A megalithic adventure: a trip to Peru, Bolivia, and Easter Island
Apr 10, 2013, 1:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: WN A-list, Hyatt Glob, HH DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 434
A megalithic adventure: a trip to Peru, Bolivia, and Easter Island
Introduction:
This trip includes a visit to three South American countries – Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. The highlight of the trip was exploring ancient megalithic monuments. Some of the more interesting places that I visited were the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Machu Picchu, and Cusco in Peru, La Paz, Tiwanaku and lake Titicaca in Bolivia, and Santiago and Easter Island in Chile. The archaeological sites that I visited were astounding. I also sampled several different airlines: Delta Business from Atlanta to Lima, and from Santiago back to Atlanta, LAN within South America, and Amaszonas between Cusco and La Paz. I also experienced different kinds of accommodation – from the luxurious Starwood property Tambo del Inka in the Sacred Valey, to the frugal Wara Wara hostal in Cusco.
This trip report will also include some tips on booking tickets, organizing side trips, buying local SIM cards, and using smart phones to communicate while traveling.
Machu Picchu:
Puma Punku in Bolivia:
Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island:
Contents:
Planning
From Atlanta to Lima
Sheraton Lima, and from Lima to Cusco
Sacred Valley of the Incas: Pisac Sunday market and ruins
Tambo del Inka hotel, Urubamba, Sacred Valley of the Incas
From Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, and hotel El Albergue, Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo: ruins and old town
Machu Picchu: Arrival and climbing Wayna Picchu
Machu Picchu: Main site
Machu Picchu: Departure
Cusco: Day 1
Cusco: Day 2
From Cusco to La Paz
Tiwanaku, Bolivia
Puma Punku, Bolivia
Huatajata, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia
La Paz, Bolivia
From La Paz, Bolivia to Santiago, Chile
Santiago de Chile
From Santiago to Easter Island
Easter Island: Arrival and Day 1
Easter Island: Sunset at Ahu Tahai
Easter Island: Day 2, Part I
Easter Island: Day 2, Part II: Ranu Raraku, Ahu Tongariki and Anakena
Easter Island Day 3: Vinapu and Ovahe beach
From Easter Island to Santiago
From Santiago to Atlanta
This trip includes a visit to three South American countries – Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. The highlight of the trip was exploring ancient megalithic monuments. Some of the more interesting places that I visited were the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Machu Picchu, and Cusco in Peru, La Paz, Tiwanaku and lake Titicaca in Bolivia, and Santiago and Easter Island in Chile. The archaeological sites that I visited were astounding. I also sampled several different airlines: Delta Business from Atlanta to Lima, and from Santiago back to Atlanta, LAN within South America, and Amaszonas between Cusco and La Paz. I also experienced different kinds of accommodation – from the luxurious Starwood property Tambo del Inka in the Sacred Valey, to the frugal Wara Wara hostal in Cusco.
This trip report will also include some tips on booking tickets, organizing side trips, buying local SIM cards, and using smart phones to communicate while traveling.
Machu Picchu:
Puma Punku in Bolivia:
Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island:
Contents:
Planning
From Atlanta to Lima
Sheraton Lima, and from Lima to Cusco
Sacred Valley of the Incas: Pisac Sunday market and ruins
Tambo del Inka hotel, Urubamba, Sacred Valley of the Incas
From Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, and hotel El Albergue, Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo: ruins and old town
Machu Picchu: Arrival and climbing Wayna Picchu
Machu Picchu: Main site
Machu Picchu: Departure
Cusco: Day 1
Cusco: Day 2
From Cusco to La Paz
Tiwanaku, Bolivia
Puma Punku, Bolivia
Huatajata, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia
La Paz, Bolivia
From La Paz, Bolivia to Santiago, Chile
Santiago de Chile
From Santiago to Easter Island
Easter Island: Arrival and Day 1
Easter Island: Sunset at Ahu Tahai
Easter Island: Day 2, Part I
Easter Island: Day 2, Part II: Ranu Raraku, Ahu Tongariki and Anakena
Easter Island Day 3: Vinapu and Ovahe beach
From Easter Island to Santiago
From Santiago to Atlanta
Last edited by flyersky1; May 29, 2013 at 7:04 pm
Apr 10, 2013, 2:08 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: WN A-list, Hyatt Glob, HH DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 434
Planning
Flights:
I had been observing the diminishing value of skymiles over the past year. Therefore, it was reasonable to use some of these miles since I had accumulated over 700,000. Luckily, I found a ticket at the medium level for 165,000 miles. Initially I was planning to do Atl-Lim-Atl for 135,000 miles but given it was very hard to find availability Lim-IPC on Lan, I decided to do an open jaw atl-lim//scl-atl, and see Santiago, Chile as a bonus. I also had a chance to try the new flat-bed seats that were introduced on the scl-atl route in the 1-2-1 configuration in Business.
