Renovations at Sumaq Machu Picchu Offers Guests New, Local Feel

Sumaq Machu Picchu
Photo by Sumaq Machu Picchu

With the newly renovated Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel, experiencing luxury in Peru is now easier than ever.

The hotel, partnered with Ensemble Travel Group and Traveller Made, and preferred by Virtuoso and Signature Travel, sits at the base of the premier tourist attraction of Peru: the mountains of Machu Picchu and the World Heritage Site of the Incan citadel and architecture. Located on the banks of the Vilcanota River in Aguas Calientes, the hotel offers 62 rooms and suites to luxury travelers.

The renovation of the property was designed to enhance the Peruvian experience while simultaneously increasing guests comfort and enjoyment. Inspiration from the project, designed by Italian and Peruvian designers Carmine Furgione and Sandra Chávez, stems from the Chakana - the Andean cross whose arms symbolize the four elements of nature – water, earth, fire and air. Furgione and Chávez collaborated with artisans from the Sacred Valley of Cusco and from Lurín in the Lima area in order to ensure the most accurate cultural representations in the design.

The guestrooms feature two of the Chakana’s elements: earth and fire. Rooms feature gold Chakana-shaped embellishment, leather wall decorations and marble baths. The first floor represents fire, where the lobby and reception area display gold and bronze wall decorations, tables and accessories. Replicas of Moche inconography , including bronze pectoral ornaments feature 520 bronze beads are mounted together in front of the hotel’s main door, and are used in plates and for table centerpieces.

A staircase leads to the second floor which features the Qunuq restaurant, which incorporates the earth element. Walls are lined with Andean works of art constructed of wood and sheep’s wool dyed in natural hues, though earthy colors can be found in the furniture as well. The restaurant now features outside tables overlooking the river, and displays more than 300 ceramic pieces inspired by the originals at the Inca Museum in Cusco and the Larco Museum in Lima, with some specific designs created just for Sumaq as well.

The fourth floor pays tribute to the water element, with the newly renovated Aqlla Spa, complete with treatment programs inspired by the indigenous Inca culture, incorporating their ancient beauty practices and techniques. Water and air elements can also be found throughout hallways, featured in framed Peruvian textiles.

The Suquy Café & Bar mixes international, Novo Andino and exotic native cocktails incorporating Peruvian herbs and fruits for the beverage connoisseur in your group.

Since its renovation, Sumaq Machu Pichu has achieved their goal in being able to offer guests the full Machu Picchu experience and the local Andean culture without ever having to go far from the property thanks to the hotels easy access of archeological sites, indigenous culinary, cultural and nature experiences including a Peruvian cooking class to Andean wedding ceremonies and hiking, climbing and bird watching.