We're planning a last-minute trip to the Machu Picchu area in May with our sons, 19 and 22. I have been before (back in the day), but this is the first time for the rest of the family. Sadly, we have just eight days, which means six days and nights on the ground, and we're planning:

3 nights Sacred Valley (to acclimatize and tour)
1 night MP (stay in Aguas Calientes)
2 nights Cusco

Many hotels are sold out for our dates (including all the spa resorts). We can get a bungalow at Kuychi Rumi, which gets glowing reviews on TA, especially for service, but is not in a town (2k from Urubamba). Has anyone stayed there? Would we be better off in Ollantantambo, where we can walk around? Recommendations and opinions appreciated.

I havent stayed in Kuchi Rumi but we lived in Urumbamba for a few weeks whilst doing some voluntary work in Ollantaytambo and so got to know the area quite well. My preference would be to stay in Ollantaytambo where there is so much to see and a good variety of places to eat etc. it is quite nice just to hang out in the square and watch the world go by and it can get quite colourful at times. Apart from the ruins there, it is worth just exploring the old inca built streets of the town.

Urumbamba is nice but far less pretty, it really is a working town with little to interest the tourist apart from the numerous luxury hotels sprinkled around and about. The main square is worth a look (bizarrely we saw an elephant there in a parade one day!) and the market where we did our daily shopping is amazing.for me, the problem would be staying in hotel out in the sticks would be that it would be a bit of hassle being out all day, going back to the hotel and then get a taxi out again and back etc.we stayed in a bungalow about 3 k out of the centre of Urumbamba and walked daily to the bus station for our commute to Olly which was ok at in daylight but I would not have bothered at night.

I'm with crellston on this one, if can find space on Ollantaytambo.

Thanks so much for weighing in. There are a few places available in Ollanta, but most seem fairly basic. What do you think of Hostal Samanapaq? And do you think 3 nights Ollanta, 1 nights MP, 2 nights Cusco is the right allotment?

Seems about right crosscheck. Have you tried Casa Wow in Ollantaytambo?

I don't know every hotel in Olly, sorry I have not heard of that one.

Pakaritampu, El Albergue, Hostal Sauce, Apu Lodge are the ones that get recommended frequently. I assume they are full?

One thing to ask about is the location within Ollantaytambo. Sometimes they are not really in town but in the outskirts which is not so convenient.

In general terms, it is common to have views from a rooftop dining area and upper floor rooms. If all they have left is the ground floor, you will likely have a garden view (or none) and hear the people above you.

BTW there is no concern with safety in Ollantaytambo. I know one hostel that doesn't have a lock on their front door!

Casa Wow looks cool, but it is a hostel (not just a hostal) with shared bathrooms for $10 per person. Mr. Crosscheck loves a bargain, but even he might have issues there. Looks like we can stay at Apu Lodge. Have any of you been there? We're also looking for a splurge in Cusco, but not quite on the level of el Monestario. Any suggestions?

Crosscheck, Casa wow also has doubles with ensuite at $28 and $35 pp but you are correct, it is a hostal rather than a hotel.cant help with Apu Lodge

I know that Apu Lodge does not have vehicle access, if that is a concern.

The use of Hostal, B&B, Hotel and Hostel gets very confusing. In Ollantaytambo especially.

I know - I speak Spanish (and have lived/traveled in many Latin American countries), and have noticed that "hostal" means "guesthouse" or "inn" in South America, while in Mexico and Central America they say "pensión" or "casa de huéspedes." (And there's "albergue," used more in Spain.)

I think some hostal owners are confused by the translation and often end up listing their hostales on hostel websites, which is a turnoff for North Americans because it makes us think of student accommodations.

And then there are the small hotels who provide breakfast, often a cooked breakfast. But run exactly as a hotel is in the US (not what we think of as a B&B which is more of a guesthouse). When are they a hotel, when a B&B, and when a hostal?

And Kuychi Rumi isn't really any of these! (It's more what we would call a villa rental, although there are several villas on the property).

Kuychi Rumi is more like a condo complex because they're individually owned. They look very comfy, but thanks in part to all of your advice, I think we'll be much happier in Olly, where we can walk to the ruins and market, and hang out in town in the morning and evening. Still undecided about our 'hostal' there, but we've chosen two hotels for our other lodging - el Mapi in AC and Unaytambo in Cusco. Opinions appreciated.

There are so many new "hostals" in Olly that there are probably some better than Apu Lodge in terms of location that we just don't know about. They probably are not going to be all that different from one another, once you get below the Pakaritampu and El Albergue category.

I wouldn't wait too long though, because of the airfare sale I think May will be busy. Have you tried looking via www.booking.com? I utilized them a lot last year. I'd check the map and then pick one that had an Excellent or Wonderful rating and never went too far wrong.

Ollantaytambo will not be as cold as Cusco at night in May, but any hotel that had a space heater was always a bonus for me.

For what it's worth, I'm typing this from the lounge at Casa de Wow!! in Ollantaytambo. We are more than half way through our 8 night stay here, and can't say enough positive about it. I heard about Casa de Wow!! here on the Fodor's Forums, and then checked it out on Trip Advisor. It definitely deserves the 4.5 rating and all the rave reviews on TA.

Winn and Wow do a fabulous job at making guests feel welcome and taken care of. Typical Peruvian breakfast PLUS cooked eggs every morning. Tea available any time of day. Laundry service at reasonable rates. Use of lounge and kitchen at one's leisure. Printed materials issued upon check in -- laminated guide to house rules (there are very few, but best to spell them out!), interesting facts about Ollantaytambo, and a map marked with Winn and Wow's suggestions for restaurants, shops, services and more.

So, I highly recommend Casa de Wow!
Off the top of my head, I recall that the matrimonial room (double bed, private bath) is 120Soles/ nt, the double room (2 singles, shared bath) is 70 Soles/nt. I'm staying in the qaud bunk room which is 30 Soles/per person, per night. Works out to 120 Soles per night for my family of four!)


You can inquire about availability and rates by emailing [email protected]

(No, I don't work here, I'm just a very satisfied guest!)

Jays is actually a long time Fodorite who posted questions before his trip..I think he/they are legit!

How far from the main drag is Casa de Wow?

Jaysfan, Thanks for the live report! I will email Wow, but the rooms look really small - true? Have you by any chance seen Apu Lodge, Sol Hotel or Samanapaq? We're interested in views and charm, not really concerned about budget.

What did your sons think? We are considering a trip to the Machu Picchu area in January with our sons, 22 and 23. I would really appreciate it if you could share your sons' comments/insights. Thanks

Hi C, Sadly, we had to cancel the trip because my younger son badly injured his hand the night before we were supposed to leave. He had to have various procedures and is fine now, but the ER doctor advised against going to Peru, so we went to Santa Fe instead.

We had decided to stay at Samanapaq in Ollanta for 2 nights, El Mapi in AC for 1 night and Casa Cartagena in Cusco for 3 nights. We had travel insurance, but some of the hotels and airlines did not penalize us despite the last-minute cancellation. We're not sure when we can reschedule because of everyone's commitments, but hope to be able to report back sooner than later with a trip report.