Peru’s Sacred Valley Explora Hotel

Written on Friday, January 10, 2020 by Emma Whiting Travel

We arrived into Cusco in the late afternoon.  As always in this part of the world the descent in through the Andes mountain range was spectacular.  Cusco itself looked from the air just like a large town, quaint and pretty.  We were heading about a 1.5hour drive away from Cusco to the Sacred Valley.  By the time we were halfway into the trip it was pitch black.  We wound and wound and wound our way around the mountains until finally we were at the Explora property in the Sacred Valley. I had no idea what to expect but the sheer beauty of the place was amazing.  We were met by friendly staff, drinks and snacks and a welcome sit down to hear one of the guides talk about the property and our big day to Machu Picchu the following morning.

We were then shown our rooms.  Wow!  Everything had been thought of, the beds were like clouds, the shower was amazing and although we couldn’t see the views at this time of night I had to sleep with the blinds up as I knew I’d wake up to something pretty magical.  Then there was dinner.  What can I say to describe the food at this property?  Beyond sensational.  Everything I ate over the 4 days here was just beautiful.  Melt in your mouth, yummy!  I would go back here just for the food!  The property had an open bar so you could grab a Pisco sour anytime you felt like it and the staff were more than happy to let you have a go yourself.  Finally it was off to bed to sleep in the cloud experience!  The next morning I was not disappointed.  The view directly out the bed and bathroom windows was literally straight on to the Andes.  Stunning with the sun coming up for our early start to Machu Picchu.  The guides, attention to detail and visiting Machu Picchu itself was nothing short of a dream (read my blog about it here).  It was a long day, getting back to the hotel at around 9:30pm, but they’d kept the restaurant open for us and again it was fantastic.

The next day was a free day so we had time to either do a smaller trek or check out the spa area at the property.  This was gorgeous.  It was a converted old building, a meeting place in the past, that had been completely preserved and restored to what it had been.  The brickwork was amazing. There was a beautiful pool outside in the gorgeous gardens, as well as steam rooms, massage rooms, spas and more.  On top of that you could enjoy a glass of bubbly while having your treatments!  Overall this is one of the most amazing places I’ve ever stayed at.  They are also as eco-friendly as you can get which is so important these days.  The staff were fantastic, the locals are all employed in the resort which really added to the experience, being able to learn about their lives in this incredible destination.

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