Getting to know us: Marlene Soto, Sales Manager at Inkaterra

November 30, 2016 inkaterrahotels Leave a comment

We are extremely proud that Inkaterra continues to be recognised as a pioneer in ecotourism and sustainable development in Peru, 40 years since being founded in 1975 by CEO, José Koechlin. A multitude of factors has contributed to Inkaterra’s success and a team of dedicated and passionate staff is one of the most important.

We recently caught up with Marlene Soto, Sales Manager at Inkaterra.

1) How long have you worked at Inkaterra?

I’ve been here for 21 years now!

2) What is your previous background?

Before Inkaterra, I worked at a French company in Peru for eight years. At the time there were a lot of charter flights coming in from Europe and I started out doing the ticketing before I progressed to dealing with clients and, eventually, leading tours for French groups.

3) How did you first come to hear about Inkaterra?

During my time in the French company, we were actually a client of Inkaterra and I was keen to see the properties so I knew what I was talking about to visitors. I went with a friend to stay at Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica. I have always loved nature and I respected the way Inkaterra protected their surroundings and wildlife – I remember wishing that I could work for a company like that.

4) What do you love most about your job?

Everything! When you’re passionate about what you are doing, you love everything – the good times and the not so good times! I love dealing with people, telling them about what Inkaterra has been able to achieve in a natural way – it makes me very proud. In the beginning, Inkaterra was just a tiny little seed and, over time, with lots of passion, hard work and love from the team, it has grown and spread its branches and we now have six beautiful properties.

5) What is your favourite Inkaterra moment?

My third day at Inkaterra – I was left in the office alone and, at that time, we used satellite radios to communicate with the hotels. Each hotel has a code for the radio, such as “Toucan one”, “Toucan two” etc. I could hear the radio going non-stop with lots of talk about Toucans and I had no idea what it meant! When the team came back into the office I told them they had spotted lots of toucans at the hotels! They joked about it for weeks.

6) Describe a standard day for you

My standard day always starts the night before! I check all the emails – I have 16 people in my team so I use the evening to distribute the jobs and priorities for the following day.

I wake up at 7am and leave the house by 8am. The day activities vary but they can be everything from making sales calls, meetings or visiting the hotels.

I love going out for dinner – there are lots of nice restaurants in Lima. I also like going to the cinema to relax.

8) If you could describe Inkaterra in three words what would it be

Sensibility, Respect, Friendliness

Nature & Wildlife

Wings of Peru

November 24, 2016 inkaterrahotels Leave a comment

Did you know that Peru is home to more than 1,800 different species of bird (nearly 20% of the world’s bird population) and 45% of all neo tropical birds? In fact, Peru is celebrated for its wide range of biodiversity and is listed as the 3rd country in the world with the largest number of bird species. 62% of South America’s birds can be observed in Peru and here, at Inkaterra, we are delighted to welcome Bird Watchers (or “twitchers”, as they are commonly known) from all over the world who flock to Peru to get up close to the world’s most exotic species of birds.

We are excited to have joined forces with Green Team Global, Visit Peru, LATAM Airlines, and The Nature Conservancy to raise awareness of bird watching in Peru, in a new and exciting online game, Wings of Peru.

Gamers are encouraged to explore and navigate their way electronically around a series of idyllic locations and spot a multitude of exotic birds, including the Booted Racket Tail, The Goulds Inca, The Scarlet Macaw and many more (you may even spot Peru’s national bird, The Andean Cock of the Rock that is commonly observable at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel).

Not only will you have the opportunity to uncover our virtual feathered friends lurking amidst the Amazon and Andes, but you also stand a chance to win an exclusive trip for two to Peru, and witness these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat. As part of the prize, the lucky winner will win a spectacular stay at three of our properties: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica (together with Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción. 540 bird species) Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel (home to 214 bird species, 18 of which are hummingbirds) and Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba (currently 73 bird species). The prize also includes round trip flights, courtesy of LATAM Airlines, two Eagle Creek Pack It cubes from Adventure.Travel, $500 worth of adventure gear from ExOfficio and a one year membership with The Nature Conservancy.

So, fly on over to Wings of Peru, take the birding challenge and enter to win a once in a lifetime birding experience. Good luck!

At Inkaterra, we pride ourselves on the protection of native exotic birds. Please visit our ITA website for more information.

