Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2007 - (Page 18) INKATERRA MACHU PICCHU guest rooms feature colonial Andean décor and views of the surrounding cloud forest (left). THE AWANAKANCHA ALPACA FARM is a riotously fun stopping point for visitors en route to the Urubamba Valley (bottom). Photo by Lindsay Lambert villa; leave enough time to wander the old town’s cobblestone streets before moving on) to Aguas Calientes via PeruRail’s Vistadome (www.orient-express.com/web/ tper/journeys/4_53409.jsp). In Aguas Calientes, we checked in at Inkaterra Machu Picchu, deep in the lush Andean cloud forest in the heart of the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary. Rooms and suites at the hotel, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, are tucked away in clusters on a wooded hillside overlooking the train station and the town itself. Insiders say that, just days before our arrival, Cameron Diaz overnighted in one of Inkaterra Machu Picchu’s palatial villas.We took a look around the villa, which comprises two adjoining suites, and could imagine the sanguine star stretched across the outdoor canopied daybed or soaking in the plunge pool on the patio. Fellow former guest Bill Gates likely appreciated the private entrance, gardens and 24/7 butler. Though not quite the same caliber, we were nonetheless enamored of our Superior Deluxe Room, number 45, just below the pool area and overlooking the train tracks and Vilcanota River through a beautiful bay window. Tip: Though they don’t connect, book rooms 44, 45, 46 and 47 together, as we did, for an exclusive-feeling enclave that’s perfect for a small group. If your clients are like us, they won’t want to waste any time getting up to Machu Picchu (www. machupicchu.org). For the most thrilling experience, suggest they rise around 4 a.m., allowing plenty of time for breakfast and the 25-minute bus ride to the top. If the weather is right, they’ll arrive with time to spare before the day’s first rays of sunlight break over the massive, mystical ruins, a sight we’ll surely never forget. (Crowds are sparse and the ruins less congested this time of day.) Tip: The hike to the top of Wayna Picchu (the iconic emerald peak that towers over the ruins) was the toughest—and most rewarding, considering the heart-stopping views—we’ve ever done. Only 400 climbers are permitted to ascend the peak each day, so an early start is advisable. Note: Private Inkaterra guides are assigned to hotel guests upon request; contact Luciana Martinez (51-84-211-122), who looks after VIPs on-site. Martinez can also set up treatments at Unu Spa (don’t miss the Andean sauna) or meals at Café Inkaterra or the hotel’s main dining room. Hint: At Café Inkaterra, we loved the wheat risotto, but perhaps not as much as we loved the restaurant’s signature soundtrack. Tip: One of the best ways to enjoy the hotel’s hauntingly beautiful grounds is via its Orchid Walk (best enjoyed during the wetter months of November through April, a.k.a. “orchid season”) or a guided Twilight Walk through the cloud forest. Booking tips: Peru’s dry/ peak season runs from May to October; plan to book at least one to two months in advance. Inkaterra Operations Manager Nora Espinoza (800-442-5042) handles VIP reservations and advance special requests for all three properties. Stay tuned: Inkaterra will unveil Titilaka Inkaterra, along Lake Titicaca in Puno, in November, followed by La Casona Inkaterra in Cusco in December, and a third property, in Lima, in March 2008. 18 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | September 2007 http://www.orient-express.com/web/tper/journeys/4_53409.jsp http://www.orient-express.com/web/tper/journeys/4_53409.jsp http://www.machupicchu.org http://www.machupicchu.org
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