Deals of the day
Laucala Island Fiji
A private island refuge in the South Pacific, Laucala unites dramatic rainforest-laced landscapes and white sandy beaches with unparalleled levels of luxury and privacy. No expense has been spared at the exclusive tropical hideaway, where 25 Fijian-styled villas are set amid coconut plantations, beside deserted beaches and atop the island’s volcanic mountains, overlooking fertile coral reefs and endless jungle. Style and…
Cavo Tagoo Santorini
The exclusive Cavo Tagoo Santorini, twin of Cavo Tagoo Mykonos is located within walking distance from Fira and just a few kilometers from Oia, the resort offers luxurious suites, spectacular sunsets over the sea and a personalized service exceptional. All Suites are modern and feature a hot tub or private pool on the terrace style, design details, 43-inch LCD satellite TV, patio or terrace with stunning panoramic view…
Cocos Hotel Antigua
Perched on a lush green hillside, encircled by miles of heavenly blue sea and sandwiched between two gorgeous white sand beaches is COCOS Hotel, an all inclusive Antigua resort for couples and adults only. This rustic yet romantic and cozy boutique resort is located on the sunset side of the beautiful Caribbean Island of Antigua and comprises of a collection of 35 quaint wooden Cottages positioned on a pictoresque…
Aria Hotel Budapest
The Aria Hotel Budapest is a luxury boutique hotel with an exquisite design inspired by music. To compliment the musical concept, master designer Zoltan Varro’s vision was to simultaneously recreate the rich, lavish atmosphere of a historic Hungarian palace while also embracing visitors in the warmth and comfort of a private residence…
Royal Mansour Marrakech
The Royal Mansour can be counted amongst the few establishments in the world that defy hotel excellence. Just a few steps away from the famous Jemaa El Fna square beats the heart of the Marrakesh Palace, offering travellers the unique concept of a medina within a medina.
Each area has been designed to intuitively take guests on a sensory journey. Take a step into the secret and sumptuous history of one of the…
Mnemba Island Lodge
Steeped in culture and history, Zanzibar enticed adventurers, seafarers and traders from far and wide. Known as the spice island, from the centuries old trade of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, today the Zanzibar Archipelago is still bathed in the heady scents of spices and traditional dhows still drift across the horizon. A romantic hideaway, Mnemba Island is an exclusive paradise featuring twelve rustically chic beachside…
Kudadoo Private Island
Kudadoo’s renowned eco-consciousness and sleek design extend to the Maldives island’s 15 over-water residences where your uninterrupted enjoyment of the private island charm and the splendid natural surrounds are the norm….
Juma Amazon Lodge
With its prime location in one of the most remote and preserved regions of the Amazon Rainforest, Juma Amazon Lodge is an intimate and inviting property harmoniously nestled into the forest environment which defines it. Juma Amazon Lodge features 19 intimate bungalows seamlessly nestled into the lush surroundings of the Amazon Rainforest. In order to accommodate the water levels of the wet season…
Bawah Reserve
A gorgeous tropical paradise surrounded by a blue ocean, Bawah Reserve sits in sheltered seclusion 160 nautical miles (300km) northeast of Singapore in the remote Anambas Archipelago, Indonesia. This pristine and previously uninhabited marine conservation area is surrounded by turquoise lagoons and coral reefs, which cater to outdoor adventurers looking to indulge as well as those looking to relax in paradise…
Il Sereno Como
Il Sereno brings a new era of luxury to the banks of Italy’s iconic Lake Como. Awarded the title of “Most Anticipated New Luxury Hotel Opening in 2016” by Luxury Travel Advisor magazine, Il Sereno’s ethos of understated elegance presents a freshness to this well-established destination. Designed by Patricia Urquiola, Wallpaper* Magazine Designer of The Year 2015, the all-suite hotel promises modern style and an authentic…
Villa Principe Leopoldo Lugano
Live in a fairy tale, surrounded by prestige and nature. Imagine contemplating Lugano’s beauty in a princely residence. The former private home of German Emperor Wilhelm’s brother in law, the Villa is located on a picturesque promontory called the Collina d’Oro (Golden Hill), whose views and location are the best kept secret in town. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to live in a legendary home, a stay…
Palazzo Navona Rome
The innovative Palazzo Navona Hotel fully deserved of its role as being amongst one of the most qualified 4 star Hotels within the city “centro”, capable of fulfilling its own lifestyle qualities to satisfy even the most demanding guest. The intimate and charming ambience emits a feeling of almost magic by creating a special atmosphere which pervades this residence surrounded by its historical-art and ancient Roman…
Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery
In search for unique places, sometimes you need to get off the main roads. However, let them lead you to Bale, Istria. Then slow down and follow the road that gets narrower with every mile, as nature draws closer. Slow down even more, and then make a turn into the white road. As the iron gates of the Meneghetti estate open up in front of you, stop for just one moment – and realize that the magic actually appears off the…