Hotels

#InkaTextiles

November 17, 2016 inkaterrahotels Leave a comment

The design of each Inkaterra property is a true legacy to the hotel’s surroundings, character & individuality. You may have noticed on Twitter and Instagram, that we’ve been celebrating #InkaTextiles this month, by showcasing the designs that capture the attention of our guests.

Preserving the Peruvian heritage that surrounds each property is important for Inkaterra Founder and CEO, José Koechlin, and his wife, Denise Guislain, Inkaterra’s Design and Quality Director. The two have intricately designed and tailored the interiors, to amplify the charm of each property.

Inkaterra La Casona

Step off the vibrant streets of Cusco and through the authentically carved doors at Inkaterra La Casona to a portal of the past. This exclusive manor, named as the Best Hotel for Ambience & Design by Condé Nast Traveller-UK in 2011, sits on land that once played home to the elite army of the Incas. It was also home to don Diego de Almagro in the 16th century, the Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru.

After two years of reconstruction and renovation, Inkaterra La Casona opened as an exclusive 11-suite boutique hotel, steeped in history and grandeur. Each suite is filled with delicately sculpted ornaments and luxurious patterned fabrics that are displayed against a deep red and cream stone-wall backdrop.

A question we are often asked is, where are our textiles are from? Most (if not all) textiles at Inkaterra La Casona are gathered and made from the Andean village of Chincheros, which lies between Cusco and Urubamba.

If you look carefully up at the courtyard balconies, you may have noticed a difference in design. Inkaterra has retained and restored the original balconies that survived two traumatic earthquakes, which previously destroyed the city. The restoration is a classic example of Inkaterra’s overall design ethic, which is to preserve the history and heritage of the buildings, in both the architecture and the interiors.

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba tells a different part of the Inca story: one of life in the empire’s heartland.

Built as a traditional Peruvian casa hacienda, guests are invited to soak up the culture and spiritual environment of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Floor to ceiling windows allow natural light to flood the hotel, lifting the warm tones that decorate the walls and interiors.

Denise has brought the property to life with exposed eucalyptus beams, handmade furniture and custom-created ceramics. By sourcing precious pre-Columbian antiques, and the finest Andean furniture, Denise has created a home from home that reflects the beautiful and enchanting surroundings of the Sacred Valley.

Guests can snuggle up in front of a cosy fire, wrapped up warm in one of our hand woven blankets, that have been dyed with natural extracts of plants.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

The vibrant culture of the Andes continues to be ever-present as we reach our next Andean property, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel.

The Andean village is not only home to enchanting waterfalls, stone pathways and 83 white-washed casitas and 2 villas, but also to an array of beautiful carvings and textiles. Each suite, as well as communal areas such as the lobby and the restaurant, is illuminated with brightly coloured, comfortable and hand woven bed throws, cushions and blankets.

At Inkaterra, it’s all about the details; a touch that guests particularly enjoy, is our alternative ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs. At Inkaterra La Casona, guests can find in each suite a wood-carved ornament of tender ‘Nino Manuelito’ (also known as the Child with a Thorn or the Holy Child), in a crib to place outside their door. Peruvian sculptor, Antonio Olave Palomino, is one of the most famous 20th century artisans from Cusco and is the creator of the first Niño Manuelito.

Whilst staying at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, guests are encouraged to deposit a basket of aromatic herbs and flowers, picked from our orchard to place outside their door for a little privacy.

The quality in interior design at Inkaterra La Casona and Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, is one of the contributing factors that saw the properties join Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel and Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion in becoming National Geographic Society’s Unique Lodges of the World.

Experiences

National Spa Week

November 2, 2016 inkaterrahotels Leave a comment

It’s National Spa Week! Here at Inkaterra we understand the importance of great spa treatments – whether it’s to soothe tired muscles after a climb to Machu Picchu or to aid relaxation in front of the Madre de Dios river – we offer them both! To celebrate National Spa Week, we are looking at one of spa’s most famous treatments – the sauna.

Originating from Finland over 2,000 years ago, the concept of saunas has spread all over the world. Almost every spa you visit nowadays will have a sauna as one of their relaxation offerings and, here at Inkaterra it is no different. But, just like all our other activities, we like to do things the “local way” so you won’t find any wooden heated rooms on our properties.

