Feb 9, 2020, 12:17 pm
Tambo del Inka, Urubamba, Peru [Master Thread]
Oct 3, 2013, 10:29 am
#286
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For me it was either, or. I chose breakfast. However, during my first stay I missed breakfast and they gladly gave me the points.
Oct 5, 2013, 11:38 pm
#287
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Benicia, California, USA
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Fantastic hotel
This is one of the nicest hotels my wife and I have ever visited…and we’ve been to some quite nice ones around the world. We spent a total of seven nights there in September (during two stays), as part of our 17-night visit to Peru. Most of our nights during the trip were at Starwood properties. (Our first four nights were at Tambo del Inka; then one at El Albergue in Ollantaytambo, which is a nice town and which allowed us to catch an earlier train to Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu than we could have from TdI in Urubamba; one at the Sanctuary Lodge in Machu Picchu; three more at TdI; three at Starwood's Palacio del Inka in Cuzco; four at Starwood's Hotel Paracas by the sea in Paracas; and a final night at the Hilton Miraflores in Lima. I’ll be posting positive reviews of the other two Starwood properties here soon).
We made TdI our first stop because it is at a considerably lower altitude than our alternative possibility, Palacio del Inka in Cuzco – 9,000 versus 12,000 feet. It seemed to make adjusting to the altitude much easier. We took pills to prevent altitude sickness for our first day, but then stopped because they really knocked us out. Anyway, with the occasional aid of cocoa tea (for me; my wife didn’t need or want it) we didn’t suffer at all from altitude sickness at any stage of the trip, though even after more than a week in the Sacred Valley we were certainly shorter of breath in Cuzco when hiking up the hills there. We ran into several folks in Cuzco who had headaches or worse. Certainly, many folks make Cuzco the first stop with no ill effects, but it is taking more of a chance.
We spent a relatively large number of nights at TdI because of the way we like to travel: not hopping around too much, and (in addition to day trips to Sacred Valley sites) taking some time to just hang out at a hotel and/or in a town. It worked well for us on this trip. Those looking to cover more ground or with less time can certainly enjoy TdI more as simply a wonderful base for exploring, with less down time there.
Anyway, this is one gorgeous hotel, beautifully designed in a beautiful setting, looking out toward mountains on one side and a river and hillside on the other. (Well, actually, the town is between the mountains and the hotel, but the hotel is situated such that you're barely aware of the town until you leave the hotel grounds.) The main restaurant/dining area, for example, has (at least) thirty foot ceilings, tall beams supporting them, and an overall look that would wow even the most sophisticated NYC, London or San Francisco crowds…assuming you could even find such a room in those cities. The other public areas (lobby, outside lounge are, etc.) are similarly nice. The lay-out of the hotel is kind of along the line that the sun follows during the day, so most areas are not wholly in the sun or shade all day. However, as others have noted, most of the pool area is inside or in the shade, with just the portion (fitting maybe three lounge chairs) extending out most from the building being in the sun.
The look of the place really just scratches the surface of what makes it special. Absolutely wonderful staff, especially the great fellow personally assigned to us, Alvaro. Great concierge desk, too, helping with restaurant reservations, plane and bus tickets, etc. (Much more useful than the in-house travel agency, which is really just a tour company, Tikariy.) The tiny respect in which the concierge service falls short is that they provide a really lousy map of Urubamba, but that’s just a quibble.
We really liked the town of Urubamba. It’s not attractive – there’s only one street that looks kind of nice – but it has a nice feel to it. In some ways, even though there are lots of hotels and restaurants in the vicinity (with the entrance of TdI being within a five-ten minute walk of the center of town), it has more of a non-tourist feel by virtue of no cultural sites being right nearby. So a lot of the economy seems to depend on the place being more of a market and business center (as perhaps the largest town in the Sacred Valley, with perhaps 7,500 people) than a tourist hub. Those who have not been to a developing country before might understandably consider it poor. But compared to many other developing country population centers, including in Peru, it’s relatively prosperous.
