El Albergue Ollantaytambo — Restaurant in Ollantaytambo

Upon hopping off the train, we were met with a fabulous looking coffee shop, restaurant and hotel. A few questions later, and we found the had a farm and distillery too. The lovely Stephen showed us around. He was extremely enthusiastic about the brand and highly knowledgeable about everything on site. This is a property right at the train station with beautiful rustic styling, large rooms and it is built around a garden. With an attached vegetable farm and distillery (where they produce Cana Alta on site), it’s really a lovely place to stay. Part of this complex is also a cafe: Cafe Mayu and a restaurant: El Albergue farm. You can also have a wonderful Pachamanca lunch for US$40 (we explain this in further detail later). This accomodation is considered to be expensive for the town, between $150-$200. The highlight of our El Albergue visit was the day on the farm where we experienced the traditional Pacahamanca lunch. It was $40 per person and and you learn about everything from farm to table. The Pachamanca involved heating rocks using wood, once the rocks hit the right temperature, the marinated meats; lamb, chicken and pork are placed on top and with a hiss, the meat sizzles on contact with the rocks, then some potatoes, sweet potatoes and beans are added. This is then covered with a wet cloth and dirt to retain the heat, sealing the food with in a primitive oven. 15 minutes later the food is ready and the layers are removed to reveal a simple exquisite meal. The meat served on a long table set nicely, in a serene setting, on the farm where many of the ingredients were source and with tranquil surrounds of the Andean snow covered mountains. The meal delivered to the table in rustic earthenware, perfectly suited to the meal being served. The meal is served with a mixed salad of ingredients sourced literally meters away, simply not possible for it to be any fresher. Another tasty side of quinoa cheese and vegetables cooked in a sealed cast iron crockpot also provided a great dish. Then there were the inviting chunks of super tender meat served on the bone, very succulent with the skin charred and crisp. This cooking method instils a magnificent flavour to the meat. To wash this down, a jug of their refreshing house made beetroot cordial. It is also possible to order beer wine and spirits to accompany the meal. They also support a school called Kuska on site to promote education amongst...

Our stay at El Albergue was amazing! Rather than going to Cusco, we went to Ollantaytambo straight from the airport and acclimated there for our hikes in Sacred Valley area. It was the right decision. The town is compact, less crowded, with fewer people trying to sell you stuff than what we later experience in Cusco. We spent 5 nights in El Albergue and loved our stay. The hotel upgraded us to a nice room, since we stayed so long (thank you!). The room was spacious, rustic, overlooked their organic garden, and we could see Mount Veronica from the wrap-around balcony. The breakfast included with our stay was not as big as some people (Americans :) ) might expect, but it was made from the ingredients from their organic farm and every morning, they had 3-4 options chef made by order—it was tasty. We really enjoyed sitting in the dining room overlooking the train station and watching all the excited people traveling to Machu Picchu knowing that in a few days, we would be among them. The day we had to leave early for Lake Humantay hike, they packed our breakfast and we also ordered their box lunch—it was huge and really good. I don’t like brownies—just don’t, but their coffee brownie was addictive! The restaurant on site was nice, but if you are staying in Ollantaytambo, don’t miss having diner in their sister restaurant on the main square Chuncho—our favorite place in town.

Lida, who worked the front desk most of time we were there, could not be more helpful and made sure our stay was great. She is proficient in English and was also our guide/interpreter for Pachamanca lunch. Other staff were also nice and helpful. Not all of them were as fluent and proficient in English as Lida, so we had couple small mishaps caused by something “lost in translation”; however, it was not a big deal and fixed quickly.

Whether you stay at the hotel or not, we highly recommend their Pachamanca lunch. It comes with a tour of their organic garden, coffee roasting facility, and distillery. You’ll get to taste the coffee and liquor as well. The lunch is $47, if you stay at the hotel it’s $40. Pachamanca lunch is served outdoors in a beautiful but rustic setting and it included chicken, lamb, and pork, vegetables, several kinds of potatoes, cheese vegetable dish, salad, desert, chicha morada, and coffee.

If you travel to Machu Picchu, don’t skip Ollantaytabo and spend some time at...

This hotel is known for its garden and views, but other aspects leave a lot to be desired. In fact, the hotel was quite disappointing. The hotel definitely does not meet the standards of a boutique hotel, as it describes itself.|- rooms are ok, conformable, but basic.|- PREJUDICED treatment by the staff. I felt a huge difference in treatment between European and North American guests and Latin guests. I had never experienced this before in a hotel and I found it very serious.|- It definitely does not work for long stays or as a base for exploring the Sacred Valley, precisely because it is at the train station. The place has a strong smell of BURNING FUEL, and there is TRAIN NOISE all the time. You wake up and go to sleep to the sound of whistles, which is very chaotic and unpleasant.|- There are other much better options in the city.|- It is about 10 minutes from the center, with a reasonable climb. And you have to wait in lines of train passengers to get into your hotel every day.|- Breakfast is REPETITIVE AND WITHOUT VARIETY. Simpler hotels in the area had infinitely better coffee. However, it seems to be standard for the hotel, a jacket that other guests have complained about in past reviews and nothing has been done. They say they will improve in the responses to reviews and nothing has changed.|- Professional staff, but IMPATIENT AND IRRITATED. They are resistant to simple requests.|- I asked for computer at the reception to view a personal document that can only be accessed via computers. They did not allow me to use it, and there was no other available for guests to use.|- A hotel of this value has no amenities whatsoever, only soap. There is no shower cap, skin moisturizer, cotton wool. I have never seen this in hotels that classify themselves...