. And if you get bored sitting in your room, bare of televisions or radios, the welcoming café on the first floor has a warm fire going in the winter months, plenty of books to share and occasional fellow travelers with whom to exchange tales.