Part of what we liked might have been the various activities we happened across. On our first afternoon there, we stumbled upon the start of a fiesta in a local school yard, with folks asking us to dance and share some beer. One evening we came across a football/soccer match being televised on a huge, makeshift screen outside in the main square. And one Saturday afternoon (I’m not sure whether it was a holiday), we hung out in the town’s large park (left out of the hotel, and then perhaps a ten minute walk down the street) and watched a mix of soccer matches, women’s volleyball, kids on swings and other playground stuff, etc. A busy, happy community scene. There is also a nice ceramics gallery and a Wednesday market day (though the market is kind of interesting any day) to check out. Be aware that the market is not at all tourist oriented, though, so not a place to buy fine sweaters, tapestries, etc.
Having said all this positive stuff, I don’t want to oversell the town. It's not a destination you'd go out of your way to visit, and many (perhaps even most) TdI guests will understandably find it pretty drab. But in most respects it was the least touristy place we came across in Peru (not that the touristy places were bad), which added some different elements (some of them a lot of fun, as noted) to our trip. If you happen to be there during a local or national holiday, see if you can seek out the celebrations.
We generally liked our meals in town, but not to the extent that we’d rave about any of the restaurants. Our one dinner and one room service at TdI were good as well.
Another small but positive feature of Urubamba was a decent selection of wines, beers, alcohol and snacks at the gas station shop just up the road a few blocks from the hotel (turn right as you exit the hotel to the street). We had stopped duty free upon arrival in Lima and on the way from Cuzco for such things, but in retrospect that proved unnecessary.
For our initial, four-night stay at TdI, as a Starwood Platinum I was upgraded to what we were told was the hotel’s largest, “senior suite”. And sweet it was, with 1.5 bathrooms, a large living/dining area to complement the bedroom, and a second floor location. We could open the windows and screens in the living room to have a somewhat open air though filtered view of nearby river.
On our second, three-night stay (after visiting Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo), we first were placed for one night in a regular, ground-floor room, the next-to-last (249?) on the right wing of the hotel as you’re facing the entrance. (The last one was also available, but has two double beds instead of a king, so we opted for the next-to-last.) Great view of the mountains, including what looked like a glacier in the distance. For the next two nights we were upgraded to a junior suite a few doors down (239 or 241?), also on the ground floor. Not quite as plush as the senior suite, but still quite nice with a view of the mountains almost as good as 249.
For those who care, there are clearly differences of opinion on ground floor versus upper floor and river versus mountain view. I think the first issue comes down to whether you’re going to be hanging out at the hotel much. If so, as we did, then a ground floor room opening on its own patio is a very pleasant place to spend some time during the day, weather permitting. If you’re going to be spending most of your time bopping around the Sacred Valley, then an upper floor room might make sense as it affords slightly better views and slightly more privacy (though the ground floor rooms have very few folks passing by, and even they are at a distance with their views of some rooms filtered by bushes, the aforementioned fountain, etc.).
River versus mountain view sides comes down to personal taste. My wife liked the mountain view a bit more, since it’s more wide open and some rooms facing the mountains look out on snow-capped peaks and a glacier. (A bit more on that below.) I had a slight preference for the river view…even though the view of the river is very filtered. I’m usually into big open views, but I liked the sound of the river outside. And even though you don’t see much of the river, you do look out at a somewhat dramatic, steep hillside just beyond the river. There are some houses dotting that hillside, but they are far enough away that I don’t think they intrude on hotel guests’ privacy (or vice versa!) and the only noise we heard (in addition to the nice rush of the river) was the very occasional, distant barking of a dog.
If you do opt for the mountain view side, I’d suggest requesting being toward the end of the wing that is to the right as you face the hotel entrance (room numbers approximately 229-251). That is, as close to the last room, 251 (?), as possible, or in the junior suite furthest toward that end. Of the two wings, this one looks out at a pleasant fountain area which drowns out the minor, occasional street noise you can hear from the opposite wing. But try not to be in the first few numbered rooms (staring in about 229) in that wing, as they face a large structure (a generator? a laundry room?) that emits a pretty loud hum.
If opting for the river view side, the difference is not a great. But I’d suggest the opposite wing (i.e., to the left as you face the hotel entrance) as it has a larger lawn area in front of it.
