I am planning a trip to Peru for our family (3). I have picked all of my hotels and made reservations except at Aguas Calientes. I am struggling with whether to stay at Inkaterra. It sounds lovely but is so expensive$.
You can stay for about $77 less dollars if you do not include lunch. For anyone familiar with the lunch, do you think it is a good value $77 for lunch for 3? I don't know what alternatives exist and at what price.
Also the superior (without fireplace and upgraded restroom) is less than the superior deluxe. Does anyone have experience with these 2 different categories? I am struggling with this and would appreciate feedback or help.
Thanks in advance.

Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes have some very nice places to stay, and Inkaterra is one of them, but I've always thought the prices at those places are outrageous. The way I look at it, I go there to visit the ruins. I don't need a $300-400-500-a-night place to sleep. That's me.

Inkaterra is my favorite of the four expensive places there (Sanctuary Lodge, Sumaq, and Hatuchay Tower are the others). I'd take that $77 and have lunch at Indo Feliz, my favorite restaurant in town. It won't cost that much for three people.

Thank you. This is helpful. Would you believe, I am trying to decide between Inkaterra and Hostal/Hotel President.

I like the Presidente. It's perfectly fine. The Presidente also operates three other small hotels, either on the same street or around the corner. They suit my needs when I go to MP.

Don't get me wrong: Inkaterra is very nice.

With Inkaterra and the others of the Big Four, you get someone who meets you on the train platform and transports your bags to the hotel for you. They take your bags to the train when it's time to leave. You don't get those services with the smaller places.

We stayed at the Inkaterra in April and were very pleased. (It was a birthday splurge.) Lunch was not included in our package - nor did we want it to be since we were planning to spend our days at the ruins. However, breakfast and dinner was.

I can't compare the two types of rooms. We had booked a superior deluxe; were upgraded to a junior suite (not sure why). I believe there was a recent trip report (here or on Trip Advisor) where the poster thought the superior (maybe superior deluxe) room was small.

As Jeff_Costa_Rica noted, we were met at the train station and our luggage was transported to the hotel for us. Same on departure day; we collected our luggage at the train station.

The activities (birding, orchid walk, bears) were interesting and made for a change from exploring the ruins.

Do a search for emd3's post titled "Unusual Trip to Peru ..." our stay at the Inkaterra overlapped ... I think she had superior or superior deluxe and also did some of the activities.

My trip blog is at http://2totravel.blogspot.com/ -- you can access the Peru posts from the Peru 2009 link under "Our Adventures & Voyages." The last post for Day 7 and the subsequent posts through Day 10 are all about our time in AC/MP.

Have a terrific time in Peru.

Definitely Inkaterra is the best option in Aguas Calientes, I stayed there twice and I really loved it!. The service, ambience, rooms, food , etc. If you can afford it, this is the place you have to go!.