Cliveden House
Cliveden House is a privately owned 5 Red Star award-winning hotel, and sister to the world-renowned Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa in Hampshire. Our story is one of over 350 years of powerful personalities, iconic parties and scandalous affairs. Built in 1666 by the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, as a gift to his mistress, Cliveden House has remained a pinnacle of…
Casa Casuarina Miami
Casa Casuarina was built in 1930 by Alden Freeman. Alden Freeman’s father, Joel Freeman was Treasurer of The Standard Oil Trust (also known as Rockefeller’s Company) and left Alden a fabulous wealth when he passed away. That gave the young and wealthy Alden the opportunity to retire at the age of 27 from being an architect and travel all over the world. Alden was also a descendent of the Mayflower on his mother’s side…
Azulik Tulum
In the heart of the Mayan jungle, a revolutionary project is about to redefine human evolution. A new vision of the future that is guided by ancestral knowledge and creates community is beginning to shape up.The VILLAS of AZULIK Tulum are built in harmony with the Mayan jungle and the Caribbean Sea. With no electric light, A/C, or television, we present nature as our main amenity, setting the perfect mood for a…
Château de La Chèvre d’Or
Nature is everywhere at Château de la Chèvre d’Or. There are lots of different gardens filled with sculptures, fountains, waterfalls, flowers, herbs, trees and shrubs. The area is perfumed with the scents of jasmine, bougainvillea and roses. The magnificent colors create a framework that blends into the horizon and the sea…
Piccolo Hotel Portofino
Hotel Piccolo Portofino, surrounded by the typical luxuriant vegetation of the Liguria Riviera, among the crystal clear water of Portofino and the blue sky, is a piece of art of the reception, unique of its kind. A hidden jewel, that has to be searched end discovered. Obtained from a refined period villa, today it is a boutique hotel, and from its generous terraces, a breathtaking view onto this exclusive stretch of coast…
Relais Borgo Santo Pietro
Situated in the heart of Tuscany, Relais Borgo Santo Pietro was once a healing stopover for medieval pilgrims. Today it continues to provide a sanctuary for modern souls, merging a 5 star luxury hotel and spa concept with a ‘farm to plate’ philosophy on a 300-acre estate. A sumptuous feeling of home pervades the 800-year-old luxury farmhouse hotel, with its worn leather armchairs pulled up around open fires, fresh flower…
Gecko Hotel & Beach Club Formentera
In the beautiful and protected island of Formentera, Gecko Hotel & Beach Club was set out for like-minded individuals to unwind, connect with oneself and nature and above all celebrate life. Gecko brings to Formentera a new form of hospitality that unites our love for the island, the beach life and the elegance of a time in the past that continues to inspire us. Our clublike restaurant, in front of the Migjorn beach, offers a…
La Clef Champs-Élysées Paris
La Clef Champs-Élysées Paris, a 5-star hotel in the centre of Paris, offers you a unique stay in a typically Parisian atmosphere. The building was built in 1907 by the Hennessy family, during the enchanting interlude offered by the Paris of the “Belle Époque”. Reflecting this magical era, our luxury hotel in Paris embodies a certain French art de vivre. La Clef Champs-Élysées Paris enjoys an idyllic setting and immerses you in the…
Boutique Hotel Die Alpbacherin
The history of DER ALPBACHERIN began in the former Angelika house. Some time ago, in the middle of Alpbach, at house number 405, stood the small bed and breakfast “Haus Angelika”. Georg and Lisa ran them with a lot of love. The success proved you right and so the desire for a new place for more guests was born. A dream came true. Together with daughter Valentina and her boyfriend Thomas, plans, dreams and…
Il San Pietro Di Positano
The San Pietro di Positano is more than a hotel. It is a journey within a journey, where memories are created and never forgotten. A haven of peace, immersed in nature, this elegant home harmonises old-world traditions of hospitality with contemporary, understated luxury. Escape to this small slice of paradise suspended between the sea and sky. Carved into the cliff overlooking the mediterranean Sea, our rooms are a…
Villa Belvedere Taormina
Hotel Villa Belvedere is a delightful and charming boutique hotel, located at just a few minutes from Taormina’s lively town centre and from the world-famous Greek-Roman Theatre, which are both reachable by walking through the inspiring and panoramic Duca di Cesarò Botanic Gardens. The hotel benefits of wonderful views over the sea, the bay of Naxos and Mount Etna. The hotel has always been…
Explora in the Sacred Valley of the incas was designed as a headquarter from where to explore a remote and great destination: Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Our lodge is within walking distance of the traditional village of Urquillos, a tiny settlement in which countless traditions are kept alive year-round by a lively and proud local community.