The bottom line of all this is that TdI is an excellent base for exploring the Sacred Valley. But it also fits the bill for those who also want to treat it as a resort for passing the time in a beautiful setting with a nice little town within easy walking distance.
Finally, a few notes on logistics:
1. We found the hotel concierge service much more useful and less expensive for various travel services than the on-site Tikariy travel agency. Those looking for better even prices might be able to negotiate deals with taxi drivers in town if you speak basic Spanish.
2. We had an excellent driver who picked us up at the Cuzco airport and took us on various day trips and hotel transfers within the Sacred Valley. SometimesFlyer in his excellent posts on the hotel mentioned him, as have others in this thread. (SF’s recent review at post #243 is particularly useful by the way.) His name is Sabino Chirinos and his email address is [email protected]. Website http://duptours.net/home.html. Good, competitive rates, better for example than what the concierge desk at TdI quoted and much better than Tikariy. A nice, safe driver whose English is half-decent though far from great, so expect him to be a driver more than a tour guide. He also has other drivers working for him. The one fellow Sabino assigned on a day that he was not available was also very pleasant and safe, though his English was minimal.
3. For a visit to the Machu Picchu site, we had by far the best guide we'd hired for any of our visits to various sites in the Sacred Valley. Now, maybe the MP guides (who as with other sites wait outside before you enter and ask if you want a guide) simply are better than those at other sites. Regardless, I'd recommend this fellow, Jose Luis Vallagra Ancaypfuro. Email [email protected]. Cell #s 974204125 and 984273956. Not absolutely fluent English, but quite clear and quite ready to answer all sorts of questions in an interesting way, going above and beyond the formulaic information that the other guides we encountered provided (though if all you want is the canned tour, he certainly is fine for that). Not gregarious, but a pleasant, laid back fellow. You can probably simply find him waiting outside the site some days (I believe Monday through Thursday), but it might be well worth it to email ahead and have a good guide rather than to roll the dice. I believe he’s available for sites in addition to MP, as well.
We made TdI our first stop because it is at a considerably lower altitude than our alternative possibility, Palacio del Inka in Cuzco – 9,000 versus 12,000 feet. It seemed to make adjusting to the altitude much easier. We took pills to prevent altitude sickness for our first day, but then stopped because they really knocked us out. Anyway, with the occasional aid of cocoa tea (for me; my wife didn’t need or want it) we didn’t suffer at all from altitude sickness at any stage of the trip, though even after more than a week in the Sacred Valley we were certainly shorter of breath in Cuzco when hiking up the hills there. We ran into several folks in Cuzco who had headaches or worse. Certainly, many folks make Cuzco the first stop with no ill effects, but it is taking more of a chance.
We spent a relatively large number of nights at TdI because of the way we like to travel: not hopping around too much, and (in addition to day trips to Sacred Valley sites) taking some time to just hang out at a hotel and/or in a town. It worked well for us on this trip. Those looking to cover more ground or with less time can certainly enjoy TdI more as simply a wonderful base for exploring, with less down time there.
Anyway, this is one gorgeous hotel, beautifully designed in a beautiful setting, looking out toward mountains on one side and a river and hillside on the other. (Well, actually, the town is between the mountains and the hotel, but the hotel is situated such that you're barely aware of the town until you leave the hotel grounds.) The main restaurant/dining area, for example, has (at least) thirty foot ceilings, tall beams supporting them, and an overall look that would wow even the most sophisticated NYC, London or San Francisco crowds…assuming you could even find such a room in those cities. The other public areas (lobby, outside lounge are, etc.) are similarly nice. The lay-out of the hotel is kind of along the line that the sun follows during the day, so most areas are not wholly in the sun or shade all day. However, as others have noted, most of the pool area is inside or in the shade, with just the portion (fitting maybe three lounge chairs) extending out most from the building being in the sun.
The look of the place really just scratches the surface of what makes it special. Absolutely wonderful staff, especially the great fellow personally assigned to us, Alvaro. Great concierge desk, too, helping with restaurant reservations, plane and bus tickets, etc. (Much more useful than the in-house travel agency, which is really just a tour company, Tikariy.) The tiny respect in which the concierge service falls short is that they provide a really lousy map of Urubamba, but that’s just a quibble.
