Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu

The Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge was an Orient Express property, now managed by the high-end Belmond group and has a truly privileged location. Just a few metres from the entrance to Machu Picchu, guests can be one of the first to enter or last to leave the ruins. Adhering to strict planning permission, the hotel has just 31 intimately sized rooms and suites with varying views, some of which have patios that open out to the garden. The small garden is home to orchids and hummingbirds, providing a bit of relief from the bustle of tourists outside the hotel during the day, as well as a small outdoor jacuzzi. There are two onsite restaurants: one serving a buffet lunch, popular with the day-trippers to the ruins, and the other serving a buffet breakfast and an a la carte lunch and dinner, offering a more secluded option during peak lunch hours. Although maintaining Belmond’s characteristically impeccable service, what you are really paying for is the location.