For traveling within SA, I used BA miles that I had accumulated via BA Chase visa bonuses. Specifically, Lim-Cuz was 4,500, LPB-IQQ-SCL was 10,000, Scl-IPC in business was 25,000, and IPC-Scl in Economy was 12,500. In addition to miles, I spend $250 for a one-way ticket on Amaszonas from Cusco to La Paz.
A map of my flights:
Accommodation:
After I secured the plane tickets it was time to think of accommodation. My plan involved descending to the Sacred Valley immediately after I arrive in Cusco to adjust to the altitude more easily. After reading some of the reports on FT and TA, I decided to try Tambo del Inka, a Starwood luxury collection property. It had glowing reviews, and I figured I would need some rest after my long flights and sightseeing. I booked initially three nights but then figured out that the logistics would work better if I book only two nights and stay in Ollantaytambo the night before I catch the train to Machu Picchu. I booked Tambo del Inka on cash and points – 4000 points and $60 per night.
I used booking.com to book the other hotels in the Sacred Valley. I stayed one night in Ollanaytambo at the El Albergue hotel for $80. It was right by the train station to Machu Picchu. The last two nights I spent in Cusco, where I book the frugal hostal Wara Wara for $28/night. All hotels accepted credit cards. BA Chase visa was my default card due to the lack of foreign exchange fees.
After the Sacred Valley in Peru, my next stop was La Paz in Bolivia. I used points from Club Carlson’s recent lucrative promotions to book 3 nights at the Radisson hotel in La Paz for 15,000 points per night. My next stay was in Santiago, Chile where I booked 2 nights at the Sheraton for $60 and 4000 points per night. In Easter Island, I stayed 3 nights at the Chez Jerome hostal for $100/night using booking.com. The final night in Santiago, I tried the San Cristobal tower for $110 and 6000 points.
Tickets to Machu Picchu:
The final part of the planning before the trip was to book the tickets to Machu Picchu. This turned out to be a major PITA! I tried several times the official website without success. I was able to generate the preliminary form, but when I tried to make the payment, it always gave me an error. I used at least 10 different credit cards and had no luck. The cards were not charged initially but you can imagine my excitement when I saw 8 charges appearing on my BA chase visa about 2 months later. Chase was nice enough to reverse the charges.
After struggling unsuccessfully with the official website, I tried Peru Tours (cuscocity.com) that was recommended on tripadvisor. Initially they were slow to respond but eventually came through and for a small fee I was able to obtain the ticket before I got to Peru. It was very convenient because I was able to print the ticket directly from the official website (http://www.machupicchu.gob.pe) after they made the payment on my behalf.
Finally, I also purchased the train tickets to Machu Picchu from Ollantaytambo without any problem using the official Peru rail website. I picked them up (after showing the credit card I used for purchase) from the Perurail office at LIM airport before my flight to Cusco.
I had been observing the diminishing value of skymiles over the past year. Therefore, it was reasonable to use some of these miles since I had accumulated over 700,000. Luckily, I found a ticket at the medium level for 165,000 miles. Initially I was planning to do Atl-Lim-Atl for 135,000 miles but given it was very hard to find availability Lim-IPC on Lan, I decided to do an open jaw atl-lim//scl-atl, and see Santiago, Chile as a bonus. I also had a chance to try the new flat-bed seats that were introduced on the scl-atl route in the 1-2-1 configuration in Business.