We really liked the town of Urubamba. It’s not attractive – there’s only one street that looks kind of nice – but it has a nice feel to it. In some ways, even though there are lots of hotels and restaurants in the vicinity (with the entrance of TdI being within a five-ten minute walk of the center of town), it has more of a non-tourist feel by virtue of no cultural sites being right nearby. So a lot of the economy seems to depend on the place being more of a market and business center (as perhaps the largest town in the Sacred Valley, with perhaps 7,500 people) than a tourist hub. Those who have not been to a developing country before might understandably consider it poor. But compared to many other developing country population centers, including in Peru, it’s relatively prosperous.
Part of what we liked might have been the various activities we happened across. On our first afternoon there, we stumbled upon the start of a fiesta in a local school yard, with folks asking us to dance and share some beer. One evening we came across a football/soccer match being televised on a huge, makeshift screen outside in the main square. And one Saturday afternoon (I’m not sure whether it was a holiday), we hung out in the town’s large park (left out of the hotel, and then perhaps a ten minute walk down the street) and watched a mix of soccer matches, women’s volleyball, kids on swings and other playground stuff, etc. A busy, happy community scene. There is also a nice ceramics gallery and a Wednesday market day (though the market is kind of interesting any day) to check out. Be aware that the market is not at all tourist oriented, though, so not a place to buy fine sweaters, tapestries, etc.
Having said all this positive stuff, I don’t want to oversell the town. It's not a destination you'd go out of your way to visit, and many (perhaps even most) TdI guests will understandably find it pretty drab. But in most respects it was the least touristy place we came across in Peru (not that the touristy places were bad), which added some different elements (some of them a lot of fun, as noted) to our trip. If you happen to be there during a local or national holiday, see if you can seek out the celebrations.
We generally liked our meals in town, but not to the extent that we’d rave about any of the restaurants. Our one dinner and one room service at TdI were good as well.
Another small but positive feature of Urubamba was a decent selection of wines, beers, alcohol and snacks at the gas station shop just up the road a few blocks from the hotel (turn right as you exit the hotel to the street). We had stopped duty free upon arrival in Lima and on the way from Cuzco for such things, but in retrospect that proved unnecessary.
For our initial, four-night stay at TdI, as a Starwood Platinum I was upgraded to what we were told was the hotel’s largest, “senior suite”. And sweet it was, with 1.5 bathrooms, a large living/dining area to complement the bedroom, and a second floor location. We could open the windows and screens in the living room to have a somewhat open air though filtered view of nearby river.
On our second, three-night stay (after visiting Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo), we first were placed for one night in a regular, ground-floor room, the next-to-last (249?) on the right wing of the hotel as you’re facing the entrance. (The last one was also available, but has two double beds instead of a king, so we opted for the next-to-last.) Great view of the mountains, including what looked like a glacier in the distance. For the next two nights we were upgraded to a junior suite a few doors down (239 or 241?), also on the ground floor. Not quite as plush as the senior suite, but still quite nice with a view of the mountains almost as good as 249.
For those who care, there are clearly differences of opinion on ground floor versus upper floor and river versus mountain view. I think the first issue comes down to whether you’re going to be hanging out at the hotel much. If so, as we did, then a ground floor room opening on its own patio is a very pleasant place to spend some time during the day, weather permitting. If you’re going to be spending most of your time bopping around the Sacred Valley, then an upper floor room might make sense as it affords slightly better views and slightly more privacy (though the ground floor rooms have very few folks passing by, and even they are at a distance with their views of some rooms filtered by bushes, the aforementioned fountain, etc.).
River versus mountain view sides comes down to personal taste. My wife liked the mountain view a bit more, since it’s more wide open and some rooms facing the mountains look out on snow-capped peaks and a glacier. (A bit more on that below.) I had a slight preference for the river view…even though the view of the river is very filtered. I’m usually into big open views, but I liked the sound of the river outside. And even though you don’t see much of the river, you do look out at a somewhat dramatic, steep hillside just beyond the river. There are some houses dotting that hillside, but they are far enough away that I don’t think they intrude on hotel guests’ privacy (or vice versa!) and the only noise we heard (in addition to the nice rush of the river) was the very occasional, distant barking of a dog.
