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Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa
Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & SpaThe Sacred Valley, the Inca heartland a short distance from Cusco, has been flooded with new luxury hotels over the past five years and each one out does the one before.
The Sacred Valley, the Inca heartland a short distance from Cusco, has been flooded with new luxury hotels over the past five years and each one out does the one before. In 2009 the Aranwa opened and the Orient Express took over the Hotel Rio Sagrado. Already in the area were the always-expanding Sol y Luna Lodge, the Sonesta in Yucay, the Casa Andina Private Collection, Urubamba Villa and several others. In the coming years both Inkaterra and Explora will be opening properties. The current top property is Libertador’s Tambo of the Inka hotel, which opened in mid-2010, and comes on the heels of the chain’s stellar hotel in Paracas on the desert coast.
The most comparable property in the valley to the Tambo del Inka is the Aranwa, as it also has a full spa and impressive grounds that include gardens, ponds, and river views. While the Aranwa leans toward a more colonial feel throughout and a more impressive exterior setting though, the Tambo del Inka is far more modern and the quality of the general amenities are superior in almost every aspect: the restaurant, bar, common areas, in room electronics, bed linens, etc.
Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & SpaThe 126 – room Tambo of the Inka is the only Sacred Valley hotel to sit right in the center of town and have its own railway station in Urubamba for trips to Machu Picchu. A big plus is being able to walk off the resort into town to have dinner at the excellent El Huacatay restaurant or have a drink in one of Urubamba’s understated bars and cafes. Designed by architect Bernardo Fort Brescia, who also designed Libertador’s Paracas hotel, the trapezoidal property runs parallel to the Rio Urubamba and rooms face either it or the opposing gardens backed by town, the cordillera, and Chicón glacier.
Rooms are mostly uniform throughout, varying only with an added room for the junior suites and suites (note: private butler service can be added in the suites). All have some sort of sitting area, an LCD TV, wood floors, Andean accents, and a either a balcony / patio or large sliding glass windows with a sort of lean – to balcony.
Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & SpaThe earthy interiors are a high point of the hotel. Most are contemporary renditions of Inca textiles, stone walls, and pottery that take oversized forms and are put together in original ways — such as in stone fireplaces and hanging tapestries. A vibe that is stylish and not at all dated runs throughout the halls, lobby, bar, lounge, and restaurant.
Sacred Valley hotel dining The restaurant, with a menu designed by Lima chef Rafael Piqueras, is one of the better hotel restaurant menus in the Sacred Valley and runs the gamut from standard international fare like steaks and grilled trout to more Novo Andina dishes like Lamb loin crusted with yellow pepper and pecans. An upstairs bar and attached game room also offers a small menu and has a long list of original cocktails, mostly featuring pisco (note: the Libertador owners also own Viñas de Oro, one of Peru’s top pisco distilleries).
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Budget
- Moderately Priced
Best For Whom
- Mature Travellers
- Families With Teenagers
- For Her
- For Him
- Couples
- Groups
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