Hotel Sol y Luna
Sol y Luna is a lovely collection of 43 casitas, little houses, which are some of the most luxurious in the Sacred Valley.
Relais & Chateaux Hotel Sol y Luna
I had a wonderful time reviewing Hotel Sol y Luna in the Sacred Valley, Peru for Fodor’s Finest Hotels list. The Sacred Valley is near Cusco and has some truly spectacular hotels but Sol y Luna is unique for several reasons.
First, Sol y Luna is all casitas, little houses in Spanish. You won’t find a single hotel room here. All casitas have private patios surrounded by lush gardens, which affords them complete privacy. Below are my photos of the three categories of casitas (Superior, Deluxe and Premium) and my favorite highlights: the pool, restaurants, spa and grounds.
The pool and restaurants are high on the list of why you should book at Hotel Sol y Luna.
The second thing that sets Hotel Sol y Luna apart is where the profits go. You’d never guess that this beautiful property was anything but a luxury hotel, but it’s also the main support for the Sol y Luna Foundation. The foundation was established before the hotel and it has four main projects: a private school that serves about 160 children, a center for children with special needs, the Sol y Luna home for children to come from rural areas to attend high school and a university program called Roots & Wings.
The Superior Casita
Like all casitas, the Superior Casita has heated floors, a private patio, indoor seating area and bathtub.
The Deluxe Casita
The Deluxe casita has a larger sitting area than the Superior, and it also has a fireplace.
The Premium Casita
The Premium Casita is very spacious, with living room separate from the bedroom and a small outdoor heated pool.
The Restaurants
Another thing that sets Sol y Luna apart is the food. There are two restaurants on the property, each with its own specialties. Killa Wasi is fine dining, indoors or poolside. Rancho Wayra is next to the stables where 25 horses are ready for guests to ride, or to put on a show in front of Wayra’s outdoor seating.
Killa Wasi Fine Dining
I had a cocktail with my appetizer: green salad with fresh fruit (aguaymanto, tree tomato and mango) topped with panko Andean cheese. My main course was the trout served with chimichurri, rice with wild kaywas and a lovely Chardonnay. I was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time and I loved that I got to eat poolside with a view of the mountains.
The Pool
In most of the Sacred Valley, a cold wind blows from Ollantaytambo up the Urubamba River towards Pisac, making lounging outdoors unpleasant. The Sol y Luna property is far enough from the river to be protected from the wind and I never saw more than the tiniest ripple on the heated pool.
Rancho Wayra Casual Dining
Though there was no horse show the day I visited, Rancho Wayra is known for casual, outdoor dining and the perfect place to try the traditional Andean Pachamanca, meat and vegetables baked underground. Indoors, Rancho Wayra is fairly casual until you descend into the wine cellar. There are plush chairs for enjoying a bottle and a table for group wine parings and tastings. You can also take cooking classes to learn how to make some of Peru’s signature dishes, at a table right next to the open kitchen.
The Spa
The spa is in its own building, tucked away in the gardens and exceedingly tranquil.