For traveling within SA, I used BA miles that I had accumulated via BA Chase visa bonuses. Specifically, Lim-Cuz was 4,500, LPB-IQQ-SCL was 10,000, Scl-IPC in business was 25,000, and IPC-Scl in Economy was 12,500. In addition to miles, I spend $250 for a one-way ticket on Amaszonas from Cusco to La Paz.
A map of my flights:
Accommodation:
After I secured the plane tickets it was time to think of accommodation. My plan involved descending to the Sacred Valley immediately after I arrive in Cusco to adjust to the altitude more easily. After reading some of the reports on FT and TA, I decided to try Tambo del Inka, a Starwood luxury collection property. It had glowing reviews, and I figured I would need some rest after my long flights and sightseeing. I booked initially three nights but then figured out that the logistics would work better if I book only two nights and stay in Ollantaytambo the night before I catch the train to Machu Picchu. I booked Tambo del Inka on cash and points – 4000 points and $60 per night.
I used booking.com to book the other hotels in the Sacred Valley. I stayed one night in Ollanaytambo at the El Albergue hotel for $80. It was right by the train station to Machu Picchu. The last two nights I spent in Cusco, where I book the frugal hostal Wara Wara for $28/night. All hotels accepted credit cards. BA Chase visa was my default card due to the lack of foreign exchange fees.
After the Sacred Valley in Peru, my next stop was La Paz in Bolivia. I used points from Club Carlson’s recent lucrative promotions to book 3 nights at the Radisson hotel in La Paz for 15,000 points per night. My next stay was in Santiago, Chile where I booked 2 nights at the Sheraton for $60 and 4000 points per night. In Easter Island, I stayed 3 nights at the Chez Jerome hostal for $100/night using booking.com. The final night in Santiago, I tried the San Cristobal tower for $110 and 6000 points.
Tickets to Machu Picchu:
The final part of the planning before the trip was to book the tickets to Machu Picchu. This turned out to be a major PITA! I tried several times the official website without success. I was able to generate the preliminary form, but when I tried to make the payment, it always gave me an error. I used at least 10 different credit cards and had no luck. The cards were not charged initially but you can imagine my excitement when I saw 8 charges appearing on my BA chase visa about 2 months later. Chase was nice enough to reverse the charges.
After struggling unsuccessfully with the official website, I tried Peru Tours (cuscocity.com) that was recommended on tripadvisor. Initially they were slow to respond but eventually came through and for a small fee I was able to obtain the ticket before I got to Peru. It was very convenient because I was able to print the ticket directly from the official website (http://www.machupicchu.gob.pe) after they made the payment on my behalf.
Finally, I also purchased the train tickets to Machu Picchu from Ollantaytambo without any problem using the official Peru rail website. I picked them up (after showing the credit card I used for purchase) from the Perurail office at LIM airport before my flight to Cusco.
Last edited by flyersky1; Apr 11, 2013 at 4:02 am
Apr 10, 2013, 4:50 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: WN A-list, Hyatt Glob, HH DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 434
From Atlanta to Lima
Flight DL 151 ATL-LIM Seat 5J
Aircraft: A330-200
Departure time: 5:28pm (original 5:20pm)
Arrival time: 11:13pm (original 10:55pm)
Duration: 6:45h
I arrived at terminal F at ATL airport 2 hours before my flight. I decided not to check my roller board because I had an early flight the next morning to CUZ and I didn’t want to risk delayed baggage problems. It turned out there was enough space in the overhead bins. After security, I headed to the Skyclub. It was spacious with showers and snacks. However, it was very crowded. They were also switching internet providers (to ATT) and the internet was very slow. I made some phone calls (not using the internet but my cell), and tried some of the snacks which were not too bad. Then, I decided to print my LAN boarding pass for the LIM-CUZ flight. The system was slightly complicated but the instructions were clear. You had to either upload your document or send it by email to a given address, after which they send you a code that you type in the printer. I tried for half hour with no success. The maintenance guy also could not help and concluded that the printer is broken.
After the lounge, I headed to the plane. Initially I was in seat 1A but after looking at seatguru, I decided that 5J is better. It was bulkhead window seat with plenty of space to stretch, and get out without disturbing your seatmate. There were many empty seats about an hour before the flight on expertflyer and DL’s seat maps. By flight time, all seats were taken. The food was tasty and well presented. I did not take any pictures of the food or the menu because I think they are well known on FT and of less interest.
