Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu — Hotel in Machu Picchu

I loved my time at the Sanctuary Lodge and would book again if I ever visit Machu Picchu again.

The biggest draw of the Sanctuary Lodge is the location. The hotel sits right across from the entrance of Machu Picchu, making it incomparable to any other option. The location worked well because it allowed me to visit multiple Machu Picchu circuits, with rest, food, and drink in between. You cannot do this if you choose another option.

The biggest surprise for me though was the service. It was simply astounding at how willing, kind, and knowledgeable the staff were at navigating the Machu Picchu experience and making sure our stay was perfect for the day we were there. If you let them know in advance, they can book any circuit you want at the time you want, provide excellent guides, and book the bus ride up to the hotel and down from the hotel. In fact, when we needed to go back to the rail station, a worker at the reception (Kevi) noticed that the line back down to the station had a very long line. He somehow allowed us to skip the line, and just waved us onto next available bus down, saving our family an hour waiting in the sun. My traveling group had three adults, and I let the Sanctuary Lodge know ahead of time, and they made it work by upgrading our room, for a small fee, to one of their suites, while is a bit more expensive, also came with an amazing private terrace! When we noticed that there was a pillow menu, we asked the front test to bring us one of everything, and they happily fulfilled that request. When a worker noticed that I was taking pictures of my wife in the garden, he asked to take some pictures, and moved the chairs, tables, and umbrellas around so he could take better pictures of us! Since check out time was relatively early, they still allowed us back into the hotel to have lunch after we did our second Machu Picchu circuit and had two bathrooms available where you can shower privately and get cleaned up even after you check out. They also sent our luggage down to the train station, so we didn’t have to deal with it either! There also is a Belmond lounge at the train station that you can use, an extremely nice space, convenient to stay at when our train was delayed by two hours!

The food also was excellent. Some of our party had dietary restrictions, (my wife and I are vegans) and the hotels’ restaurant was more than willing to provide us an alternative menu, and give some off the menu alterations as well to make sure we had plenty of food. Additionally, all of the food and drink (alcoholic if you want, non-alcoholic mocktails otherwise) were included in the hotel price. Breakfast was exceptional and was noteworthy at how high quality and fresh the selection available was. There was also an alcohol tasting at 6 pm available to guests in the garden, where we sampled different Peruvian alcohols, and had some light finger food available as well.

Speaking of the garden, the only thing I can say is WOW. At all times of day, it is strikingly beautiful. There are so many flowers, trees, and plants, and there were also cute little birds flying around as well. Additionally, the views were simply spectacular. It isn’t just one level, there were multiple levels, three or four. Each had some seating areas where you had such an intimate view of the mountains, and you can see a bit of Machu Picchu from there as well! And at night, the view of the stars was simply breathtaking! No light pollution since you are in such a private place, and the view was so clear because you are so high up! I highly recommend grabbing a drink from the bar, and just enjoying the sunrise, such an intimate experience that no one else can enjoy!

I was hesitant in choosing the Sanctuary Lodge because of the price, but I am so glad that I did. I am sure I would have enjoyed our trip to Machu Picchu far less if we didn’t have such an excellent stay with such excellent service. If you are on the fence about booking Sanctuary Lodge, I highly recommend you do! You will...

I'm not sure where to start, but a good place would be the staff: Mirko, Darinka, Freddy, Gabriel, Raisa, "Trainee" (that was her name tag - she was awesome), Alex, Alex, and Alex. These folks, and everyone else throughout the hotel, from the moment I walked in fresh off an 4-day Inca Trail hike, made my stay comfortable, fun, and unforgettable. In every interaction the staff did everything they could to create an experience that led with a service-first, luxury, whatever-you-need-we're-happy-to-help orientation. Having the privilege of staying for three nights, it was a pleasure to get to see everyone everyday, interact, laugh, and genuinely get to know them. The folks there were top notch and should be commended for their exemplary work and work ethic. ||Second to the staff was the food and space. The food was some of the best that I had in Peru. I was especially amazed by the lomo saltado and the chocolate desserts. Paired with a fantastic wine selection (along with the pisco sours and Cusquenas), the cuisine and its presentation were also top notch. We also had the pleasure of a cooking class where we made ceviche and lomo saltado, had a local liquor tasting with Freddy, a presentation on coffee and cocoa with Mirko, and yet another presentation on potatoes with Alex. These experiences, matched with the incredible in room treats (chocolate trees and endless treats and drinks), heightened the experience at the hotel and demonstrated the care and awareness of the Peruvian culture and identity brought to you by the people there. ||Last, the hotel itself. Overlooking the buses coming to and from Machu Picchu all day, the space is terrific. The outside seating area next to the waterfall, hummingbird feeders, and orchid walk was the perfect place to unwind with a drink and stare at the mountains. From that same spot you can see folks walking around Machu Picchu and the extraordinary mountains. Simply phenomenal. Additionally, the rooms were exceptionally clean, quiet, comfortable, full of all the treats and drinks you enjoy. The turn down and room services were second to none. ||Overall, if you have the means, you need to say here. And if you can, get the inclusive drinks and food. My entire stay was magical only made better by the people. I could go on and on about them and other experiences; but the main point is that they did everything and went beyond any of my expectations to ensure my stay was perfect. ||Staying at The Sanctuary Lodge at the end of our time on the Inca Trail and in Peru left me fulfilled and happy. Thank you to everyone for making this experience truly...

The Sanctuary Lodge is the fourth Belmond property we stayed at in Peru (if you count the Hiram Bingham train that transported us from Cusco to Machu Picchu). As with all the other properties, it did not disappoint.

First let's set expectations. Unlike the other Belmond hotels, The Sanctuary Lodge is just that - a lodge with less than 40 rooms. It's also the only place you can stay literally steps away from the entrance of the heritage park. So if you're thinking of a grand, spacious hotel, then this lodge is far from that.

The Sanctuary Lodge's best asset is location, location, location. You just can't beat it. Think about it - say you want to catch the sunrise at Machu Picchu. You can either rise very early in the morning at wherever you're staying in Aguas Calientes and then join the [long] queue for the shuttles that'll take you up to the entrance of Machu Picchu. Or you can stay at The Sanctuary Lodge, get an extra hour or two of sleep, and then leisurely walk to the park entrance.

As I mentioned earlier, the lodge is not an incredibly large property. The rooms are clean, comfortable, but also cozy. The standard and superior rooms only have a shower and no tub. Some have a patio with access to the courtyard where you can also get to the meditation temple that has a great view of the iconic Huayna Picchu.

Food and beverage at the hotel is good. The lodge has two restaurants - one that offers an a la carte menu while the other is buffet only. The buffet-only restaurant caters mostly to the tour groups and independent tourists who visit the nearby park, so set your expectations accordingly regarding the quality of the food. Still, it's several degrees better than a typical national park concessionaire.

The service is unmistakeably Belmond. Staff here are well-trained, many speak English, and do their best to cater to your needs. It may be a lodge, but it's still a...