© a.bryce
Peru is one of the hottest destinations in the world right now. All you need to do is look at the Peruvian restaurants popping up all over the place, from London to Ibiza, to notice our collective fascination with the culture – and the visitor numbers just keep rising to record-breaking heights.
But while the South American country might be known as a haven for backpackers, with fascinating cultural sights, fantastic food and all the alpacas and llamas you could hope to pet, Peru does high-end just as well. I set off to see just a few of Peru’s highlights, from Machu Picchu to the bustling capital, Lima, to experience the luxurious side of Peru first hand.
First, the city of Cusco. It was breathtaking: not just for its fascinating mix of Inca, colonial and modern architecture, but at 3,400m up, it quite literally took my breath away. I based myself at the stunning Palacio del Inka, a five-star hotel set in a mansion dating back five centuries.
Rates at Palacio del Inka start from around £217 including breakfast; marriott.com
It was perfectly placed to explore Cusco’s many delights, from the Incan ruins of Sacsayhuamán to the city’s picturesque main square and Cusco Cathedral. Thankfully with all that walking at altitude, the hotel was a great place to retreat. Immediately impressive, with vast ceilings and cobbled courtyards, the grandeur flows through the spacious rooms that are bursting with history.
I could have spent longer in postcard-pretty Cusco… but the road to Machu Picchu beckoned. If you’re an active type, you might have considered doing one of the lengthy treks to the ancient Incan city, but I was tight for time and happy to board the First Class Machu Picchu Train from IncaRail.
The 360° Machu Picchu Train starts from around £59pp one way during low season. The First Class train starts from around £110pp one way during low season; incarail.com
This is no ordinary train: think dazzling Andean landscapes, a lounge bar with live music – and even a balcony for taking in the fresh mountain air. The trip was made all the better with more than a few perfect South American wines to muse over.
At Aguas Calientes, the small town that’s the gateway to Machu Picchu, I took the short walk to the Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel. Away from the bustling backpacking crowds, it was a surprisingly quiet spot. But elegant rooms and perfect location on the Vilcanota River aside, it was all about the food.
Rates at the Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel start from around £454 per room per night based on double occupancy and including breakfast, lunch or dinner, mini bar and more. The hotel offers complimentary activities for guests such as culinary demonstrations or mini-chef cooking lessons for children.
Think masterclasses in ceviche and Pisco sours, a gourmet, modern Andean restaurant, and a private dining room offering a six-course tasting menu, including Andean tubers with a Quishuarcancha mushroom duxelle sauce and delicate salmon trout cubes in tiger’s milk flavoured with Camu Camu and strawberry, to name just a couple of plates.
There was also a fascinating Pachamanca lunch. The centuries old culinary tradition involves slowly cooking in an underground oven. The result, hours later, was a delicious, healthy, earthy meal that was aromatic and amazingly simple to make. I’ve already started plotting how to recreate the experience in my own garden.
© KmCero
Finally, it was time to experience one of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu. The ancient Inca citadel is Peru’s most visited tourist destination, but no number of Instagram shots can prepare you for the majesty of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a world away from any photograph, especially as my tour guide and shaman taught me more about the historical and spiritual nature of Machu Picchu.
‘Discovered’ by Hiram Bingham, a Yale University professor, in 1911, I can see why tourists return to Machu Picchu dozens of times: with a guided visit just the start of understanding the citadel’s mysteries.
Rates at Tambo del Inka start from around £240 including breakfast; tambodelinkaresort.com
If visiting Machu Picchu only piqued your curiosity into Inca culture, your next stop should be the Sacred Valley. I jumped aboard the Inca Rail to Ollantaytambo and checked into Tambo del Inka in Urubamba, a stylish five-star hotel that’s a great base for exploring sites such as the salt mines of Maras, the Ollantaytambo ruins and the round terraces of Moray.
The main event was the farm-to-table dining experience. In the most beautiful of settings, on the Urubamba River, with the Andes in the background, we collected organic ingredients from the garden cooked traditionally over a fire. Think salads, vegetables seasoned with Maras salt and trout marinated with Andean mint – with some fine Peruvian wine, of course.
Rates at the Westin Lima start from around £240 including breakfast, with a 15% discount on Friday and Saturday nights; westinlima.com
Before flying home, there was just enough time to make a quick stop at Peru’s capital, Lima, and the Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center. The rooms were stylish, with great views over the city, enormous, spalike bathrooms and all the modern trappings you could hope for.
After a busy day exploring the Miraflores district, munching ceviche at clifftop outdoor mall Larcomar and scouring the Indian Market, returning to the hotel was a relief. I spent a good two hours de-stressing at the enormous spa.
All good things come to an end, and before I knew it I was racing to Lima’s airport, battling traffic to catch my plane. Armed with a notebook full of Peruvian recipes, an extra suitcase of souvenirs and a new fascination for all things Inca, I was already planning my next trip: London’s Peruvian restaurants may be good, but they simply can’t match up to the real thing.
To find out more about Peru visit peru.travel.