One thing that struck me in a negative way that I want to discuss was seat comfort. The seat does not become a flat bed. It is angled lie-flat but being angled was the least of its problems. It was hard and not well cushioned. Even worse, the seat cushion would detach from the metal frame and slide downwards, leaving my butt on the edge of the metal frame. This was the most uncomfortable Business or F seat that I’ve ever experienced. Initially I thought that it was broken, showing the FA the exposed metal frame. Surprisingly, he just shrugged it off, and told me to keep adjusting it and that’s how it was. I adjusted it but it kept sliding off and exposing the bare metal edge.
I also tried to sleep but the turbulence was constant and did not allow me to. Finally we arrived. I was one of the first off the plane. Yet, I had to wait more than an hour to go through immigration. I guess several planes landed before us. It reminded me of the good old days when I didn’t have a US green card and had to wait in the visitors line for US immigration. It was good that I found some chatty people next to me in line to pass the time.
After customs, I went into the arrivals area. I was told while waiting in line that there are people waiting outside trying to sell local SIM cards. I did not see any. I found an ATM to withdraw some cash for the cab, crossed the street where the cabs were, and after a brief bargaining I was on my way to Sheraton Lima. I was told to agree on the price before getting into a taxi. The price was around $20. After a 20-30 min ride, I was at the Sheraton.
Aircraft: A330-200
Departure time: 5:28pm (original 5:20pm)
Arrival time: 11:13pm (original 10:55pm)
Duration: 6:45h
I arrived at terminal F at ATL airport 2 hours before my flight. I decided not to check my roller board because I had an early flight the next morning to CUZ and I didn’t want to risk delayed baggage problems. It turned out there was enough space in the overhead bins. After security, I headed to the Skyclub. It was spacious with showers and snacks. However, it was very crowded. They were also switching internet providers (to ATT) and the internet was very slow. I made some phone calls (not using the internet but my cell), and tried some of the snacks which were not too bad. Then, I decided to print my LAN boarding pass for the LIM-CUZ flight. The system was slightly complicated but the instructions were clear. You had to either upload your document or send it by email to a given address, after which they send you a code that you type in the printer. I tried for half hour with no success. The maintenance guy also could not help and concluded that the printer is broken.
After the lounge, I headed to the plane. Initially I was in seat 1A but after looking at seatguru, I decided that 5J is better. It was bulkhead window seat with plenty of space to stretch, and get out without disturbing your seatmate. There were many empty seats about an hour before the flight on expertflyer and DL’s seat maps. By flight time, all seats were taken. The food was tasty and well presented. I did not take any pictures of the food or the menu because I think they are well known on FT and of less interest.
One thing that struck me in a negative way that I want to discuss was seat comfort. The seat does not become a flat bed. It is angled lie-flat but being angled was the least of its problems. It was hard and not well cushioned. Even worse, the seat cushion would detach from the metal frame and slide downwards, leaving my butt on the edge of the metal frame. This was the most uncomfortable Business or F seat that I’ve ever experienced. Initially I thought that it was broken, showing the FA the exposed metal frame. Surprisingly, he just shrugged it off, and told me to keep adjusting it and that’s how it was. I adjusted it but it kept sliding off and exposing the bare metal edge.
I also tried to sleep but the turbulence was constant and did not allow me to. Finally we arrived. I was one of the first off the plane. Yet, I had to wait more than an hour to go through immigration. I guess several planes landed before us. It reminded me of the good old days when I didn’t have a US green card and had to wait in the visitors line for US immigration. It was good that I found some chatty people next to me in line to pass the time.
After customs, I went into the arrivals area. I was told while waiting in line that there are people waiting outside trying to sell local SIM cards. I did not see any. I found an ATM to withdraw some cash for the cab, crossed the street where the cabs were, and after a brief bargaining I was on my way to Sheraton Lima. I was told to agree on the price before getting into a taxi. The price was around $20. After a 20-30 min ride, I was at the Sheraton.
Last edited by flyersky1; Apr 11, 2013 at 3:55 am
Apr 10, 2013, 5:01 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Planet Earth(most days)
Programs: Hilton Honors, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 1,544
As of this year, the A330 fleet will be undergoing (or already started) their refurbs to the horizontal lay-flats.
