Sleeping in Ollantaytambo rather than commuting from Cusco buys you two extra hours in bed before the Machu Picchu train, an empty archaeological site at opening time and 600 m less altitude. Here is how to pick a base.
Four places make sense depending on what you are doing next. Ollantaytambo suits almost everyone; the others each solve a specific problem.
The only base that puts you inside the Inca grid, five minutes from the ruins and fifteen from the train. Sleep here the night before a Machu Picchu departure and you gain two hours of sleep over anyone commuting from Cusco.
Twenty minutes down the river, Urubamba is the valley’s working town and where most of the larger hotels, spas and lodges are. Lower, warmer and greener than anywhere else in the region, with easy road access to Maras and Moray.
The end of the line, directly below Machu Picchu. Staying here is the only way to be at the citadel gate for the first bus at 05:30 — worth doing once, though the town itself is purely functional.
The regional capital, with by far the widest choice of hotels and restaurants. Excellent for the city itself — but at 3,400 m it is a harder place to acclimatise, and every Sacred Valley day means an early start.
A cross-section of what the town actually offers, from simple guest houses to the nicest boutique rooms, all bookable on Trip.com.
Budget from $33/ night A well-liked small guest house with genuinely helpful hosts, good value for the location.
Good for: Solo travellers, small budgets
Budget from $23/ night Simple lodge rooms at the low end of the price range, clean and close to everything.
Good for: Backpackers, one-night stops
Mid-range from $50/ night A long-standing family-run three-star a couple of blocks off the plaza, consistently one of the highest-rated places in town for service and breakfast.
Good for: Couples, mid-range comfort
Mid-range from $45/ night Modern rooms with terrace views towards the ruins, walking distance from both the archaeological site and the market lanes.
Good for: Views, photographers
Mid-range from $40/ night Reliable three-star on Avenida Ventiderio with a big breakfast spread and an easy walk to the station road.
Good for: Train days, early departures
Mid-range from $42/ night Right on Avenida Ferrocarril, the closest cluster to the railway station — the obvious pick if you have a 05:00 train.
Good for: Very early trains, short stays
Boutique from $98/ night Garden bungalows on the edge of town with mountain views, more space and quiet than the central options.
Good for: Quiet nights, gardens
Boutique from $77/ night Boutique property built in a Sacred Valley idiom, with Inca-inspired stonework and warm rooms — a step up in style.
Good for: Design lovers, a treat night
Boutique from $60/ night Boutique hotel on the main street, well kept, with reliable hot water — which is not universal at this altitude.
Good for: Central location, comfort
Indicative starting prices in USD. Tap through for live rates, photos and free-cancellation options. Hotel links go to Trip.com. We may earn a commission on bookings made through them, at no extra cost to you.
A living Inca town, a colossal terraced temple and the only train station for Machu Picchu — all in one place, 90 minutes from Cusco. Compare tours, tickets and transfers and book in a couple of taps.
Stay in Cusco for the city, its restaurants and museums. Stay in Ollantaytambo for the Sacred Valley and for Machu Picchu — it is lower, quieter, closer to everything in the valley and the only sensible base for an early train.
One night works if you are only using it as a staging post for Machu Picchu. Two nights is much better: it gives you a full day for the ruins, Pinkuylluna and a half-day trip to Maras and Moray.
The town itself tops out at comfortable boutique level. The valley’s genuinely luxurious hotels — spa resorts and lodges — are mostly around Urubamba and Yucay, twenty to thirty minutes down the river.
Almost all of them will, and it is standard practice — trains have strict baggage limits so most guests leave their main bag behind for a night. Confirm it when you book.
