A Serene Stay at Tambo del Inka in Peru’s Sacred Valley

In Peru’s Sacred Valley, the 128-room Tambo del Inka Resort & Spa Valle Sagrado, a partner in Starwood’s Luxury Collection, feels incredibly modern but still retains a strong sense of place. The mountainous surroundings really ground the property, lending a feeling of seclusion and tranquility. Yet the location makes it easy to plan day trips and explore area attractions.

Family-Friendly Review and Highlights of Tambo del Inka

Stunning Design

Parents will appreciate the sleek aesthetic by Miami-based Arquitectonica, which includes a stunning glass-encased indoor-outdoor pool that kids will love. Our toddler was fascinated as her dad held her and swam from one end to the other. One minute they could practically touch mountains and feel the crisp air, and the next they were back inside splashing around. Still, minimalist design aside, our family felt warmly welcomed, awakening each morning to memorable and scrumptious quinoa pancakes.

Accommodations and Amenities

While the public spaces and pool boast high ceilings and lofty proportions, guest rooms feel much more intimate. We stayed in a standard entry-level Deluxe Room, which had a small sitting area and a marble bath with sunken tub. Peruvian textiles were incorporated throughout. When it comes to sleeping configurations, Deluxe and Superior Rooms as well as Junior Suites are available with two queen beds, but unfortunately, none of the room categories offers pullout beds.

That said, the property more than makes up for this drawback. First, the sprawling grounds do offer some space for younger children to run around and be free. This was very helpful indeed for our twig- and rock-collecting 2-year-old, who stopped every few feet to watch an insect or touch a flower.

The onsite restaurant, Hawa (which means “heaven” in the regional Quechua language) is very family-friendly but also top-notch, which makes it a true culinary experience rather than the typical convenient-but-not-stellar resort food. Expect anything from ceviche to risotto to dulce de leche tarts.

Local Area

Our family had just returned from Machu Picchu, so we planned to enjoy some downtime at Tambo del Inka. With a toddler in tow, this mostly meant pool time and strolling the grounds. But given how well-situated the hotel is, you can still pull off some day trips with relative ease.

Our absolute favorite was an excursion to the Maras salt flats, which we almost passed up, thinking, “How exciting can salt be?” Turns out, salt pans can be really beautiful and dramatic, and a wonder all their own. An underground stream has emerged as a spring, creating a dramatic whitewashed valley of salt ponds that visitors can walk about and even taste.

Tambo del Inka also boasts a private onsite train station, via which the PeruRail Vistadome can take guests directly to Machu Picchu and back. At the moment, there’s only one departure in the morning and one daily return in the late afternoon, but the ease of boarding the train onsite outweighs the infrequency. Plan to book tickets in advance, as the train fills up fast.

All in all, we found Tambo del Inka to be the ideal package of authenticity and convenience, and well suited for families in the bargain.

Relevant Links:

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Editor’s Note: Tanvi received a media package to review Tambo del Inka for families. As always, our opinions are our own. Photos by Tanvi Chheda.