This report looks great, can't wait to see the updates!
This report looks great, can't wait to see the updates!
Apr 11, 2013, 2:13 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: WN A-list, Hyatt Glob, HH DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 434
Sheraton Lima, and from Lima to Cusco
Sheraton Lima Hotel:
At the Sheraton Lima hotel the check in was quick. I was offered 500 points as a platinum amenity. I had paid $30 + 1600 points, which was pretty sweet. I was upgraded to a nice one-bedroom suite. I used the business center to print my LAN boarding pass and my tickets to Machu Picchu. I ordered a wakeup call for 8am in the morning, which never arrived. Good thing I had my iPhone and iPad. Breakfast was also included but I did not have time to take advantage of it. I used the Sheraton car to get back to the airport and charged it to my room.
Sheraton Lima lobby:
Sheraton Lima one-bedroom suite:
Complementary fruit plate:
View from Sheraton Lima:
From Lima to Cusco:
Flight LA 2075 LIM-CUZ Seat 5A
Aircraft: A319
Departure time: 10:14am (original 10:00am)
Arrival time: 11:30am (original 11:30am)
Duration: 1:16h
One of my concerns about LAN before my trip was the weight of the bags I can carry. They had clear instructions both about the checked bags and the carry-ons. I checked my bag to be on the safe side. Going through security was less than 10 mins. After that, I went to the Perurail office, which was by gate 13 to pick up my Machu Picchu rail ticket. I also stop by the VIP lounge near gate 13 using my Priority Pass. Boarding started 10 mins before departure time, which meant that the flight would depart with a slight delay. They boarded rows 12-24 first, and then rows 1-11.
VIP lounge CUZ domestic terminal:
Boarding:
Legroom:
Snacks and Inka Cola:
There is no economy plus on this flight, so legroom was restricted but it didn’t bother me too much because I’m not tall and the flight was short. Luckily, I was sitting by the window and could take pictures of the beautiful mountains and lush valleys below, as well as of Cusco city on arrival. A very friendly Korean couple that was sitting next to me was constantly asking me to take pictures with their camera, every time they saw me take pictures with mine. After we arrived, we deplaned quickly, and my bag arrived soon after that.
Lima from the air:
Scenery from Lima to Cusco:
Cusco from the air:
At the airport there were many tour agency that instantly started offering their services. I had pre-booked my tour through the Tambo del Inka hotel. They contracted a driver that was supposed to pick me up at CUZ, drive me to the town of Pisac (about 30 mins from Cusco) to see the Sunday market and the ruins and then drive me to the hotel located in the town of Urubamba. All that was for $130, payable in cash to the driver. He picked me up and my journey through the Sacred Valley started. Although I was tired, I could barely hold my excitement.
Cusco airport:
At the Sheraton Lima hotel the check in was quick. I was offered 500 points as a platinum amenity. I had paid $30 + 1600 points, which was pretty sweet. I was upgraded to a nice one-bedroom suite. I used the business center to print my LAN boarding pass and my tickets to Machu Picchu. I ordered a wakeup call for 8am in the morning, which never arrived. Good thing I had my iPhone and iPad. Breakfast was also included but I did not have time to take advantage of it. I used the Sheraton car to get back to the airport and charged it to my room.
Sheraton Lima lobby:
Sheraton Lima one-bedroom suite:
Complementary fruit plate:
View from Sheraton Lima:
From Lima to Cusco:
Flight LA 2075 LIM-CUZ Seat 5A
Aircraft: A319
Departure time: 10:14am (original 10:00am)
Arrival time: 11:30am (original 11:30am)
Duration: 1:16h
One of my concerns about LAN before my trip was the weight of the bags I can carry. They had clear instructions both about the checked bags and the carry-ons. I checked my bag to be on the safe side. Going through security was less than 10 mins. After that, I went to the Perurail office, which was by gate 13 to pick up my Machu Picchu rail ticket. I also stop by the VIP lounge near gate 13 using my Priority Pass. Boarding started 10 mins before departure time, which meant that the flight would depart with a slight delay. They boarded rows 12-24 first, and then rows 1-11.