If you do opt for the mountain view side, I’d suggest requesting being toward the end of the wing that is to the right as you face the hotel entrance (room numbers approximately 229-251). That is, as close to the last room, 251 (?), as possible, or in the junior suite furthest toward that end. Of the two wings, this one looks out at a pleasant fountain area which drowns out the minor, occasional street noise you can hear from the opposite wing. But try not to be in the first few numbered rooms (staring in about 229) in that wing, as they face a large structure (a generator? a laundry room?) that emits a pretty loud hum.
If opting for the river view side, the difference is not a great. But I’d suggest the opposite wing (i.e., to the left as you face the hotel entrance) as it has a larger lawn area in front of it.
The bottom line of all this is that TdI is an excellent base for exploring the Sacred Valley. But it also fits the bill for those who also want to treat it as a resort for passing the time in a beautiful setting with a nice little town within easy walking distance.
Finally, a few notes on logistics:
1. We found the hotel concierge service much more useful and less expensive for various travel services than the on-site Tikariy travel agency. Those looking for better even prices might be able to negotiate deals with taxi drivers in town if you speak basic Spanish.
2. We had an excellent driver who picked us up at the Cuzco airport and took us on various day trips and hotel transfers within the Sacred Valley. SometimesFlyer in his excellent posts on the hotel mentioned him, as have others in this thread. (SF’s recent review at post #243 is particularly useful by the way.) His name is Sabino Chirinos and his email address is [email protected]. Website http://duptours.net/home.html. Good, competitive rates, better for example than what the concierge desk at TdI quoted and much better than Tikariy. A nice, safe driver whose English is half-decent though far from great, so expect him to be a driver more than a tour guide. He also has other drivers working for him. The one fellow Sabino assigned on a day that he was not available was also very pleasant and safe, though his English was minimal.
3. For a visit to the Machu Picchu site, we had by far the best guide we'd hired for any of our visits to various sites in the Sacred Valley. Now, maybe the MP guides (who as with other sites wait outside before you enter and ask if you want a guide) simply are better than those at other sites. Regardless, I'd recommend this fellow, Jose Luis Vallagra Ancaypfuro. Email [email protected]. Cell #s 974204125 and 984273956. Not absolutely fluent English, but quite clear and quite ready to answer all sorts of questions in an interesting way, going above and beyond the formulaic information that the other guides we encountered provided (though if all you want is the canned tour, he certainly is fine for that). Not gregarious, but a pleasant, laid back fellow. You can probably simply find him waiting outside the site some days (I believe Monday through Thursday), but it might be well worth it to email ahead and have a good guide rather than to roll the dice. I believe he’s available for sites in addition to MP, as well.
Last edited by Thunderroad; Oct 7, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Oct 6, 2013, 10:56 am
#290
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Thanks, folks! Glad to answer any questions.
Sorry about the lack of photos. I'm just too lousy a photographer. But you can find lots of good shots of the property at the Tripadvisor.com reviews of TdI.
Sorry about the lack of photos. I'm just too lousy a photographer. But you can find lots of good shots of the property at the Tripadvisor.com reviews of TdI.
Oct 7, 2013, 8:14 am
#291
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,427
We really liked the town of Urubamba. It’s not really attractive – there’s only one street that looks kind of nice – but it has a nice feel to it. In some ways, even though there are lots of hotels and restaurants in the vicinity (with the entrance of TdI being within a five-ten minute walk of the center of town), it has more of a non-tourist feel by virtue of no cultural sites being right nearby. So a lot of the economy seems to depend on the place being more of a market and business center (as perhaps the largest town in the Sacred Valley, with perhaps 7,500 people) than a tourist hub. Those who have not been to a developing country before might understandably consider it poor. But compared to many other developing country population centers, including in Peru, it’s relatively prosperous.
