How about having one of the world’s greatest wonders to look out over as you enjoy your evening meal? The Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge boasts not one but two restaurants with a view.

Since the lodge is just seconds away from the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu you can see the outer walls of the ruins and the Urubamba mountain range. Several hundred meters below is the Urubamba river and, above that, a thick layer of forest hiding countless species of rare orchids.

The hotel began back in the 1970s when the Peruvian government built a temporary hotel on the top of the mountain just steps from the entry to Machu Picchu as a way to show off the ruins. As the ruins became a popular tourist destination, the hotel became a permanent fixture and although some people see the hotel as an unwelcome intrusion into the mystical ruins’ isolated setting, it is here to stay.

Formerly a rather plain hotel, the rustic inn was taken over by Orient-Express Hotels and transformed into a pricey luxury lodge. The Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge has one of the most dramatic and unique settings in the world and is the only hotel to stay in if you want to be perched right next to the ruins.

A reference in modern architecture and originality, Unique’s spacey, green copper façade alone makes this hotel unlike any other. Located in the well-heeled residential area of Jardins, and just meters from Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo’s largest green area, the building rises like a gracious ocean liner in dry-dock. Shielding dark glass and a desert garden of mini, sand-toned cubes of rock, palms and agaves are the first impressions that the hotel offers. Dramatic high internal spaces such as the lobby are excentuated and illuminated with walls of beige marble, and sharp, geometric themes make the spectacle even grander. A carefully choreographed spectrum of circles and squares, ellipses and sine curves flow in and out of each other, softened by wooden flooring, sleek white furnishings and transparent glass tables and fittings. The rooftop terrace displays amazing views of the city, if you manage to take your eyes off of the fascinating crimson red swimming pool.

HostelTrail is an online network of hostels and tour companies in Latin America providing up-to-date information for backpackers and independent travellers. The UK project was started in 2006 with the idea of bringing together the largest and the smallest hostels and tour companies in Latin America.

They use ‘on-the-road’ volunteer writers to visit each hostel and tour company, and then write about their experiences (with photographs). The writers all have HostelTrail.com email addresses pre-loaded with templates in Spanish and Portuguese and they can choose which businesses they wish to visit. Writers also have access to shared resources (i.e. which companies have requested a visit, which have already said no to the project, etc), so they are well prepared before hitting the road. They ask all participating hostels and tour companies to offer their writers free accommodation for a couple of nights or a free tour – although they specify that the writers are happy to cover any basic costs. Two of their writers saved around US$10,000 throughout their trip in South America just from working for HostelTrail.com. All they require of their writers is that they are not wild party animals (couples are generally the best bet), they are travelling in Latin America for at least 4 months, and can speak basic Spanish.

If you’re interested in utilising your writing skills and saving money whilst you travel, or viewing up-to-date information on hostels and budget tour companies in Central and South America, check out HostelTrail.com

Meet Exploranter, a whole new concept in overland coach travel for those with a free spirit and the ability to sleep with bunk mates. Move aside Greyhound, Exploranter brings the cushy leather seats, the kitchen, the beds and the shower along for the journey. Think Winnebago meets tour bus.

Based in Sao Paulo Brazil, the moving hotel charts adventurous courses through Brazil, Chile and Argentina, visiting areas on and off the traditional tourist map. Journeys can last from 1 week to 22 days and offer a comfortable nomadic journey through some of the world’s most spectacular scenery. While living space is modest, some upscale adventures are offered along the way such as hot air ballooning, horseback riding, off road driving, quads, etc. The top deck is furnished like a railway car with reclining seats and tables, while the rear is divided into 28 sleeping platforms. Whenever the ‘hotel’ is parked, a huge canopy opens up on the side to form a congenial kitchen and dining area.

On the banks of Peru’s Madre de Dios River in the heart of a 29,000-acre private ecological reserve deep in the Amazon rainforest, you will find the Inkaterra Canopy Tree House. The humble thatch-roofed house sleeps just two people, and is accessed via a series of hanging bridges, almost 30 metres off the ground. The house is equipped with 2 single beds, a wooden table, chairs, wash basin, portable toilet, and windows with removable mosquito netting, providing natural light and 360-degree vistas of the surrounding flora and fauna. During the day, orchids, hummingbirds, toucans, monkeys and other wildlife are an arm’s length away, while at dusk, nocturnal species come to life for evening excursions and stargazing along Inkaterra’s hanging 1,130-foot-long canopy walkway. In the evenings guests can listen to the amazing jungle sounds whilst unwinding at the relaxing canopy bar. The tree house comes with its own canopy butler, contactable by walkie-talkie, and guests can enjoy an intimate dinner for two on the platform or a late-night Pisco Sour. If sleeping at a heart-stopping 90ft above the ground becomes too much to handle, guests can descend to pre-arranged ground-level accommodation.

