Machu Picchu Hotels

Our Machu Picchu tours are all custom-made so you can decide what kind of hotel you wish to stay in whilst visiting Peru with us. Being based in Cusco we have lots of local knowledge, and will offer you recommendations to suit your travel style, comfort level and budget.

The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu sits on a jungle-clad mountain ridge around 400 meters above the village of Aguas Calientes. The vast majority of visitors arrive in Aguas Calientes by train from Cusco and the Sacred Valley, and there are many accommodation options in the small settlement to suit all tastes and budgets. When you are designing your trip with your travel consultant they will advise you of various options, but whichever you choose you will be escorted on foot to your hotel to leave your luggage prior to your journey up to Machu Picchu itself.

Our Favorite Hotels in Peru

There are three circumstances where this will not happen; the first is where people are on a day trip to Machu Picchu and will return to Cusco or the Sacred Valley later that same evening; secondly we occasionally have passengers who wish to get straight to the site rather than spend time checking in; thirdly is when people have decided to stay at the Sanctuary Lodge right at the gate of the Inca site in which case they will take a bus up to the site entrance first.

Hotels in Aguas Calientes or at Machu Picchu?

Aguas Calientes is connected to Machu Picchu by a 25 minute bus ride along a non-paved road with steep switchbacks and impressive views. The hotels in the village range from very basic backpacker hostels to the 5 star and first class Sumaq and Inkaterra Pueblo hotels. We at Escaped to Latin America do not use any really basic accommodations and the minimum standard always has a private bathroom and is clean and secure. Many of our clients opt for a more up-scale hotel so they fully enjoy their visit to Machu Picchu.

The most exclusive hotel at Machu Picchu is the Orient Express Sanctuary Lodge located right outside the gate to the ancient site. Whilst the location of this hotel is superb the price is very high and rooms are somewhat small as the hotel was originally constructed as workers accommodation. Additionally guests of the Sanctuary Lodge cannot enter the site any earlier than anyone else or stay at the site any later. Guests of the Sanctuary Lodge do not however have to take a bus back to the town at the end of their first day nor back up the following morning.

Aguas Calientes Hotels

There is a wide range of hotels within the town of Aguas Calientes itself. Due to the location of the town and the fact that it services one of the world’s most famous sites, prices are relatively high.
Accommodation options range from very simple hostels, to a number of mid-range properties ending with the best on offer – the 5* Sumaq Hotel and the beautiful Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel set in tropical grounds.

Among our favorite simple accommodation options are the Machu Picchu and Plaza Hostels and the Presidente. In the mid-range bracket we like the Andean Luxury Hotel and the Santuario before arriving at the 4* options of the Hatuchay Tower and the El Mapi Hotels. The relatively new Sumaq Hotel is a family owned property which utilizes Andean designs in its’ décor and employs people from the local area. The restaurant is particularly famed, offering a high standard of Novo-Andean cuisine. There is also a spa.

The Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is a lovely property with one or two storey buildings set in tropical grounds. As part of your stay you may enjoy included guided tours of the grounds to see the many orchids which grow there and the abundant wildlife. The hotel also has an excellent restaurant and a spa.

In all there is a good choice of accommodation available for your visit to Machu Picchu, whether you are happy with simple accommodation or want the very best there is to offer. Ask your consultant about the different options and they will be happy to help.