Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Peru / Machu Picchu / Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu
Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu, Peru · Belmond · Grand Luxury
The only hotel in the world inside a UNESCO World Heritage Site — positioned immediately at the entrance gate of Machu Picchu at 2,400 metres, reachable only by train to Aguas Calientes and then bus. The property’s unique operating licence grants guests dawn entry to the citadel before the daily crowds are admitted.
- 31 rooms
- Opened 1975
- Rooms from 161 sq ft (15 m²)
About Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu
- The site served as a research and guard station from shortly after Hiram Bingham re-publicized the ruins in 1911, decades before the current lodge was built.
- No road reaches the property — access is by train to Aguas Calientes, then a 20-minute bus up the mountain.
- Entry-level rooms start at 161 sq ft (15 m²).
History
The site at the entrance to Machu Picchu was used as a research and guard station from shortly after Hiram Bingham re-publicised the citadel in 1911. A purpose-built lodge was constructed in the 1970s, and Orient-Express Hotels assumed management to operate the only hotel in the world at a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The property's unique licence permits guests to enter the Machu Picchu citadel at dawn — before the crowds arrive — from the hotel entrance gate. Rooms are modest in size but feature local materials and marble bathrooms.
The setting
Sits immediately adjacent to the entrance gate of the Machu Picchu citadel at 2,400m (7,972 ft) elevation, accessible only by rail to Aguas Calientes followed by a 20-minute bus to the ruins. No road reaches the property. 9-minute walk to Machu Picchu's Temple of the Three Windows. 10-minute walk to Sacred Plaza.
Restaurants and bars
- Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant — Restaurant · Peruvian
- Sanctuary Bar — Bar
- Tampu — Restaurant
Experiences
- Cultural ceremonies and time-honored rituals — Guests take part in time-honored rituals, guided by local guides and storytellers who continue the Incas' legacy.
- Rainforest gastronomy at Tampu — Rainforest focused dining at Tampu.
- Peruvian spirits at Tampu Bar — Peruvian spirits served at Tampu Bar.
- Cooking classes and tasting experiences — Cooking classes and tasting experiences offered by the hotel.
- Casual buffet at Tinkuy — Casual buffet dining at Tinkuy.
- Andean wellness treatments — Restorative Andean treatments in a massage room.
Amenities
- Exclusive dawn access to Machu Picchu before general opening
- Pool
- Guided archaeological tours
- Hiking programs in surrounding cloud forest
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Only hotel within Machu Picchu UNESCO citadel site
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