It took us several years to finalize our exploration routes in the Sacred Valley, as we are committed to providing our travelers with the less traveled but most rewarding experiences, away from the madding crowd of traditional tourism without missing any of the destination’s most rewarding landscapes and cultural hubs alike.
Explora is located in one of the region’s most remote ancient corn plantations close to the Urquillos village. It is designed in line with its surroundings, generating a dialogue with the high Andean mountains around the valley, as well as the surrounding plantations that are still today being harvested by townspeople.
How to get here
Once you arrive to Lima, the capital of Peru, you must connect to the city of Cusco. Our team will welcome you there and take you to Explora close to the Urquillos town, in the Sacred Valley of the incas.
Suite Room
6 suites (570 feet²) with views to the corn plantations and mountains surrounding the valley. Designed to take full advantage of the silence, privacy, and spaciousness of the surrounding landscape, ensuring deep rest after a long day of exploration.
Cuisine
The gastronomic experience in Explora in the Sacred Valley of the incas was developed exclusively by the renowned Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez, owner of the sixth best restaurant in the world, according to The World’s Best Restaurants 2019 ranking.
Our cuisine is inspired by the Andes and its diversity of products, ingredients and traditions. Through it, we want each of our travelers to deeply connect with the territory we inhabit and live a unique gastronomic experience in the Valley.
Spa
The hard work by restoration experts, jointly with the Archaeology Institute of Peru, successfully managed to preserve the cultural and ancient heritage of this region, transforming this house into a museum where travelers can recharge energies after a day of exploration.
Located opposite to the main building in the hacienda where the hotel is sited, the Pumacahua Bath House catches the eye immediately. It is clear for anyone that this brilliantly preserved colonial house has its own history to be revealed.
ESSENTIALS JOURNEY
Ideal for explorers who wish to focus solely on the main landmarks: Cusco, Pisac, Ollaytantambo and Machu Picchu. A guided discovery of the Inca Civilization’s cradle.
Discover the Sacred Valley’s interwoven culture cultural landscapes and remote corners through our carefully crafted explorations, designed to follow the road less traveled, yet accessing the territory’s most striking routes and features.
From ancient corn plantations to perfectly preserved archaeological sites and ruins, markets, remote towns, and snow-capped mountains, the Sacred Valley is every explorer’s paradise.
Explorations
Our explorations take travelers through the colonial history of Cusco and the architectural magnificence of the Incas in Machu Picchu, isolated villages, archaeological sites such as Ollantaytambo, Moray, Chinchero and Pisac, to Andean pampas and mountains or Apus, considered by locals as guardians of people and nature.
Our explorations in the Sacred Valley have been designed so as to provide travelers with an in depth experience of the Inca civilization’s cradle, allowing them to fully immerse and go deeper into the territory’s countless natural and cultural features.
For this purpose we have outlined four different exploration zones – each with its own set of unique geographic, cultural and biosphere characteristics.
The Areas we explore
In order to fully experience the valley’s rich natural and cultural heritage, while witnessing its contrasting landscapes.
We recommend you start by exploring the Quechua zone, where our lodge is located, continuing with explorations in the Suni and Puna zones, and finally the Janca zone, which may require acclimatization and specific physical preparation .
Quechua
The Quechua zone is the starting point for all our explorations in the Sacred Valley. Following the winding course of the Urubamba River, this area showcases Inca architecture at its best, enclosing some of Peru’s most important archaeological landmarks, from Pisac to Macchu Picchu.
As we ascend progressively through cornfields, orchards and small villages bustling with life, we reach some of the most enigmatic and remote archaeological sites
of the valley, as is Pumamarca, a hillside fortress that once guarded the entrance to the valley’s fertile lands.
Suni
With the valley at its feet, Suni is a transition zone between the Quechua and Puna zones. Within, some of the area’s most memorable panoramic views can be found from winding paths perched high on deep gorges plunging into the green abyss below.