VIP lounge CUZ domestic terminal:
Boarding:
Legroom:
Snacks and Inka Cola:
There is no economy plus on this flight, so legroom was restricted but it didn’t bother me too much because I’m not tall and the flight was short. Luckily, I was sitting by the window and could take pictures of the beautiful mountains and lush valleys below, as well as of Cusco city on arrival. A very friendly Korean couple that was sitting next to me was constantly asking me to take pictures with their camera, every time they saw me take pictures with mine. After we arrived, we deplaned quickly, and my bag arrived soon after that.
Lima from the air:
Scenery from Lima to Cusco:
Cusco from the air:
At the airport there were many tour agency that instantly started offering their services. I had pre-booked my tour through the Tambo del Inka hotel. They contracted a driver that was supposed to pick me up at CUZ, drive me to the town of Pisac (about 30 mins from Cusco) to see the Sunday market and the ruins and then drive me to the hotel located in the town of Urubamba. All that was for $130, payable in cash to the driver. He picked me up and my journey through the Sacred Valley started. Although I was tired, I could barely hold my excitement.
Cusco airport:
Last edited by flyersky1; Apr 11, 2013 at 3:59 am
Apr 11, 2013, 5:23 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: WN A-list, Hyatt Glob, HH DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 434
Sacred Valley of the Incas: Pisac Sunday market and ruins
First, thank you all for the encouraging comments. The adventure continued, when the driver picked me up at the airport and we headed straight to Pisac. He had a comfortable, air-conditioned Toyota Yaris, and complementary bottles of water. Unfortunately, I could not find a place to buy a local SIM card either at LIM or at CUZ, so I had to rely on the Verizon global data package, which is $25 for 100MB. Not a bad deal after all. On the way we stopped briefly for some photos.
30 mins later, we were at the Pisac Sunday market. The Weather channel forecasted constant rain for the Sacred Valley. Fortunately, the forecast was not correct. It was overcast, but sprinkled only briefly. The market was very colorful and not very crowded. I bought some nice local hats for $8 a piece. One of the best parts of the market was the fruit and vegetable market where one can buy organic produce. I got a hot meal (some kind of stew) from one of the food stands for 10 soles ($4US), which was delicious.
After spending an hour at the market, we headed to the ruins. They were very impressive. I took it easy because I was still tired from my flight and had not adjusted to the altitude. The stonework and the terraces were amazing. It was a nice preview of the even more impressive ruins that I was going to see in the following days. There were guides waiting and offering their services but I usually prefer to explore on my own.
After the ruins, we headed straight to Urubamba and the Tambo del Inka hotel, which was about 30 mins away. I was so tired that I fell asleep in the car. When we arrived, the driver demanded payment in soles. The initial agreement is that I pay with dollars. I tried to withdraw soles from the ATM at the hotel but to my surprise it only dispensed US dollars. The reception also did not have soles at the time. After some bargaining and help from my butler, the driver eventually accepted dollars. After that was resolved, I was ready to check in and enjoy the luxury of the hotel.
30 mins later, we were at the Pisac Sunday market. The Weather channel forecasted constant rain for the Sacred Valley. Fortunately, the forecast was not correct. It was overcast, but sprinkled only briefly. The market was very colorful and not very crowded. I bought some nice local hats for $8 a piece. One of the best parts of the market was the fruit and vegetable market where one can buy organic produce. I got a hot meal (some kind of stew) from one of the food stands for 10 soles ($4US), which was delicious.
After spending an hour at the market, we headed to the ruins. They were very impressive. I took it easy because I was still tired from my flight and had not adjusted to the altitude. The stonework and the terraces were amazing. It was a nice preview of the even more impressive ruins that I was going to see in the following days. There were guides waiting and offering their services but I usually prefer to explore on my own.
After the ruins, we headed straight to Urubamba and the Tambo del Inka hotel, which was about 30 mins away. I was so tired that I fell asleep in the car. When we arrived, the driver demanded payment in soles. The initial agreement is that I pay with dollars. I tried to withdraw soles from the ATM at the hotel but to my surprise it only dispensed US dollars. The reception also did not have soles at the time. After some bargaining and help from my butler, the driver eventually accepted dollars. After that was resolved, I was ready to check in and enjoy the luxury of the hotel.
