Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel

To be close to Machu Picchu in the first place is privilege enough; a hotel of Sumaq Machu Picchu’s quality feels almost gratuitous. In Aguas Calientes, the last stop along the way to the famous historical site, you’d settle for a lot less — likewise, a hotel as elegant and luxurious as Sumaq would be a hit even in a less spectacular location. With just 60 rooms and suites, it’s in no danger of feeling out of proportion with its surroundings, and thanks to the way it’s tastefully tailored to its setting — it’s full of Inca art and objets — it never feels anything less than wholly respectful.

The vast majority of the rooms are Deluxes, with either a king bed or a pair of twins, and more than half of these are on the side of the hotel that looks out over the river valley and the peaks that surround Machu Picchu. They’re all equipped with goose-down comforters and marble baths, and the three suites take things up just a notch, with whirlpool tubs in addition to their extra space. A restaurant serves upscale modern Peruvian fare, a spa awaits to help you recover from your hikes, and the cocktail bar, safe to say, knows its way around a pisco sour.