"Many view the Sacred Valley as a quick stop en route to Machu Picchu, but since the arrival of Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, that game has changed. The lodge, on 100 rolling-green acres and with its own onsite organic farm, is more the home of a friend than a hotel, where the staff not only welcomes you with a pisco sour in front of a roaring fireplace, but take you on guided tours of the neighboring villages and down Inca Trails that are—gasp—free of tourists. (On one trip, we saw a single villager and his donkey on a three-hour hike.) The details in the main lodge and suites keep with the Inkaterra mold of sustainable luxury—vintage textiles from the nearby village of Chinchero; locally made furniture; incredibly soft alpaca throws made for snuggling. But it’s the local interaction that makes this stay truly memorable. Don’t just admire the property’s organic farm; go help work it. And after you down a cocktail (or two), visit the onsite chicheria (a local bar where chicha is the drink of choice) to learn the chicha-making process. It all comes with an unbeatable view of the Andes."
