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WAYQEY HOTEL AND<br />
WAYQEY LODGE<br />
MYSTICISM<br />
AND MAGIC IN<br />
PERU’S<br />
SACRED<br />
VALLEY<br />
BY KATHY HERNANDEZ<br />
At 11,155 feet (3,400 meters) in the<br />
Andes Mountains, the city of Cusco,<br />
Peru (a 60-minute flight from Lima), is<br />
still as majestic as ever, since its days as<br />
the capital of the powerful Incan Empire.<br />
Just about an hour’s drive from Cusco<br />
is Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley of the<br />
Incas, close to the iconic ruins of Machu<br />
Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas.<br />
Betsy Sheldon<br />
bluebay2014/Deposit Photos<br />
It is here in the Cusco Region of Peru, in the last year and a half,<br />
that Comercializadora de Inversiones Sirius SAC built its Cusco<br />
city hotel and its unique lodge in Urubamba to immerse owners<br />
and guests in the local culture, spirit, and traditions of the area,<br />
unique in both the country and in the world.<br />
“Our vision right from the start was to capture the mysticism<br />
and magic of an ancient land and translate that into an authentic<br />
and pleasant experience in Cusco and Urubamba,” explains<br />
Jose Antonio Iturrizaga, CEO of Comercializadora de Inversiones<br />
Sirius SAC. “These properties were our plan of continued growth<br />
and development since affiliating our Sauce Alto Resort and<br />
Country Club in Cieneguilla, 40 minutes from Lima, with Interval<br />
International in 1998.”<br />
Culture and Comfort in Cusco<br />
The 30-unit Wayqey Hotel in Cusco, with 10 one-bedroom suites<br />
and 20 standard units, is just a short drive from the Alejandro<br />
Velasco Astete International Airport, and located a few blocks from<br />
the heart of the city’s historic center. The property is steps from the<br />
Museo Inka, the Qorikancha Temple to the Incan Sun God, and the<br />
artisan shops of the San Blas neighborhood.<br />
Each 300-square-foot (28 square meters) suite, with traditional<br />
but modern design, has a kitchenette and sitting area with a sofa<br />
bed. On-site amenities include Wi-Fi, cable TV, a 24-hour front<br />
desk, concierge service, and room service from the hotel’s restaurant<br />
and bar. After a day of sightseeing in the area, guests can relax<br />
on the seventh-floor sky room, which offers spectacular panoramic<br />
views of the city.<br />
Wayqey Hotel is within walking distance from the Plaza de<br />
Armas, the main square that is also known as the Square of the<br />
Warrior. Many important events in the history of the city occurred<br />
here, such as the proclamation by Francisco Pizarro in the conquest<br />
of Cusco in the 16th century.<br />
“At Wayqey Hotel, we want our guests to have large rooms<br />
and suites, personal attention, and all the comforts of home, even<br />
though they are in the city,” says Iturrizaga. “It is as simple and as<br />
important as that.”<br />
Immersed in the Sacred Valley<br />
Sister property Wayqey Lodge, located in the village of Urubamba,<br />
features 14 two-bedroom, three-level units with rustic local-inspired<br />
decor and classic design. Amenities include a kitchen, dining and<br />
living areas, Wi-Fi, and cable TV.<br />
Close by are the important archaeological landmarks in Písac<br />
and Ollantaytambo, where visitors catch the train to majestic Machu<br />
Picchu and witness the splendor of Old Peak, the 15th-century Inca<br />
site located 7,970 feet (2,430 meters) above sea level, and situated<br />
on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Sliced<br />
by the Urubamba River, it is 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of<br />
Cusco.<br />
With traditional influences woven into their cabin design<br />
and cultural experiences in the area all around them, guests can<br />
immerse themselves in the local community.<br />
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WAYQEY LODGE, URUBAMBA