This zone showcases the valley’s verticality – a pivotal component around which the Incas developed their particular cosmovision.
Technological development and communal work structures can be evidenced in the extremely well-preserved ruins of the Moray experimental crop center and the Salineras de Maras, as well as the precision and craftsmanship of Tipon’s fluvial canals, which remain active to this day.
Puna
Abruptly rising from the ground beneath your feet, mountains define almost every aspect of the Sacred Valley’s identity.
As they grow in height the sheer power of altitude, combined with the cold from the perpetual glaciers perched high on their rugged shoulders, are proof of how living conditions become harsher the further from the ground you dare to go.
Explorations in the area of the Puna take travelers through narrow shepherd mountain trails and chromatic progressions of green, brown and white. This
highly dynamic zone is a feast to the eyes that varies significantly depending on the seasons and harvesting times.
Janca
Towering titans that reach into the clouds above, defying altitude and gravity in order to provide a vital experience of heaven on Earth for all who venture their slopes.
Janca is the highest part of the Peruvian Andes. Its inaccessibility simultaneously defines its essence and beauty. Due to the zone’s extreme altitude, life acquires a calmer pace; human settlements are scarce and dedicated mainly to high mountain mining.
Reaching the Janca zone requires special acclimatization due to the area’s extremely low temperatures and lack of oxygen. Likewise, this zone is mostly steep terrain, which requires technical knowledge and experience.
Bike
Biking allows us to explore and discover greater distances, feeling how the elements change throughout the day, varying in intensity –beginner or advanced– and duration – half day to full day.
Rio Urubamba
The road used for this exploration goes down the south side of the Urubamba River, a quiet area of cornfields, old haciendas and manors from the 19th and 20th centuries. This bike ride is recommended for families wishing to take a long walk or for those who want to take on a sport. 32,4 km – 3h
Combination
Within a same day we can combine different types of exploration – starting with a hike followed by a bike-ride, a horseback-ride or vice versa.
Moray Avalanche
Our exploration begins with a hike through a community located in the hills, and descends to the Inca ruins of Moray, a special site that was used as an agricultural research center. Afterwards, we continue on bicycle, from the top of the slopes of the valley we descend on a wide path kept in good condition.
The journey offers interesting views towards the mountains and the Urubamba river. Once the descent is finished, we continue along land parallel to the river, an area full of orchards and cornfields, as well as a great density of Inca terraces.
High Mountain Ascent
We strive to introduce our travelers to truly remote locations – and mountains are one of them. Each one has its own different demands and rewards, yet they all guarantee a revitalizing experience for mind and body alike.
Chicón
We reach the community of Cuncani after a three-hour drive. Hiking upslope, we pass by a shepherds’ estancia. We then follow a trail used by the community for livestock and farming activities.
Once we reach the Chicón glacier, the hike continues through ice and snow; after the pass we enjoy an amazing view of the Sacred Valley and the Maras plateau. We descend crossing a Queuñas forest.
Hike
We hike throughout our locations. Walking at your own, committed pace, allows you to immerse in the natural and cultural landscapes we explore, varying in intensity –beginner or advanced– and duration – half day to full day.
Colores de Huaypo
During this exploration, we can get to know the daily life of local communities: shepherds and farmers.
Between November and May, the landscape is lush green and humid, while from June to October the setting features are ochre, red and yellow. Lunch is served beside a lagoon and the last span of the route takes us to at an altitude from where a broad 360° panoramic view can be enjoyed.
Overland
These are van-led explorations interrupted by short-duration hikes along the way. The combination allows travelers to access areas of particular beauty and ecological significance.
Machu-Picchu
We explore the famous historical sanctuary of Machu Picchu, one of the most impressive architectural expressions of the Inca civilization. We leave the hotel towards the train station in Ollantaytambo, where we take the train to the town of Aguas Calientes to ascend to Machu Picchu by bus.
We explore this magical place for approximately three hours. This version does not include the hike to Puerta del Sol or Inti Punku. Once we’ve visited the sanctuary, we leave Machu Picchu and head towards the station to take the train back
Self Guided
The company and knowledge of one of our guides, is available for you to discover unique locations in the areas surrounding our lodge – either on foot or bicycle. For further information approach our exploration team.
La Capilla
This hike up to the chapel located on the hillside behind the hotel offers views of the valley, cornfields and mountains. The chapel is a sample of the religious syncretism of this area where Catholicism and local traditions converge.
