Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel

The service and food at Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel were truly exceptional and, unfortunately, were the only aspects of our stay that genuinely felt deserving of its proclaimed “five star luxury property” status. Every member of staff we encountered was warm, friendly, and eager to help. A special thank you to Enrique, who looked after us so well throughout our stay. The restaurant team were also wonderful, and every meal we had was absolutely delicious. The spa was another highlight, with Eva and Maria providing some fantastic massages that we looked forward to each day. Unfortunately, almost everything else was disappointing. The hotel’s infrastructure feels tired and overdue for refurbishment. The décor is dated, the carpets felt old, and the rooms simply did not have the standard or atmosphere you would expect from a luxury five star hotel. The biggest issue was the lack of sound insulation. The windows appear to be made from very basic glass, and we could hear absolutely everything from outside, including buses, people talking as they walked past, barking dogs, and general street noise. Whenever the train passed, the entire hotel shook. Thankfully there were no late night trains, but it significantly affected the comfort of our stay. The plumbing also appeared to be ageing, with unpleasant sewage smells coming from the bathroom drain. We were also quite surprised to discover that a bottle of water we grabbed from reception while rushing off for our tour was charged at more than USD 10, despite much larger bottles being available at nearby shops for around USD 2. It felt unnecessarily excessive. Our biggest frustration, however, was the organisation handled by the Sumaq Lima office. The coordination of our transfers, tours, and even spa appointments was unnecessarily confusing and poorly managed. On our return journey to Cusco, we were left waiting at the train station in the dark for around an hour and a half because nobody arrived to collect us. We were initially told the driver had been delayed by roadworks and was on the way. However, after waiting for an hour, we were informed the driver was still another 45 minutes away. Following several calls with the booking office, they eventually arranged an alternative transfer. Interestingly, our replacement driver encountered no roadworks or closures whatsoever, which unfortunately made the explanation we had been given difficult to believe. We were also instructed to leave the train early and complete the remainder of the journey by car because we were told it would be “more comfortable”. In reality, the train would have been far more comfortable than the long drive over rough, unpaved roads. Had we known, we would have simply remained on the train all the way to Cusco. We also booked our Machu Picchu experience through the hotel, paying a premium expecting expert guidance. Unfortunately, very little information was provided about the different circuits or what each option actually included. We ended up booked onto a circuit combined with a very steep mountain hike, with sections approaching a 70 percent incline, despite this not being what we had intended to book. There was no map, no explanation of the available circuits, and no breakdown of exactly what we were paying for. Afterwards, we discovered that Machu Picchu circuit tickets can be purchased directly through the official ticket office. We also believe the hotel should offer circuit only options instead of primarily packaging them with mountain hikes. Not every visitor is looking for such a physically demanding experience, and clearer information would help guests choose the experience that best suits them. Considering the premium price of the hotel, we expected far more. While the incredible staff did everything they could to make our stay enjoyable, the ageing facilities, poor sound insulation, and organisational issues meant the overall experience simply did not represent good value for money. We are sincerely grateful to Enrique, Eva, Maria, and the entire restaurant team, who were the highlights of our stay and deserve recognition for their outstanding hospitality.

Positives: Food is good and the spa is good. Staff are friendly — Enrique in particular, the restaurant team, and therapists Eva and Maria in the spa. There are issues though. Now for the important stuff: - All pre-stay communication and reservations go through the Sumaq Lima office, not the Machu Picchu hotel itself. This may be part of why the issues below happened. - Booking the Machu Picchu circuits months in advance was a bad experience. Communication was poor, and the website doesn't explain which circuits are included in each tour, even though circuit maps are readily available online. Because of this confusion, we were booked into Circuit 3A, which includes a difficult mountain hike (like vertical incline where you sign a death waiver) we obviously didn't do — but we still paid extra for the ticket and guide who was booked for that. The next day was Circuit 1A, which includes a different mountain hike we again skipped. The email threads were confusing, and they didn't explain the circuits even after we asked directly. - They arranged our transfers from the Sacred Valley to their hotel and then on to Cusco in advance, recommending the Hiram Bingham train, which felt expensive but we booked anyway to get our luggage handled. On the train we discovered it included a Machu Picchu Circuit 1 tour — one we'd already booked and paid for separately the next day, since nobody told us the train ticket included a tour. They also had us get off at Ollantaytambo on the return leg rather than going straight to Cusco, our actual destination. That cost us an extra 1hr 45min on a bumpy, traffic-heavy road — a route they arranged and were paid for, so there may have been a financial incentive to route us that way. With altitude health concerns - this is poor planning from Sumaq. - Following on from that: we ended up stranded roadside at Ollantaytambo station at night for two hours because of a transfer mix-up booked by Sumaq. It was hard to reach anyone to find out where our driver was - we had to call our travel agent for help. When we finally got through, they said the driver was 15–20 minutes away. Fifteen minutes later, the driver sent his location over WhatsApp and he was over an hour away still. I called Sumaq again and told them this wasn't acceptable, and they got us another driver within 5 minutes - something they should have done immediately. Whether it was a booking error or their transfer partner simply didn't show or is not professional enough for luxury hotel transfers - the "roadworks" excuse and the "15/20 minutes away" line were a blatant lie from someone. They need a new transfer partner and to re-evaluate travel planning procedures. For these reasons I wouldn't recommend the hotel. A 5-star property should confirm transfers, communicate clearly, and plan the most sensible route for the guest for seamless stress free travel — not the most profitable one for them which causes stress. I originally tried to book Inkaterra but it was full, so book early if that's your preference. A few other things worth flagging - the windows are very thin and the sliding doors have no seals, so buses, passersby, and dogs are easily heard, and the room doesn't get properly dark. The pillows are soft and unsupportive, and I had to brush small flies off mine before bed — they must get in through gaps around the balcony doors. Mild sewerage smell from shower drain. Passing trains rock the building like an earthquake. Room-temperature bottled water at the front desk was about $10 USD, versus $1.80 for a chilled one at the bus stop just outside. We can afford it, but it's a bit much. Hilton Diamond status wasn't acknowledged or factored in at all. We did appreciate the 1pm late checkout, which we were told they worked hard to secure — but that's typically standard with Diamond status anyway. Overall the hotel feels more like a 4-star property and doesn't justify the roughly $700 USD/night we paid.

We had a great time our helper Enrique was great he showed us around town he helped us with the details and helped us get tickets for mucho picho he was great

The hotel is really lovely, with amazing river views. The rooms are clean and spacious and the staff was very helpful in coordinating our Machu Picchu visit. The bar had some really cool cocktails downstairs as well, which we really enjoyed. The only downside was the restaurant menu was the same every day and so we had to venture out for new cuisine eventually.

On my way to Machu Picchu, I stayed in the nearby town at this hotel. Antonious and Frank make all visitors feel at home with their excellent hospitality. This establishment served as home base for my two-day visits to the Citadel. You will not be disappointed staying at this hotel.