We believe that it's important to recognize businesses that are going above and beyond in their efforts to implement sustainable initiatives in their businesses and their community. To do so, each month, the SustainableTrip.org editors carefully select one tourism business that is making outstanding efforts to conserve natural resources and improve local livelihoods and give them our Making a Difference award.

This month's Making a Difference award winner is Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel, a stylish boutique hotel located at the entrance to the enigmatic ruins at Machu Picchu. We spoke with Marketing and Public Relations Manager Lizeth Giurfa Barrientos to find out a little bit more about this beautiful and sustainable hotel.

Q: Is Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel a good place for travelers who want to see exotic wildlife?

A: Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel is an ideal place to experience the area's plants and animals because it is located in the hills of the Machu Picchu sanctuary, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. More than 370 species of wild orchids and more than 400 species of endemic birds have been recorded at Machu Picchu. During Sumaq's ecological and bird-watching tours, guests can experience these unique species. For example, on hikes to Mandor, you can see nests of oropendolas, families of torrent ducks, and groups of hummingbirds. Next to the hotel is the Vilcanota River, where dozens of giant otters live, and from the hotel's reception area you can see a family of rare spectacled bears eating bromeliads by the river's edge, especially in August. Wildlife habitats are respected on our tours. Moreover, we take a firm stand against trafficking in wild species in our sustainability policies.

Q: What can your guests do to learn about local Peruvian culture and ancient Incan customs?

A: We offer a range of exclusive cultural activities that allow guests to interact with local and Peruvian culture:

Peruvian Cooking and Bar Classes: Sumaq's cooking and bartending experts teach guests to prepare typical dishes, such as trout ceviche and the emblematic pisco sour cocktail.

La Pachamanca Sumaq: This is a traditional kind of outdoor cooking inherited from ancient Peruvians. Guests can watch the process from the start, as stones and ingredients such as meat and Andean tubers are placed in a hole in the ground, which is used as a sort of oven. Once the food is cooked, the chefs take it into the hotel's restaurant for our guests to enjoy.

Tribute to the Earth Ritual: This is a spiritual and mystical ceremony that pays tribute to Mother Earth for everything she gives us. The custom is widespread in the Andean highlands of Peru. Here guests interact with the elements of Andean nature – the sun, the hills, the stars, and the wind – through prayers and pleas to the Andean version of Mother Earth, called La Pachamama in the Quechua language.

Andean Wedding or Arac Masin: This symbolic ceremony of union and love was celebrated by ancient Peruvians in the Andean highlands of southern Peru. It is ideal for couples who want to wed or renew their vows in a traditional Peruvian way.

The wedding is conducted by an Andean shaman, who seals the union of the couple through songs and prayers aided by the coca leaf, a typical Inca plant. The ceremony is usually carried out at the Puente Ruinas in the middle of the sanctuary; in the rainy season it is done in the hotel.

Q: Why is sustainability so important for your hotel and what noteworthy sustainable initiatives are you carrying out?

A: Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel has had an ethical and moral commitment since it began. Our sustainable practices started as a family initiative with our partners, and today these practices are expressed in our organizational philosophy.

Sumaq has been operating for four years in Machu Picchu and in 2010 it was the first hotel to obtain Rainforest Alliance Verification in this area. Thanks to our commitment, we have received national and international recognition for our sustainable practices, and for more than nine months we have been classified as the number one hotel in Machu Picchu on Trip Advisor.

Solid waste management is one of our outstanding sustainable activities. From 2009 to 2010 we reduced the hotel's solid wastes by 36%. This is an outcome of our purchasing policy: we have stopped buying products that use a lot of packaging, and we recycle, reuse paper, and sort organic and inorganic materials. In addition, more than 80% of our staff members are local, hailing from the towns of Machu Picchu Pueblo, Urubamba, Anta, and Cusco. Forty-five percent of the food we purchase comes from local providers in Cusco. We invest in our employees: from January to August 2011, Sumaq collaborators attended more than 12 professional training events. As a result, more than 35% of our personnel have been trained as of August 2011.

From 2009 to 2010, electricity consumption per traveler was reduced from 27.24 kw to 17.24 kw, and in 2010, solid wastes were reduced by 36% over 2009 levels. From 2010 to 2011, we reduced water consumption from 2.52 m³ to 2.08 m³ and fuel consumption in our activities was reduced by 7%. From January 2010 to July 2011, we recycled more 4 million amenity containers.

Q: Of all of the hotels in the Machu Picchu area, what makes Sumaq special?

A: Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel is the only five-star hotel in the town of Machu Picchu Pueblo. Its architecture complements the natural surroundings with earth tones that resemble the sanctuary's natural landscape, with its cloud forests and azure sky. We have an exclusive menu that emphasizes the flavors of southern Peru. Local techniques and ingredients carefully selected by our chefs have made Sumaq an exquisite gastronomic reference point for clients, guests, and food critics from around the world.

Sumaq is also a special and exclusive hotel due to the diverse activities we have available. We offer outdoor activities such as hikes to Mandor and its waterfall and ascents up the mountains of Machu Picchu, Wayna Picchu, Putukusi, and Inti Punku. And, as I mentioned earlier, we also have unique cultural activities at Sumaq Machu Picchu that celebrate Peruvian and Andean culture.

Congratulations to Sumaq Machu Picchu for winning our Making a Difference award! Visit their full profile on SustainableTrip.org to learn more about this beautiful hotel and its sustainable practices.

This entry was posted on October 20, 2011 at 9:40 AM and has received 2016 views. There are currently 3 comments. Print this entry.