The Sonesta Hotel Posadas del Inca Yucay is located in the right in the heart of the Sacred Valley. This hotel has a lot of history and is by far one of the coolest places we have ever stayed. The hotel is built on an old monastery, which gives it the most incredible history and gorgeous scenery. If you want to be in a great location, while staying in a beautiful place full of history, this is the place for you! The cobbled stone pathways that wind throughout the small complex will make you feel as though you are staying in a city of it’s own. The grounds are full of amazing architecture from the fountains decorated with flowers, to the inviting archways, including a quaint little chapel, not to mention the rooms that take you back in time, while still providing all of the modern luxuries we know and love.
The backdrop to this unforgettable place is a giant mountain, which was a nice thing to wake up to every morning. The location is close enough to many of the places that are popular within the Sacred Valley, such as Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Maras, Moray, Pisaq, etc. It is very easy to hire a taxi driver for the day (the front desk can set you up with known and trusted drivers) and have them drive you around to explore all that the Scared Valley has to offer. We decided to only go to the Maras Salt Ponds (which are incredible and definitely worth going to), but there is so much more to see and do from this location.
Side note: if you have forgotten to buy any souvenirs, there are ladies scattered around the hotel complex that are more than willing to sell you most of what you would find in some of the more busy markets you may go to. We bought a nice little watercolor painting of some llamas from one of the ladies. Make sure to negotiate the price if you feel as though you have seen it cheaper elsewhere. We were able to negotiate down a little, but in all honesty, most of the prices are relatively reasonable.
The town of Yucay, where the hotel is located, is a pretty quiet town with not much to do in it, including not many options for food (although the hotel does have some nice little food places that you are able to enjoy). Luckily, the town of Urubamba is just a short 5 minute drive away. We even saw some people walking between the two towns, although we opted to use moto-taxis as they only cost us 3-6 soles each way ($1-$2). We went over here several times for food and to drop our clothes off at a laundry service to be picked up the next day.
Also, did I mention the free breakfast?! The breakfast buffet they served at the restaurant was a great way to start out the day each morning. From fresh fruit juices, to meats and Peruvian dishes and everything in between. It wasn’t a HUGE spread, but it had enough variety and we were pleasantly surprised by it.
Heading to Machu Picchu from here is just a short 30 minute drive to the train station in Ollantaytambo and only a couple of hours from Cusco. Whether you are coming or going from Machu Picchu or Cusco, as most people are, you won’t regret staying here and enjoying more of what the Sacred Valley has to offer while staying in a beautiful and comfortable place.