We recently returned from a great trip through Peru (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu), and while most of the hotels we stayed in have gotten plenty of attention here, this one has not...so I thought I'd share some reflections.
In short, we loved our two nights here.
Room
We stayed in a "Suite Inkaterra." It's one of four such standalone suites on the property.
It's huge, with three showers (two outdoor, one indoor), a free standing tub, a heated plunge pool (VERY well heated, nearly to onsen-level), fireplace, large living room area and bedroom.
Rather than a door separating the living room and bedroom, it’s a staircase, so it still feels like two discrete spaces.
The hotel certainly goes for the “eco luxury” theme here. Not a ton of polish, but it fits the rugged landscape.
While not cheap, the rate that we paid would have landed us in a junior suite at the Belmond, so to me, it was a great value.
Property
Set on 12 acres, the property has plenty to keep you busy.
So much, in fact, that on our rainy second day, we opted to skip our planned Huayna Picchu hike (didn’t want to risk the slippery climb in the rain, and were a bit trekked out by this point in the trip) to explore some of the activities on offer.
I highly recommend the bespectacled bear excursion; the hotel operates a reserve dedicated to caring for these beautiful animals (that they save from the circus, irresponsible breeders, etc...).
The “fee” for this excursion is a 37 soles (around $12 usd) donation to the reserve.
Most of the other activities are free, including the birdwatching tour (we enjoyed it, though didn’t see much) and the guided orchid walk (my wife loved this one).
Dining
The hotel has two restaurants. One is more casual (Cafe Inkaterra), and the other a bit (but not much) more formal. This speaks to the ambience rather than the dress code; in either restaurant, most of the clientele are dressed like mannequins at REI, so no need to dress up here.
We dined in both restaurants, and both were good. Certainly not as good as some of the other amazing meals we had in Peru (for the record, highly recommend MAP Cafe in Cusco, Killa Wasi in Urubamba, and Central in Lima), but good for being in such a remote location.
Breakfast was a small but high-quality buffet, with made-to-order hot items (the quinoa pancakes were quite good).
We also ordered room service for lunch one day. I wish I had taken a photo of the club sandwich, but it was unlike any I’ve ever had, and not in a good way. Fans of the show Diners Drive-ins and Dives might enjoy it, but for us, it was...a bit gratuitous. Four pieces of bread, fried ham, bacon, chicken, a thick spread of mayo and fried eggs on each half. Served with fries for good measure. We ordered two, and could only finish half of one between us (and we’re not small eaters).
Both the tea and coffee on offer are grown on the property, and both are delicious.
Spa
Our booking, via Virtuoso, came with two 30-minute massages. The massages were fine, but the spa is a bit of a joke.
It’s a single room with stations divided by curtains. I could hear conversations in other “rooms”, and at one point a woman came in and loudly interrupted a treatment going on in another station to deliver a tip for her earlier appointment.
I wouldn’t expect to relax here.
Service
Service was always warm here, though I wouldn’t call it particularly polished. This suited us just fine -- in fact, we prefer the casual approach -- though those looking for doting or “expert” service probably will be disappointed.
Still, it was obvious that many of the employees were genuinely interested in ensuring that we enjoyed our stay, especially at the restaurant and concierge desks.
Overall (and other notes)
I can’t speak to what the hotel is like at the regular room level, but note that some of the rooms have large windows facing the walking paths that run through the property, so privacy will be lacking there. Our suite, however, had no such issues.
The location is also great, a ten minute walk from the train station. Staff were more than happy to carry our bags for us both ways.
We loved our stay here, and were glad we had two days to enjoy our plunge pool and the various activities around the property. Machu Picchu was an incredible site to visit, and this property was a great base from which to do it.