Rio Sagrado sits on the Urubamba River on the road between Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, in a rural setting of gardens, terraces and low-rise riverside casitas built in 2008. The hotel lists a five-star luxury class, a guest rating of 9.4 out of 10 from over a hundred reviews and an EarthCheck certification. Rooms are deluxe rooms of about 452 square feet with terraces, junior suites of about 990 square feet in the garden and three-bedroom villas of about 2,368 square feet, all with heated floors, rainfall showers, blackout drapes, minibars and free bottled water. Facilities include the MUJU restaurant and bar serving Peruvian cuisine with garden views, a solar-heated outdoor pool with a lifeguard, two hot tubs, a spa with sauna, steam room and an Inca shower, yoga classes and free bicycle rentals. Activities listed include daily alpaca feeding, farming classes, outdoor movie nights, a rafting excursion with picnic lunch and a shaman-led offering ceremony. The Hiram Bingham train has a station on the property.
Why stay here
Peace and convenience for Machu Picchu. The on-site station for the Hiram Bingham luxury train makes the property attractive to travelers on that service, and the Ollantaytambo station used by other trains is about 24 minutes away by car. Urubamba is five minutes by car, the Torrechayoc shrine five, and the Ollantaytambo archaeological site about 37 minutes. Cusco airport is about 109 minutes, so this is a retreat rather than a hub, and the airport shuttle costs extra.
The experience
Guests praise the staff, the setting, the spacious rooms, the food, the pool, the spa and the alpacas, and a few note that there is no gym, that prices for food and activities are high and that the occasional room had a minor fault such as no TV or air conditioning, so message the hotel about your needs. Accessibility is mixed: there is no elevator, and the booking page shows both steps and a stair-free path at the entrance, so confirm if you need step-free access. Children are welcome, with one child under 12 free in existing beds, but the spa has age limits and the pool is open from nine to five.
Who it suits
Couples, honeymooners, families with the villas and travelers combining a slow valley stay with a premium train journey. It is less suited to travelers who want a lively town on the doorstep. At roughly 2,900 meters the valley is a kinder altitude than Cusco, so it is a good place to begin a trip or recover from the high Andes before the climb to Machu Picchu.
Why stay here
- ✓Riverside casitas and villas
- ✓Solar-heated outdoor pool
- ✓Spa with sauna and steam room
- ✓MUJU restaurant and bar
- ✓On-site Hiram Bingham train station
- ✓Free bicycle rentals and yoga
- ✓Alpaca feeding and farm classes
- ✓Free parking and Wi-Fi
Good questions
Is Rio Sagrado on a train station?+
The booking page says the hotel has an on-site station for the Hiram Bingham luxury train to Machu Picchu. Other trains leave from Ollantaytambo, about 24 minutes away by car.
Is there a gym?+
Some reviewers note there is no gym; the hotel offers a spa, yoga classes and free bicycles instead.
How far is Cusco airport?+
About 109 minutes by road, and the airport shuttle is charged separately. Arrange it with the hotel.
