As a kid, I always wanted a tree house but my yard didn’t have any trees. Tsala Treetop Lodge isn’t necessarily a tree house but luxury suites built at treetop level above a majestic ravine. From the inside you wouldn’t know any different. You are living in the trees. Staying here was a dream come true.
The lodge is located away from the highway and secured by a gate. Only those with reservations to the property or restaurants can get in. From the gate to the lobby we drove through the picturesque property with tons of trees and flowers, perfectly manicured and maintained. At the car park we were warmly greeted by a member of the staff and escorted to the lobby where we were offered a beverage from their wonderful selection of spirits on display in the foyer and library.
We parked our car in one of the small parking lots and were shown to our suite and told to let the staff know if we needed anything else including having a fire built in our fireplace. From every room you have a view. There is no where that you could sit without a view into the trees. Everything was perfect on arrival including champagne, snacks and hand written notes. This was truly a welcoming place. There were heated towel bars, slippers, bath robes, large luxurious soaps and shampoos, blankets, umbrellas, candles, indoor and outdoor showers. A large bath tub with salts at the ready. A reading chair in the bedroom and in the living room. Two patios, one with our own private soaking pool and lounge chairs. The mini bar even came complete with a lemon and complimentary sherry. It was a home away from home.
This is truly the perfect getaway spot. So quiet and serene. It’s a place where you can get away and unplug, even though they do have WiFi and a TV. This is a place away from from the city, a place to relax and unwind in peace and quiet, a place to reconnect with each other and nature.
You feel as though your suite is the only one on the property, totally secluded. But venturing out your door you will find a series of tree-lined paths to take you to one of three restaurants on the grounds. Completing the ambiance, there are even monkeys in the trees.
Breakfast was a delight as well. The buffet and prepared foods are as picturesque as the rest of the lodge. All the details and customer care make this a getaway that will always be remembered and hopefully repeated. If you are a nature lover like me, you must stay here and be pampered.
From US$582 for single
– Spacious rooms. Immersed in nature.
– Amazing staff that make you feel very important.
– Excursions / Experiences available upon request including to their sister property Gorah Elephant Camp. They are active in preserving the natural environment on their property including the plants and animals.
– Location requires transport by car.
– Monkeys may come into your suite if you leave the windows open when you are away.
– South Africa is having an energy crisis so there may be scheduled power outages during your stay but not to worry the stay is well prepared to handle it with candles and flashlights.
Melissa D. Jones
Review Team
My suite is very romantic. All creams and whites and pale golds. The ceiling is high and there are skylights on one side of the dormer ceiling. The bed is immense, as is the hot tub in the corner.
I’m at the Andean Wings Boutique Hotel.
In the centre of Cusco, this boutique property bills itself as “a heavenly haven in the heart of the Andes”. Housed in two old manor homes of the Spanish colonial era, the hotel has 16 rooms. Each is sized and decorated differently. Purple Haze was one of my favourites — two stories and a piano! Have a look at the website to make sure you choose a room that suites your needs and personality.
In addition to the variety of rooms, Andean Wings has a bar with a fireplace (delicious pisco sours!) and a restaurant with a glass roof (though there are umbrellas in case you want to enjoy your breakfast or lunch in the shade). There’s also a spa, the Six Pumas Pasaypa Therapy Center, which offers a wide range of services using Peruvian products from the Amazon and Andes. Just in case you need it, there’s a tank with complimentary oxygen on-site to help fight the effects of Cusco’s high altitude.
Though on a fairly busy street (making it easy to find), my sleep was not interrupted by traffic noise. And my jacuzzi bath — complete with rose petals and bubbles — was the perfect antidote to ward off Cusco’s night time chill.
From US$310 per night
– All the art in the hotel is for sale, and the photos in particular are magnificent
– Delicious pisco sours at Mandela’s bar
– Great breakfasts (included in rates) in the sunny central courtyard
– Some of the rooms are a bit small and dark; you’ll probably prefer a suite
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor
“Nothing is too much trouble” at El Mercado, and it isn’t!
I asked for help with a Spanish translation, and instead of just writing it down for me, the receptionist walked with me to the tailor I wanted to visit, explained what I wanted done, negotiated a fair price for me, and even offered to pick it up for me later in the day. Now that’s service!
El Mercado is a boutique hotel — part of the Mountain Lodges of Peru family — just a few blocks from Plaza de Armas and from Cusco’s main market. The hotel has a market theme, designed by architect Jordi Puig, with a restaurant boasting market fresh food, and decor reflecting home-cooking and deliciousness. Kids also love the rocking horses placed throughout the public areas, the big courtyard to play in, and the pudding and jello (very popular in Cusco) snacks available all-day. Parents will likely prefer the tea and coffee station.
The breakfast room is nicknamed the “Happy Room” and it is. Nadia mixes up delicious fresh juices and prepares “emolientera”, a traditional Cusco hot beverage made of herbs and fruit tisane, said to cure ills and aid in digestion. There’s an abundance of delicious choices at breakfast (included in rates). If you have an early morning tour booked, not to worry — a breakfast to go will be packed up for you.
Rooms are cozy, each different from the other. You can fill a hot water bottle to keep your toes warm in bed, though the rooms have heated walls that radiate warmth. Perched slightly on a hill, the views out into central Cusco are stunning,
From US$269 per night
– Incredibly kind and helpful staff
– Each room has its own WIFI router
– Hot water bottles to warm up your bed on a cold Cusco night
– While the suites have fluffy warm robes, the regular rooms should too
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor
A “tambo” is a “place to rest” in the Quechua language, and Tambo Del Inka is indeed a place to rest. The resort exudes calm and relaxation. The lighting is soft, the art draws you in, and the public areas encourage you to sit and recharge. Cuddle up on a couch by the 12 meter high lobby fireplace, lounge in a chair overlooking the Urubamba River, or replenish your energies in the bar or restaurant.
Tambo Del Inka is a spa resort that takes its spa name seriously. They go well beyond the typical massage and hot tub, offering specialized treatments in rooms built to suit, including several hydrotherapy rooms. Afterward, you can relax on a heated lounge chair and try to keep the riverside in view as your eyes grow heavy with contentment.
There’s a stunning indoor-outdoor pool, a gym and yoga room, and saunas and hot tubs in the change rooms, separate from the spa. Tambo del Inka offers excellent dining, indoors and outdoors, and their breakfast (included in rates) might be the best one I had in Peru.
The resort’s 128 rooms are all luxuriously outfitted, as you would expect from a hotel that is a member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection. Opened in May 2010, the resort is nestled on the edge of Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. Snow-capped mountains surround the area, and the hotel’s grounds have several pools with waterfalls that offer the pleasing sound of running water and reflect the big sky.
The resort has its own private train station so that you can easily get to Aguas Callientes, the base of Machu Picchu, and back again to enjoy this magnificent place to rest.
You won’t be alone — Tambo del Inka was just awarded a top 10 place in Trip Advisor’s best worldwide hotels of 2015.
From US$325 per night
– One of the most beautiful swimming pools I’ve ever seen
– The incredible buffet breakfast (with made-to-order dishes) begins at 5:30 if you’re catching the train to Machu Picchu, and ends at 10:00 if you’re recovering the next day
– The first hotel in Peru, and second in South America, to receive LEED (Leadership Energy and Environmental Design) certification
– Free wifi is available only in public areas (but it is excellent!)
+51 (84) 581 777 
conciergeurubamba@libertador.com.pe
Johanna Read
Contributing Editor