Peru : Hotel Sol Y Luna, Sacred Valley

Peru was one of the many trips that we had planned to go in 2020 before the pandemic hit. But of course with the pandemic we had to reschedule it and I couldn’t wait to go in 2021. I am so thankful that we were able to reschedule it for this summer and cross it off our bucketlist. Peru is utterly stunning and has SO much to offer from history to natural beauty to culture and more. Stay tuned for my travel guide later this month.

We only spent 5 days in Peru this time so we split it across the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco. For our time in the Sacred Valley, we stayed at the beautiful Hotel Sol Y Luna in Urubamba. This is the only Relais and Châteaux property in the Sacred Valley and its location is absolutely phenomenal. Sol Y Luna was also voted as one of the top 100 Best hotels in the world as well as one of the top 10 resort hotels in South America, by Travel and Leisure.

Nestled in one of the most beautiful valleys and encircled by the majestic Andes Mountains, Anush and I instantly fell in love with this place. Its really hard not to! It is the perfect place to unwind, disconnect from reality and soak in the magic and energy of this place.

All the accommodations are in cozy ‘casita’ houses made of local stone and decorated individually. Staying in this casita gave us the most intimate and authentic yet luxurious stay in the Sacred Valley. There are about 43 casitas in total and we stayed in a deluxe casita which had a spacious living room, elegant living space, cozy fireplace and a large bathroom with double vanities + a bathtub with a view. The best part of the casita was the private terrace outside from where we had gorgeous panoramic views of the mountains. Every little detail in the casita is so thoughtful – from its vibrant handpainted murals, Peruvian pima bedding, beautiful local art and decor pieces, etc.

Our gorgeous casita!

 

Art and decor in the casita

Private patio with views of the Andes

The entire landscaping around the property is so lush! The gardens were filled with flora native to the Sacred Valley. I loved all the cacti, native palms and stunning flowering plants everywhere.

Lush landscapes with vegetation endemic to the Sacred Valley

There are 2 restaurants on property, but currently only one was operating. We had a couple of breakfast, lunch and dinner meals at Killa Wasi and I kid you not – every meal was phenomenal! The restaurant served Cusqueña cuisine incorporating Sacred Valley’s rustic culinary traditions, the produce from organic farms in the community as the chef’s discoveries in the Peruvian jungles and along the Amazon. Some of my favorite dishes here – Peruvian ceviche, Quinoa falafel, the pumpkin lasagne and tres leches,

Incredible food and ambiance at Killa Wasi
I also loved the concept of the design of the restaurant which was gently rounded with rose hued walls. Dinners were more formal and elegant ; and dining around the traditional Peruvian hearth was so beautiful.
Killa wasi restaurant from outside
There was also a large outdoor pavilion where we loved having our daily breakfasts and lunches. I must note there were plenty of vegetarian and vegan options which was so incredible!
Next to the restaurant was the beautiful pool area with incredible views of the valley and mountains all around. There are plenty of sun loungers and pool dining seating available too. There is also an outdoor jacuzzi, gym and steam/sauna room here.
Stunning pool area
Lounge area
As for activities on property there is a spa, cooking classes, garden tour, etc. In the cultural segment they have pottery workshops, andean weaving, horseshows and more! While most people come here for adventure this is a great base for going to Machu Picchu and other attractions n the Sacred valley such as Maras, Moray, etc. Sol Y Luna also has Machu Picchu expeditions that you can book directly with them as well as other adventure activities like mountain biking, kayaking, horse back riding etc. Check out this page for more.

Aside from being a beautiful luxury hotel, Sol Y luna is a not for profit as all their profits from the hotel go towards the Sol Y Luna Association which helps run a school next door with over 200 kids as well as the wonderful Sol Y Luna Home. The Sol y Luna Home opened its doors at the end of 2018, providing a safe and loving home for 20 children from the Sol y Luna Foundation who had been abandoned or maltreated. We went to spend a few hours with these precious kids and it was so amazing to see first hand how much the hotel is doing to give them a loving home and good education for a secure future. We spoke to some of the kids about their hopes and aspirations and it was inspiring to hear all their dreams! Just a few months after opening, the pandemic hit, tourism ground to a halt and the source of funding for the Sol y Luna Home dried up. While the home used to rely on tourism and other similar benefactors, funding is now a big issue for even basic necessities. If you are able to donate anything at all, you can check out their Go Fund Me page for more.

with the kids of the Sol Y Luna Home
Overall we had an unforgettable and memorable stay in Sol Y Luna and highly recommend it if you are ever visiting the Sacred valley in Peru.
Thanks for stopping by. xoxo
Jyo
** This stay was in collaboration with Hotel Sol Y Luna, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

 

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