Last edited by flyersky1; Apr 11, 2013 at 5:40 pm
Apr 12, 2013, 8:42 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,596
We just got back a couple of weeks ago and I was wondering how to upload my pics on the site when I saw your TR.
When I do get around to writing mine, I will just point to your thread as these are so much better!
My kids swear you took pictures of the same room in Lima.
Thanks
When I do get around to writing mine, I will just point to your thread as these are so much better!
My kids swear you took pictures of the same room in Lima.
Thanks
Apr 12, 2013, 9:17 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: WN A-list, Hyatt Glob, HH DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 434
Thanks ffI! Uploading pictures is a pain but gets easier once you experiment a few times.
We just got back a couple of weeks ago and I was wondering how to upload my pics on the site when I saw your TR.
When I do get around to writing mine, I will just point to your thread as these are so much better!
My kids swear you took pictures of the same room in Lima.
Thanks
When I do get around to writing mine, I will just point to your thread as these are so much better!
My kids swear you took pictures of the same room in Lima.
Thanks
Apr 14, 2013, 3:04 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: WN A-list, Hyatt Glob, HH DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 434
The Easter Island portion of the trip was at the end, so I hope I will finish the report before your trip 
. In the mean time, if you have any specific questions, please PM me!
. In the mean time, if you have any specific questions, please PM me!
Apr 14, 2013, 3:29 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: WN A-list, Hyatt Glob, HH DM, Marriott Plat
Posts: 434
Tambo del Inka hotel, Urubamba, Sacred Valley of the Incas
The receptionist at Tambo del Inka was very welcoming. As I mentioned earlier, initially I had booked 3 consecutive nights but decided to cancel the second night and stay in Ollantaytambo instead. The reason was that I had a 7 am train ride to Machu Picchu from Ollantaytambo. It would also allow me to explore the ruins of Ollantaytambo. The receptionist at Tambo del Inka was very understanding. She upgraded me to an amazing one bedroom suite and offered to put me back in it when I came back the following night.
As a platinum amenity I was offered breakfast or points. I chose the breakfast. Unfortunately, the next morning I slept in and missed the breakfast. The receptionist was very nice to credit the points instead. The butler was also extremely polite and friendly. He took me to the suite and explained every little detail.
The suite had a river view, which was obstructed by the trees and shrubs growing along. The bed was very comfortable. The bathroom was spacious. The only drawback was that the shower stream was weak, I guess because the hotel is trying to be eco friendly. After I settled down, I took a walk around the property. The setting is beautiful with the river and the surrounding peaks. There is a soccer field and a tennis court. The hotel comes with its own train station to Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, I could not book tickets online and didn't want to leave the purchase to the last minute. Also, there's limited service and the times might not have worked for me. But it's nice to have the option.
The train station to MP:
Vilcanota (Urubamba) River:
The hotel has a lovely spa and a swimming pool. I had a massage which was pretty good. After that the butler booked dinner at the hotel restaurant and it was delicious although pricey. After dinner it was time to enjoy the comfortable bed. I slept on and off until after 1pm and missed breakfast. Instead, I ordered room service.
As a platinum amenity I was offered breakfast or points. I chose the breakfast. Unfortunately, the next morning I slept in and missed the breakfast. The receptionist was very nice to credit the points instead. The butler was also extremely polite and friendly. He took me to the suite and explained every little detail.
The suite had a river view, which was obstructed by the trees and shrubs growing along. The bed was very comfortable. The bathroom was spacious. The only drawback was that the shower stream was weak, I guess because the hotel is trying to be eco friendly. After I settled down, I took a walk around the property. The setting is beautiful with the river and the surrounding peaks. There is a soccer field and a tennis court. The hotel comes with its own train station to Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, I could not book tickets online and didn't want to leave the purchase to the last minute. Also, there's limited service and the times might not have worked for me. But it's nice to have the option.
The train station to MP:
Vilcanota (Urubamba) River:
The hotel has a lovely spa and a swimming pool. I had a massage which was pretty good. After that the butler booked dinner at the hotel restaurant and it was delicious although pricey. After dinner it was time to enjoy the comfortable bed. I slept on and off until after 1pm and missed breakfast. Instead, I ordered room service.