Originally Posted by sfbarry
I would recommend NOT staying in Agua Calientes.
Stay in Cusco, take the early morning train to MP - it arrives around 11:00am. Take the bus up the hill, have lunch at the Lodge to avoid the massive lines when everyone arrives at the same time. After lunch, stroll through the entrance and find an English speaking guide. The return train gets you back to Cusco around 10:00pm that night.
What he said. You can stay in the best hotel in Cusco for half that price. There are crowds at MP, but in my experience they are not anything like what most people have seen in places like Europe or the pyramids or whatnot.