Machu Picchu, Peru · Citadel-gate lodge · 31 rooms and suites
Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, Machu Picchu
The only hotel at the gate of Machu Picchu
In short
Sanctuary Lodge is a 31-room Belmond hotel at the entrance to the Machu Picchu citadel, at Km 7.5 on the Hiram Bingham road. It has two restaurants, a bar and a garden spa with open-air treatment areas. There is no airport here: guests take the train to Aguas Calientes, then a bus ride of about 30 minutes.
- Official rating
- 4 stars
- Peru's national hotel register (MINCETUR), certified 4 September 2015
- Size
- 31 rooms and suites
- As the hotel states
- Airport
- Cusco airport (CUZ), drive time not yet checked
- Dining
- Tampu Restaurant and Bar
- Plus 1 more on site
- Wellness
- Spa
- Plus 2 more
- Check-in, check-out
- 1:00 PM, out by 11 AM
Facts checked 5 November 2026 · sources at the foot of the page
About Belmond Sanctuary Lodge
Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel at the gate of the Machu Picchu citadel, on the Hiram Bingham road at Km 7.5. The building first housed explorers and researchers, and it became a Belmond hotel in 1999. The hotel puts itself 50 meters from the site, so you can walk to the ruins at opening time or return late in the day without taking the bus up from town.
The hotel has 29 rooms and 2 suites. Standard rooms measure 15 m², Deluxe rooms 15 to 17 m², and the One-Bedroom Suite 35 to 45 m², with a furnished terrace facing the mountains. Rooms are compact and bathrooms have showers rather than tubs. Most of the space is outdoors: gardens of orchids, with hummingbirds and butterflies, and a courtyard facing Huayna Picchu.
Tampu is the restaurant and pisco bar, serving Peruvian dishes such as stuffed alpaca and fish ceviches. Tinkuy is the larger buffet restaurant, known for its international lunch spread that also draws day visitors. After a day on the trails, the spa offers Andean treatments in open-air areas, and the hotel schedules yoga and pisco tastings.
Perfect if you are
- First trip to Peru
- History and architecture
- Couples and honeymoons
Good to know
- The only way up is the Consettur bus from the Aguas Calientes train station: buses run every 20 minutes, the ride takes about 30 minutes.
- Buses toward the lodge run from 5:30 to 15:30, and buses back down from 6:00 to 17:30, so plan late returns around that window.
- Rooms are compact, with the Standard at 15 m², so this is a stay for the location rather than for large rooms.
Rooms
Rooms to ask for
One-Bedroom Suite
Sleeps Up to 3 guests · 35-45 m² · Mountain views view
Separate sitting area and a private furnished terrace; the largest space in the hotel.
Deluxe Terrace Room
Sleeps Up to 3 guests · 15-17 m² · Panoramic mountain views view
Opens onto an outdoor terrace with seating; the smaller step up from Standard.
Standard Room
Sleeps Up to 3 guests · 15 m² · Limited view view
King bed or twin beds and a patio, with the most restricted outlook.
How it compares
How it compares in Machu Picchu
From Peru's national register of classified hotels and each hotel's own website. "Not yet checked" means we have not looked, never "no". Nothing here is a price.
| Fact | Belmond Sanctuary Lodge | Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel | Tierra Viva Machu Picchu | Casa del Sol Machupicchu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official stars | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Rooms | 31 rooms and suites | Not yet checked | Not yet checked | Not yet checked |
| Pool | Not yet checked | Not yet checked | Not yet checked | Not yet checked |
| Spa | Yes | Yes | Not yet checked | Yes |
| Restaurant | Yes | Yes | Not yet checked | Yes |
On the property
Eat, unwind and settle in
Dining
Tampu Restaurant and Bar
Peruvian dishes such as stuffed alpaca and ceviche, plus a pisco bar.
Dining
Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant
International buffet lunch, also used by day visitors to the citadel.
Wellness
Spa
Andean treatments, with open-air treatment areas in the garden.
Wellness
Yoga
Offered on the property alongside outdoor massages.
Wellness
Outdoor hot tub
A small hot tub among the foliage with a view toward Huayna Picchu.
On site
Subtropical gardens
Orchid gardens with hummingbirds and butterflies, a walking path leads to the spa.
On site
Luggage service from the train station
A hotel kiosk at the Aguas Calientes station moves larger bags up to the lodge.
On site
Shower and changing area
Guests can freshen up here after checking out and climbing.
On site
Vegetable garden
Produce grown on site, which the kitchen uses.
Getting there
In Machu Picchu
- Airport: Cusco airport (CUZ), drive time not yet checked
Questions we get
Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, answered
How do guests reach the hotel from Aguas Calientes?
By public bus run by Consettur from the Aguas Calientes train station. Buses leave every 20 minutes and take about 30 minutes. No taxis go up to the citadel.
How close is the hotel to the Machu Picchu entrance?
The hotel states that it stands 50 meters from Machu Picchu, at the gates of the citadel.
Does the hotel have a spa?
Yes. It offers Andean treatments, including open-air treatment areas in the gardens.
Is Sanctuary Lodge in the town of Aguas Calientes?
No. It is at Km 7.5 on the Hiram Bingham road, beside the citadel entrance, a bus ride above Aguas Calientes.
Also in Machu Picchu
If Belmond Sanctuary Lodge is full, we would look at
Your Peru, starting in Machu Picchu
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. A Peru specialist checks Belmond Sanctuary Lodge and builds the rest of the trip around it.
Sources: the hotel's own website, read 5 November 2026 · Peru's national register of classified hotels (MINCETUR), read 5 November 2026 · Facts checked 5 November 2026