Machu Picchu was built in the 15th century as the estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti. The lodge originally housed explorers and researchers and became a Belmond hotel in 1999. Aguas Calientes is a short bus ride away, but the lodge sits steps from the ruins, set into the mountainside above the UNESCO World Heritage site.
The rooms look out to misty mountains, orchids and butterflies. The Deluxe Rooms are modern and eco-friendly with panoramic views, the Standard Rooms are a place to rest after a day at the citadel, and the One Bedroom Suite has a private furnished terrace with mountain views and a sitting area. Guests receive early access to the citadel before the crowds, and the lodge works with guides and storytellers from the region.
Tampu Restaurant serves rainforest cuisine in a room full of natural light, among plants. Breakfast brings eggs, pancakes, smoothie bowls and Peruvian dishes, and dinner includes Andean trout, slow-cooked short ribs, artichoke and chicharron. Local Peruvian wines sit beside international labels. Tinkuy Buffet feeds hikers after a day on the ruins, and Tampu Bar is the place for evening conversation.
The lodge offers Andean treatments in its massage room and shaman-led ceremonies, including vow renewals and honeymoon rituals, along with coca leaf readings and cookery classes. The subtropical gardens, where native flora flourishes, are open to guests between visits to the ruins.
The Hiram Bingham train makes the four-hour journey from Cusco and is the way to arrive in style. Belmond Sanctuary Lodge suits travellers who want to be at the citadel at the start and end of the day.
