Peruvian Adventure with Belmond

We did not take a tour with them, but we did stay at the Sanctuary Lodge AT the summit of Machu Picchu. While I would not normally book a hotel that's over $1,000 a day, this tiny luxury property allows you to be at the attraction before the first bus arrives from Aguas Calientes, and to have a high-end hot lunch while going right back to your sightseeing.

You don't actually mention Machu Picchu, but I assume you are going. The Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel at the top of the mountain. Everything else is in Aguas Calientes, at the base of the switchback road restricted to busses.

This type of trip is likely to have many VERY early departures. Our breakfasts were often at 5:00 or 5:30.

Wow. Nose-bleed territory for multiple reasons! It does look like the place to stay, if you can manage the cost...

While I would not normally book a hotel that's over $1,000 a day, this tiny luxury property allows you to be at the attraction before the first bus arrives from Aguas Calientes

@Tim - It may be a while since you checked prices there. Just looked online and I'm seeing twice that number (for the "cheap" rooms).

I guess this is one way to address overtourism!

David, you are right that we were there decades ago. But Belmond is a luxury company, priced much higher than many regular posters on this board are willing to pay. We were on a custom tour for 24, so we didn't have a separate number for two nights at Sanctuary Lodge, but it was one of the reasons I booked the trip.

I'd point out that there is crime concern in Lima, so hotels in the more expensive district of Miraflores are necessary. Belmond's Miraflores Park is double the price of familiar brands there. Their Hotel Monasterio in Cusco is a similar higher price. It's not clear whether the OP knows this yet. Belmond also brands SOME of the trains to Aguas Calientes, like the Hiram Bingham.

We are not into such expensive choices as Belmond.
We usually go with Gate 1 Travel or Road Scholar and stay in great places and our tours are wonderful.

Why pay so much for so little in return ? Gate 1 provides us with 5 star hotels when in third world countries.

If Belmond îș running the tour, I imagine it will be done to perfection!

Their hotels, as you know, are all prime x 10!!

I doubt if you can compare Belmond hotels with those a Gate One tour but I would be very interested in the luxury hotels that you stayed at, GG, while on any of their tours.....if they are the same, I'd certainly consider Gate One if I ever took a tour. Friends of mine have taken a few and liked them, but did not discuss the accommodations....

Please tell us about those hotels!!

We didn't do Peru with Gate 1, since in 2019, they didn't have any tours there.
We did Egypt with Gate 1 and stayed in Five Star Marriott hotels.

What are you paying for your Belmond tour and how many nights on the tour?

Here are the Belmond options for Peru; I imagine these are all private, but not sure.

https://www.belmond.com/trains/south-america/peru/belmond-hiram-bingham/packages-and-tours?srsltid=AfmBOoo5cOAGfh0HM_-gZ07F5CqpEu2M3fFLfJ_j8egG3O_RyAgbeYLQ

Here's a report from a traveler:

https://www.reddit.com/r/chubbytravel/comments/1cwvr32/peru_with_belmond_review/

Belmond is right up there with the best of the world's hotel companies.

Good for you!! But PLEASE write up the details when you return!!!!

WOW, $800 a night at a minimum. If the tour is 6 days or probably 5 nights, just the hotels would cost $4000.

PeruAgency that we used in 2019 now charges for the four day tour that we did (we did our own in Lima), starts at a little less than $600 pp for the entire trip.
We stayed in an excellent historic hotel in Cuzco that was a 4 star hotel. We did have a few meals to buy on our own.

https://peruagency.com/machu-picchu-express-4-days-with-huayna-picchu-hike/

Different people have different travel styles.

I'm not sure what the star system actually means in Peru. There are different criteria in different countries.

Just for fun, I looked up PeruAgency's hotels and the one in Cuzco that they call "lujo superior," costs about $400 for one night.

A decade ago, a "luxury" hotel cost, maybe $300 a night.

Today that same room is probably $900!!!

Did any of you ever imagine that you'd see a day when a hotel room--a room, not a suite..was priced at $1,000 or more???? I sure didn't!!

Thanks for your responses. I appreciate it. Lots to think about here.

Odysseys Unlimited has tours of Peru. We did the Treasures of Peru a number of years ago and the hotels were very nice. That might be a less costly option to consider.

We did a similar package tour with Belmond last March. Yes, Belmond is expensive, but it was a truly wonderful experience celebrating a milestone birthday for my husband! We did Lima on our own and then flew to Cusco and spent two night at the Belmond in Sacred Valley, Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu with one night at the Sanctuary Lodge and ending in Cusco with two nights at the Monasterio Hotel. The stay at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, primarily due to its unparalleled location right at the entrance of the Machu Picchu citadel. It was definitely a splurge, but the location, exceptional service, and private tour in the citadel made it worth every penny. Enjoy your travels in Peru!

Brenda, thank you, and thank all of you for your replies. This is very helpful info.

I spent 4 weeks in Peru last year and don't actually feel Machu Picchu was the highlight. So I'm thinking spending $1800 for a room at the sanctuary is a waste. Also most early mornings have poor visibility, even in the dry season, so getting there early may not be much benefit.

The HB train is something like $650 EW, and with the $1800 rooms, well if you are Zuckerburg then go for it.

We did Machu Picchu in late March and there was little fog early.
We got up early from our nice and cheap lodging at Aguas Calientes and had no problems going early. The crowds were better early .

We have Machu Picchu on our radar for 2027 - and with the Great Odometer Rollover coming up soon (2027 will be just "next year" soon) , I'm starting to look in more detail at things that seemed way out in the foggy future not so long ago. I do like to plan ahead.

From what I am reading, it seems the "sweet spot" for Machu Picchu is early April, give or take a week or two (that "sweet spot" being a tradeoff between nice (or at least nice enough) weather, but outside the traditional high season (June-July) when crowds are worst. So we are starting to think about late-March into mid-April (but this trip is all still quite preliminary).

I spent 4 weeks in Peru last year and don't actually feel Machu Picchu was the highlight...

@toby - So if it wasn't Machu Picchu, what was  the highlight of Peru for you?

We love Peru. Lima, Cuzco are great as well as the Sacred Valley. To us Machu Picchu was the most outstanding place we visited.
We didn't do the Amazon or Lake Titicaca.

what was the highlight of Peru for you?

I thought the Pisac through hike was better (see my trip report), ruins are comparable but mostly because of the MP crowds and tours congregating on the path there, and better weather at Pisac. Peru has many highlights, and like California the hardly known sights can be astonishing.