Part of what we liked might have been the various activities we happened across. On our first afternoon there, we stumbled upon the start of a fiesta in a local school yard, with folks asking us to dance and share some beer. One evening we came across a televised football/soccer match being televised in the main square. And one Saturday afternoon (I’m not sure whether it was a holiday), we hung out in the town’s large park (left out of the hotel, and then perhaps a ten minute walk down the street) and watched a mix of soccer matches, women’s volleyball, kids on swings and other playground stuff, etc. A busy, happy community scene. I don’t want to oversell the town, but in some respects it was the least touristy place we came across in Peru (not that the touristy places were bad).
We generally liked our meals in town, but not to the extent that we’d rave about any of the restaurants. Our one dinner and one room service at TdI were good as well.
Part of what we liked might have been the various activities we happened across. On our first afternoon there, we stumbled upon the start of a fiesta in a local school yard, with folks asking us to dance and share some beer. One evening we came across a televised football/soccer match being televised in the main square. And one Saturday afternoon (I’m not sure whether it was a holiday), we hung out in the town’s large park (left out of the hotel, and then perhaps a ten minute walk down the street) and watched a mix of soccer matches, women’s volleyball, kids on swings and other playground stuff, etc. A busy, happy community scene. I don’t want to oversell the town, but in some respects it was the least touristy place we came across in Peru (not that the touristy places were bad).
We generally liked our meals in town, but not to the extent that we’d rave about any of the restaurants. Our one dinner and one room service at TdI were good as well.
Honestly, in my opinion, the alternative dining options (aka "good food at non-Starwood prices") were the only thing I really liked about Urubamba. Yes, it offers a non-touristy "slice of life" view of Peru, which we also enjoyed. But, in general, the town isn't pretty, and probably won't appeal at all to most well-heeled TdI guests.
Oct 7, 2013, 8:29 am
#292
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UAL SPG Hyatt
Posts: 570
Hi Thunderroad,
Glad to hear that you had a positive stay experience at TDI. I absolutely love the place and look forward to another visit there in the years to come. (Perhaps when that international airport open near Cusco!)
Cheers,
SF
Glad to hear that you had a positive stay experience at TDI. I absolutely love the place and look forward to another visit there in the years to come. (Perhaps when that international airport open near Cusco!)
Cheers,
SF
Oct 7, 2013, 1:30 pm
#293
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Did you dine in the main square? There was a restaurant there a couple of years ago called "La Papa Gourmet Restaurante" that I thought was pretty good -- and an excellent value.
Honestly, in my opinion, the alternative dining options (aka "good food at non-Starwood prices") were the only thing I really liked about Urubamba. Yes, it offers a non-touristy "slice of life" view of Peru, which we also enjoyed. But, in general, the town isn't pretty, and probably won't appeal at all to most well-heeled TdI guests.
Honestly, in my opinion, the alternative dining options (aka "good food at non-Starwood prices") were the only thing I really liked about Urubamba. Yes, it offers a non-touristy "slice of life" view of Peru, which we also enjoyed. But, in general, the town isn't pretty, and probably won't appeal at all to most well-heeled TdI guests.
You make some good points about Urubamba and how many TdI visitors might feel about it. My wife and I might well be in the minority in liking the town so much, though I wouldn't discount the "slice of life" aspect of bopping around the market area, checking out celebrations that might be going on (which added a lot to our appreciation of the place), etc. Anyway, I've edited the relevant section of my review a bit to offer a slightly more tempered perspective.
And thanks again, SF, for your great posts and advice that made our trip even better. Happy trails!
Oct 7, 2013, 1:42 pm
#294
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 211
+1 Enjoyed this review as well. Looking forward to the other *W reviews!
That would be in Chinchero (if it ever comes to fruition). It may even drive a bit more traffic to Urubamba since the drive time would be shorter (vs driving to Cusco city).
That would be in Chinchero (if it ever comes to fruition). It may even drive a bit more traffic to Urubamba since the drive time would be shorter (vs driving to Cusco city).
Oct 7, 2013, 7:01 pm
#295
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,738
Nov 12, 2013, 12:24 pm
#296
Join Date: Feb 2012
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Posts: 1,778
I second everyone's praise for Thunderroads amazing review, and wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on my (good) dilemma:
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
Nov 12, 2013, 12:32 pm
#297
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Flyover Territory
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 687
I second everyone's praise for Thunderroads amazing review, and wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on my (good) dilemma:
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
You can see the majority of sites there on a day trip from TDL (we did it) but that is not the ideal way because of the amount of driving involved.
