Published: 14th March 2016
Peru is a world-renowned travel destination, a global travel highlight, with a fabulous selection of iconic sights from Machu Picchu to the Nazca Lines, from the Amazon Jungle to Lake Titicaca. Peru is also famous as an adventure destination, with trekking in the Andes, horse-riding, mountain climbing, jungle walks and other exciting activities all possible.
Although Peru might not be the first country that springs to mind when considering a romantic holiday or honeymoon, in actual fact Peru is a wonderfully romantic country and can be the perfect choice as it offers many of the key elements that are important - stunning scenery, tranquil serene locations, beach resorts, memorable experiences, and a fine selection of romantic and isolated hotels, some of the best in South America, that offer that little bit extra to make your experience all the more romantic and memorable.
Hotel choice is one of the most important parts of planning and preparing any honeymoon or romantic getaway. Here is our team's recommendations on some of the best, beautiful, unique, memorable and romantic hotels in Peru...
Tambo del Inka A Luxury Collection Resort and Spa
The Sacred Valley is a special location in Peru, the traditional route of the Inca between their capital city of Cusco and the iconic site of Machu Picchu. The valley is also a beautiful location, consisting of rolling hills and mountain ridges, scattered rural farms and Inca terraces, and a real sensation of relaxation and tranquility. For anyone going to Peru for their honeymoon the Sacred Valley is highly recommended as a place to spend some time, and the beauty of this location coupled with a fine selection of luxurious spa hotels make this a memorable place to stay.
The valley contains a selection of fine romantic spa-style resorts to choose from depending on personal preference and budget, including the Sol y Luna Lodge and the Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel, however our top pick has to be the Tambo del Inka "A Luxury Collection" Resort and Spa. Located in the small town of Urubamba this hotel has a fantastic restaurant serving delicious fine Peruvian cuisine with a real flame fire, majestic gardens with the stunning hills of the Sacred Valley serving as a romantic backdrop, and a swimming pool and world-class spa offering treatments such as Thai massages, Coca massage, Yucamani Stones massage and many other treatments. The perfect place to relax for a day or so in the middle of your honeymoon.
Stay at this hotel: Contact us to start to organise your honeymoon or romantic getaway to this luxurious spa hotel.
Tambopata Amazon Villa
The Amazon Jungle may not be the first destination that springs to mind when planning a romantic honeymoon, but for anyone wanting to experience something that little bit different and memorable, the jungle can actually be an amazing experience to enjoy together.
In Peru there are a few top-quality lodges in which to stay in each of the three main jungle regions (Iquitos, Manu and Tambopata), but our top pick as the most special and romantic option for a honeymoon has to be the relatively new Amazon Villa, in Tambopata. This private villa is your very own bungalow in the Amazon, located in the heart of the jungle, around 3 hours by private river boat from the jungle city of Puerto Maldonado, and provides the kind of luxury you would normally expect in a 5-star hotel: luxurious bedding, 40" flat-screen television, en-suite facilities with hot water and even a full-size bath for romantic candle-lit evenings.
If this all wasn't enough the lodge goes one step further by providing fully tailored jungle activities for couples staying in the lodge. Choose from a "menu" of excursions and create your own agenda by choosing from a wide selection of romantic trips in the Amazon, including romantic sunset boat rides, stargazing from a giant jungle canopy tower, private campfire and dinner evenings, and more adventurous and typical jungle activities such as paddleboarding, kayaking, bird-watching, riverboat tours and jungle walks.
Stay in this hotel: Contact us to stay in this incredible private jungle lodge as part of a tailor-made Peru honeymoon to the Amazon jungle.
Arennas Mancora
One of the many advantages of Peru as a great honeymoon country is that it contains both wonderful iconic places, like Machu Picchu or the Amazon Jungle, and has some fabulous beach resorts to spend a few days relaxing at the start or end of your honeymoon.
Mancora in the far north of Peru is renowned as one of the best beach locations in Peru, and this region contains some incredible resort-style hotels. DCO Suites is an excellent option but for us the Arennas Mancora just pips DCO Suites to the post as the most romantic honeymoon hotel in this region.
The hotel interior has fabulous decor with a minimalistic modern design, incredible pool and palm-covered sun terraces, a pool-side bar and a fabulous restaurant serving exquisite Peruvian cuisine in romantic surroundings. If this wasn't enough the hotel is in a great location right on the beach-front so is the perfect choice for romantic strolls along the beach to spend time watching the sunrise or sunset, and it offers a range of activities including horse-riding along the beach and whale watching.
