Tens of thousands of people come to the Sacred Valley each year to visit Peru’s most famous Incan archaeological sites and to enjoy the beauty, culture, and history of the place. There’s a hotel for every type of traveler, so use our guide to Sacred Valley hotels to find the one that’s right for you–from top luxury hotels to our favorite Airbnb to pods on the side of a cliff.

Sacred Valley hotels for every type of traveler

No matter your travel style, we’ve got Sacred Valley hotels for you!

For the sybarite: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba

The Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba hotel near the village of Urquillos, offers suites and standalone casitas on a 100-acre (40-hectare) property. Every room has lovely touches like fragrant fresh-cut eucalyptus, hand-woven blankets, and hot water bottles slipped into your bed at turndown.

The suites are lovely, but it’s worth splurging for a 640 square foot (60 square meter) suite decked out with a wood-burning stove, an enormous bathroom, and a sofa in a reading nook with windows that let in views of the mountains.

The property also includes a 10-acre (4-hectare) organic garden producing quinoa, herbs, Andean corn, potatoes, and much more using traditional hand tools and oxen. Produce from the garden, and from other small producers in the valley, is used in the hotel’s “Earth to Table” cuisine, including dishes like fresh local trout served three ways topped with champagne pearls and a salty and rich sauce made from rocoto peppers. There’s also a spa, afternoon tea time, and other pampering elements that may tempt you to take a day off from exploring and enjoy the hotel instead.

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For the off-the-beaten-path traveler: Retreat in the Woods

Airbnbs have become a major part of our accommodation during our journey and we’ve stayed in dozens of them. However, none of our Airbnb experiences have come close to the peacefulness, comfort, friendship, and fun we enjoyed at Retreat in the Woods, a modern, light-filled casita near the village of Huaran.

It could be the relaxing countryside location near the tiny town of Huaran surrounded by cornfields. It could be the charming style and comfort of the duplex, 2-bedroom casita. It could be the kindness and joy of your host Yessenia. It could be all of those things combined. We love it here so much that we’ve invited friends and family down to Peru to share the bliss and they’ve fallen in love with this place as well. Horse lovers will be delighted by the opportunity to ride through the Sacred Valley on Peruvian Paso horses from the stable across the road.

For the all-inclusive explorer: Explora Valle Sagrada

It’s no secret that the Explora group’s luxury all-inclusive adventure base camps are among our favorite hotels because of their unique combination of low-key luxury and a true commitment to getting guests out and into their surroundings in active and immersive ways, and the Explora Valle Sagrada is no exception.

Rooms at the Explora Valle Sagrada have the classic modern, clean, almost spartan “explora” look with muted colors and natural materials. Beds are large and luscious with German down pillows and monogrammed linens. Bathrooms are ample and come stocked with towel warmers and plush robes and slippers. It’s a friendly room but not an addictive room and that’s by design. The explora team wants you out there exploring.

But first, breakfast which is a start-to-finish winner served as a massive buffet with house-made bread and pastries (including excellent croissants), a selection of fresh juices, fruits, meats, cheeses, eggs to order, great coffee, and much more. Now you’re ready for one of the more than 30 half or full-day excursions and then, perhaps, a visit to the spa.

The hotel was built from the ground up, but the spa is located in the renovated remains of an adobe house built in the 1700s and is a Peruvian National Heritage Site. Guests can enjoy a wet sauna, a dry sauna, a 60-foot (20-meter) pool, three Jacuzzis, massages, and more while also enjoying restored original frescoes. Pro tip: Ask for a room numbered 20 or higher because those have the best views of the surrounding mountains.

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For the Machu Picchu traveler: El Albergue

There are a lot of places to sleep in Ollantaytambo because it’s the jumping-off point for onward travel to Machu Picchu and a popular destination in and of itself. The most eclectic and stylish hotel in Ollantaytambo is El Albergue with rooms and bungalows around a peaceful central garden. Comforters are fluffy, the architecture is traditional, and the atmosphere is homey and serene. Bonus if you’re on your way to or from Machu Picchu: this place is located right at the train station.

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For the do-good traveler: Hotel Sol y Luna

Hotel Sol y Luna, near the town of Urubamba, was started in 2000 as a way to fund the owner’s primary passion: the Sol y Luna Association which gives a better level of education to students of all backgrounds, including many from poor families in communities with weak schools or no schools at all.

But that does not mean that the hotel is run like a fund-raising afterthought. Quite the opposite. This hotel, which is the only Relais & Chateaux property in the valley and one of only a handful in all of Peru, is an art-filled oasis offering 43 standalone casitas in three different categories. Our casita was enormous with a huge combined bedroom/living room with a fireplace, lots of windows, a huge bathroom, and a very private back patio.

Other casitas are even bigger with a full living room and a separate bedroom, and a private outdoor Jacuzzi. The smaller original Superior casitas may lack some of the space and polish of casitas in the top two categories, but they represent terrific value since guests in those more economical rooms still have access to the hotel’s grounds, solar-heated outdoor pool, large spa, and two restaurants.

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For the traveling tribe: Villa Urubamba

Got your whole family or a few of your best traveling buddies with you? Villa Urubamba, on the outskirts of the town of Urubamba, may be for you. Here you’ll find a collection of distinct homes around a large manicured garden full of flowers, herbs, fruit trees, hammocks, stone paths, and plenty of peace and quiet.

The houses are for rent when the owners are not there. We stayed in a home called Higuspurco (which means basket of green figs). The two-level place was stylish and arty thanks to the owner’s collection of Peruvian art and textiles. Upstairs was an open loft with a double bed, a single bed, and a full bathroom. The ground floor had two more full bathrooms, including one off the master bedroom, and a fully appointed kitchen. We could have stayed for weeks.

For the thrill-seeking traveler: Skylodge Adventure Suites

A few years ago, a Peruvian mountain climber and river rafter decided that hotels are boring. So he dreamed up the Skylodge Adventure Suites, which include three transparent aluminum and polycarbonate pod rooms that are attached to a rocky mountainside 1,200 feet (400 meters) off the ground. Each pod room is solar-powered and has a private bathroom with a dry eco-toilet and a sink but no shower.

Guests reach their rooms by hiking up a trail or climbing up a 1,300-foot (400-meter) via Ferrata route of ladders. Guests and non-guests can combine the via Ferrata with a 330-foot (100-meter) rappel back down, or hike a short trail up to the start of a six-platform zipline.

More Sacred Valley travel tips

Continue planning your Sacred Valley and Cuzco adventure with our comprehensive 20-part travel guide to the Sacred Valley and Cuzco, including vital information about archaeological sites, where to eat, Machu Picchu travel, hotels in Cuzco, hiking the Inca Trail, and much more.

 

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