Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel has a beautiful location in a private mountainside refuge deep in the lush Andean cloud forest, outside the town of Aguas Calientes. The key attraction is of course the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu which is easy to access from here, but the natural beauty of the cloud forest is a real highlight.

The 83 rooms are very cosy and are furnished with regional timber, California long beds with hand-woven alpaca bedspreads and handmade amenities and aromatherapy products. Butler-attended villas are also available with private gardens and open-air showers. A special feature of the hotel is the Andean sauna, an igloo made from indigenous bamboo and fresh eucalyptus leaves. The spa also offers various treatments including massages, reflexology and Andean hot stone therapy.

The reserve on which the hotel sits is home to the world’s largest collection of native orchids, some 372 to be precise, as well as an impressive concentration of birds, hummingbirds and butterflies. Guided walks offer a fascinating insight into the flora and fauna here. Inkaterra Machu Picchu is also a huge supporter of sustainable tourism, helping to preserve thousands of acres of prime Amazonian rainforest.

Meals are served in the impressive glass-walled restaurant overlooking the mountains and Urubamba river and afternoon tea is served daily in the cafe, ideal after a day's explorations of Machu Picchu. There is free WiFi internet in the cafe and the suites.