If possible, visit Cuzco the day of your arrival or departure, and see Pisac on a day trip while at TDI.
Anita
Nov 12, 2013, 4:22 pm
#298
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: BOS
Programs: AA MM
Posts: 45
I second everyone's praise for Thunderroads amazing review, and wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on my (good) dilemma:
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
Nov 12, 2013, 4:29 pm
#299
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UAL SPG Hyatt
Posts: 570
I second everyone's praise for Thunderroads amazing review, and wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on my (good) dilemma:
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
Cuczo is one of the largest cities in Peru for a start. Lots of architecture you will not find in the SV, especially the area around the Plaza de Armas. Great restaurants, ranging from high end to local (cuy) to the famous tamales lady. If you are there on a weekend, the open air plaza market near Plaza San Francisco is pretty cool. Mostly local. Even just walking around the 4 to 5 block radius around the plaza in the day and night is different. All in all, I think its a pretty cool place to spend a day or 2 at least. Hard to cover in a day trip from TdI given the travel time/distance (and possible altitude different).
My 2-cents would be to spend a night or 2 there.
Cheers,
SF
Nov 14, 2013, 12:35 am
#300
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
http://www.worldclimateguide.co.uk/climateguides/peru/
Thanks!
I hear you re the desire to maximize your points. But I agree with AAB and SF that Cuzco is well worth at least a day or two. For one thing, it has Sacsayhuaman, which I'd consider the second most impressive Inca ruins after Machu Picchu. Plus some good restaurants, shops, cathedrals and squares that have a lot going on (including, at the main square, restaurants where you can relax over a meal and drink while gazing down on the action below). And while you can get nice sweaters and other alpaca goods in other places, its many shops have the best selections.
Will your visit to Peru include places other than the Sacred Valley? If so, you might cut out something so that you can spend the time you'd like in both Urubamba and Cuzco. For example, I'd keep time in Lima to an absolute minimum.
Finalle, be award that January is the rainiest time of year in that part of the country. People still go then and have great times; you might just get on-and-off showers, with some sun. But you also run the risk of longer stretches of rain, which would especially be a drag if you're visiting Machu Picchu. Here is a month-by-month climate guide to parts of Peru, FYI:
http://www.worldclimateguide.co.uk/climateguides/peru/
I second everyone's praise for Thunderroads amazing review, and wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on my (good) dilemma:
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
Am planning a trip to the area in January. I was originally planning 4 nights at Tambo del Inka, and 1 night at Palacio del Inka. But since then, I decided to take advantage of the Plat requal promo of 35% off redemption, and therefore it would make sense to spend 5 nights here, for a grand total of 31,200 points. Will I be missing out by not spending at least a night in Cuzco? Can I effectively visit Cuzco (and Pissac) on a day trip from TdI?
I hear you re the desire to maximize your points. But I agree with AAB and SF that Cuzco is well worth at least a day or two. For one thing, it has Sacsayhuaman, which I'd consider the second most impressive Inca ruins after Machu Picchu. Plus some good restaurants, shops, cathedrals and squares that have a lot going on (including, at the main square, restaurants where you can relax over a meal and drink while gazing down on the action below). And while you can get nice sweaters and other alpaca goods in other places, its many shops have the best selections.
Will your visit to Peru include places other than the Sacred Valley? If so, you might cut out something so that you can spend the time you'd like in both Urubamba and Cuzco. For example, I'd keep time in Lima to an absolute minimum.
Finalle, be award that January is the rainiest time of year in that part of the country. People still go then and have great times; you might just get on-and-off showers, with some sun. But you also run the risk of longer stretches of rain, which would especially be a drag if you're visiting Machu Picchu. Here is a month-by-month climate guide to parts of Peru, FYI:
http://www.worldclimateguide.co.uk/climateguides/peru/
Last edited by Thunderroad; Nov 14, 2013 at 12:41 am