Instead, in the heart of the Andean Cloud Forest you will find a completely unique style of sauna – our Andean Sauna. Located in the gardens of our Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, the small dome-shaped hut is made from eucalyptus and bamboo and is heated using stones, which are placed in a fireplace in the centre of the sauna.

Great for those with sinus problems or those suffering with a cold, the hot eucalyptus clears congestion and helps the respiratory system and is brilliant for relaxing tired muscles. Great for groups of friends or families, the Andean Sauna is a fir favourite amongst the guests at Inkaterra. So spa lovers, what are you waiting for?

Experiences

Mother and son: A Peru Adventure by Jo Kessel and Gabriel De Leuw (Part 2: Cusco)

November 2, 2016 inkaterrahotels Leave a comment

The next leg of Jo Kessel and her son’s journey saw the explorers take to the air, flying over the Andes to the vibrant region of Cusco.

Jo:
To acclimatise to the high altitude we stayed a night in the nearby Sacred Valley of the Incas (which is en route to Machu Picchu) in what can only be described as a dream hotel, Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba. Not only is its elevated Andean setting spectacular, but so are the hotel’s interiors – think log fires and leather sofas draped with Peruvian rugs and cushions. The traditional farmhouse style Hacienda plays home to an organic plantation, where guests of Inkaterra can immerse themselves in the local farming community, harvesting their own produce through the ‘Earth to Table‘ initiative.

The next morning we breakfasted on sensational Quinoa pancakes and afterwards a guide from our tour operator Aracari drove us to Ollantaytambo, where we boarded a train which took us to the town of Machu Picchu Pueblo (commonly named Aguas Calientes for its hot springs), the gateway to Machu Picchu.

We dropped our bags off at our hotel (more of that later) and wasted no time in heading up to the ruins of the ancient citadel, otherwise known as the lost Incan City.

Sometimes when you’ve dreamed of something for so long, when it actually happens it can be an anti-climax. Seeing Machu Picchu for the first time, however, was everything I hoped it would be. The magnificence and the improbability of such an advanced city like this being built six hundred years ago at the top of a jagged mountain 2,400 meters high, took our breath away.

The Incans were geniuses, building walls without cement, which endured several centuries and earthquakes. Our guide told us how they worshiped the mountains and sacrificed girls as young as fourteen. Llamas roam free around the ruins and Gabriel had great fun trying to take selfies with them. Needless to say, the llamas did not behave!

Gabriel:
From finding out about how the Incas were the only “big” tribe (Greeks, Egyptians etc…) who didn’t use cement to make their buildings, to attempting to take a selfie with a llama (I got one in the end), everything about it was amazing. And then the next day we climbed over 600m to get to the top of Machu Picchu Mountain – everyone else was panting! All the accommodation was great, and in the end NOBODY GOT ILL, which definitely proved the quality of everything at the Inkaterra Hotels.

Jo:
The next day our breath was taken away quite literally…on a hike from the ruins of the citadel up to the summit of Machu Picchu Mountain, climbing the original steps carved out of the rock by the Incans. It took two hours (less to get down) but the on-top-of-the world view was worth every ounce of effort.

My only regret was not to have longer to enjoy all there was on offer at our final Inkaterra hotel, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. It was set in a glorious cloud forest, with its own orchid garden (home to 372 species of orchid), bear sanctuary (they rescue the endangered spectacled Andean bears of Paddington Bear fame) and tea plantation. Guests enjoying the Inkaterra bird watching itinerary at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel have the opportunity to discover many of the 814 bird species registered within the Inkaterra properties. These include the iconic Cock-of-the-Rock, the Andean Mot Mot, the Golden Quetzal, Hummingbirds (18 species), migrating birds and many endemic species, which represent 93% of the total of bird species registered in Costa Rica.

Oh well, it just gives us a great excuse to go back again…very soon!

Gabriel:
Overall I would have to say that this was one of the best ever holidays I have been on and I hope to come back to do the Inca trail ASAP!!!

FILTER POSTS

Monthly Archives: November 2016

Getting to know us: Marlene Soto, Sales Manager at Inkaterra

Wings of Peru

#InkaTextiles

National Spa Week

Mother and son: A Peru Adventure by Jo Kessel and Gabriel De Leuw (Part 2: Cusco)

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