Stay at this hotel: Add a stay to Peru's northern beaches and stay in this fabulous hotel as part of your honeymoon or romantic getaway at the end of your Peru holiday. Contact us for further information.
Colca Lodge, Spa and Hot Springs
There are subtle but important differences between honeymoons and holidays. In Peru holidaymakers usually try to cram in visits to as many destinations as possible, and this is no bad thing as Peru is a relatively small country and it is easy to fit in many different locations into a two-week trip. However for a honeymoon, it is often important to take things a little slower, spend longer in some of the more tranquil or secluded locations, and relax... The Colca Canyon is one such location, and the Colca Lodge, Spa and Hot Springs is the perfect place for a romantic break mid-way through your Peru honeymoon.
The Colca Canyon is the second deepest canyon on earth, and this fact alone means this is a wonderful place to spend time enjoying the fabulous views with the canyon thousands of metres deep at the highest point.
The canyon contains a few fine hotels, including the Aranwa Pueblito, Killawasi Lodge and Las Casitas del Colca, however for us the Colca Lodge, Spa and Hot Springs is the best all-around option due to the natural thermal hot springs that give the hotel its name. For a perfect romantic evening during your honeymoon spend time soaking in these thermal pools with a cocktail whilst watching the sun setting over the Andean mountain peaks in the distance.
Stay in this hotel: Contact us to add a romantic stay in the Colca Lodge, Spa and Hot Springs in your Peru honeymoon or holiday.
Aranwa Cusco Boutique
In our opinion Cusco is one of the most romantic destinations in the world, a mixing pot of incredible architecture, fine-dining, ancient history, beautiful plazas, stunning art galleries, and an endless supply of labyrinthine cobbled streets to explore.
Of all the cities in Peru Cusco is the city with the best choice of hotels, due to the vast numbers of tourists that use this location as a focal point for their holiday or honeymoon. Most (not all) of the tourist hotels are close to the city centre, within walking distance of the main central plaza and key sights, and some of the hotels in this region are constructed from traditional Inca walls or Spanish colonial architecture.
The Aranwa Cusco Boutique fits into the latter category, being constructed within a 16th-century beautiful colonial-era mansion, and the design of the hotel makes the most of this by utilising the traditional courtyards as centrepiece features for hotel guests to enjoy a romantic stroll or quiet evening drink. The hotel rooms are decorated to reflect this colonial style, and feature 4-poster beds and crafted wooden furniture. The large suites also contain large jacuzzi baths, perfect for a romantic candlelit soak following a day exploring this incredible city.
Stay at this hotel: Cusco is blessed with a fine choice of romantic, historical and beautiful traditional colonial hotels. Contact us to spend time in the Aranca Cusco Boutique as part of your Peru honeymoon.
Sanctuary Lodge Machu Picchu
Sanctuary Lodge is probably the most expensive (some might say overpriced!) hotel in Peru... so why are we including it in our list? The answer is simple: Location Location Location.
The Sanctuary Lodge Machu Picchu is all about location, as this is the only hotel that is situated adjacent to the iconic Machu Picchu itself, and this fact makes this a desirable hotel choice for the luxurious and the romantic.
Many other hotels advertise themselves as being located at "Machu Picchu", but the truth is that this is more than a little misleading as, with the exception of the Sanctuary Lodge, they are actually located at Machu Picchu Pueblo (also known as Aguas Calientes) which is the small town in the valley far below Machu Picchu.
The Sanctuary Lodge offers wonderful views from the restaurant, has spa treatments and other services including a delightful bar; but the truth is that nobody stays in the Sanctuary Lodge for its decor as many hotels across Peru can rival its food, service, and general standards. However no hotel can rival the location, and a honeymoon is a once in a lifetime experience that deserves a truly special night sleeping alongside the rich and famous with the opportunity to wake up early, in luxurious surroundings, and admire Machu Picchu at dawn.
Stay at this hotel: Undoubtedly one of the most famous hotels in South America a luxury romantic trip to Peru is not complete without a night in the Sanctuary Lodge, contact us to include a stay in this incredible hotel as part if your holiday.
At Go Andes we're not affiliated with any of the hotels listed here and certainly don't take commission or revenue from our comments here or anywhere on our website. We're lucky enough to have visited these hotels ourselves, and our comments are nothing other than our un-biased opinions. Wherever you end up staying we wish you the very best for your romantic holiday in Peru.
