Luxury Hotels

Simply Sunday – salute nature, and its leaders

She made it... without too much puffing

She made it… without too much puffing

Today’s the day, says the gal, to celebrate longevity. This coming Friday, November 4th, 2016, Inkaterra celebrates its 40th birthday with a grand party – and what a pity all the invited, worldwide, cannot be in Peru that day (this is a country I absolutely love, see a Machu Picchu shot, above).

José Koechlin von Stein and his wife Deny were promoting wildlife and sustainability long before 90% of the hospitality world knew what the words meant.  They bought Peruvian rainforest as early as 1975, started Inkaterra a year later, and now they have hotels, including a marvellously-restored palace in central Cusco, and resorts in Aqua Calientes, down the mountain from Machu Picchu, in Amazonia and elsewhere. They support butterflies and birds – discovering what seeds particular birds like, they planted appropriate varieties – and wildlife generally.

And they are both so humble. With José and Deny Koechlin travellers seeking authenticity and purpose in south America would miss out on so much.  I long to see what luxury lodges and other ideas they have coming up next.