What do you do with an abandoned military installation in the middle of the Panamanian jungle? For avid bird-watcher, businessman, and nature conservationist, Raul Arias de Para, the answer to this question was simple: turn it into a unique ecolodge and rainforest canopy observation post. His dream finally came true in January 1999 with the opening of the Canopy Tower Ecolodge and Nature Observatory in Soberania National Park, a 55,000-acre wilderness reserve bordering the Panama Canal.

An exhibit called “Parting of the Green Curtain” occupies the cylindrical structure’s ground floor. This permanent display, donated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, uses pictures, artefacts, and text to introduce visitors to the diversity of Panama’s rainforest and to trace the history of biological research in the Tropics.

Metal stairs lead to the tower’s second level, which harbours six comfortable, two-person bedrooms decorated with tropical plants and colourful molas made by Panama’s Kuna Indians. Each room has large windows opening into the canopy, so that overnight guests need only roll over in their beds to watch the forest come to life. The next floor has a large common area with hammocks, easy chairs, and a well-stocked reading nook.

The tower’s rooftop observation deck is built around a 30-foot-tall yellow geo-tangent dome, similar to Buckminster Fuller’s famous geodesic dome. Over 250 species of birds are present, along with four types of monkeys, jungle cats, and many other animals.

The Canopy Tower Ecolodge is probably the best perch in Panama for serious bird watchers and nature lovers.

Parrot Nest Lodge is a truly unique tropical experience. Spending the night under a 100 foot Guanacaste tree in a thatched tree house is like nothing else. The lodge is surrounded on three sides by the Mopan River, so a refreshing swim in clear water is never far away and the wildlife of the area abounds.

Yes, parrots are in great number here, along with hundreds of other types of birds, making this an ideal location for bird watching. Coati, agouti, otter, and the giant iguana are among the many animals which are regular visitors to their gardens which, though lush and exotic, are virtually mosquito free, a real bonus for those who love the great outdoors and a good night’s sleep.

The Parrot’s Nest is in Bullet Tree Falls, which is just three miles from downtown San Ignacio, so you don’t have to endure the city noise or light pollution while enjoying a great night’s rest.

This is a fun and quirky concept hotel: 7 ‘geodesic’ (spherical) domes with removable roofs set in the stunning Elqui Valley, famed for clear skies that attract astronomers from all over the world, as well as for its potent local liquor, pisco. Conceived in 2003 by local businessman and astronomer Esteban Zarate, who spotted a star-shaped gap in the market, Elqui Domos is a true retreat from the world. Its small size confers a feeling of exclusivity and intimacy, for a very reasonable price tag.

Setting foot in the main reception/restaurant dome, starry magic starts to rub off on you with the welcome message: ‘may the stars be with you, shining for your eyes along their celestial dance.’ A poolside astronomical tour will help novices to appreciate the wonder of the skies. While the stars are sleeping get out and explore the valley on foot, bike or horseback, and admire the contrast of the dusty brown mountains – which glow pink at sunset – and the verdant farmland at their feet. Fittingly for an astronomic hotel, the food is pretty stellar, too.

Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel is located 35 miles from Manuas, Brazil at the confluence of the Rio Negro and Ariau Creek. Built entirely at the level of the rainforest canopy, Ariau’s towers are linked together by 4 miles of sturdy wooden catwalks. This architectural wonder affords visitors a unique communion with the regions abundant flora and fauna while leaving the fragile eco-system completely undisturbed.

Regular rooms are located in gigantic round towers up to five stories tall. Rooms all look outward, their doors facing each other at the centre of each circular level. No mercy is spared in the decor: the stairwells and room walls are covered with Amazonian-themed paintings, and fake vines and palm thatch are everywhere. A huge fibreglass Indian shooting an arrow towers over the pool, while macaws and monkeys play along the banisters outside the restaurant tower. The property is made up of eight towers connected by raised walkways that often double as tree canopy walks.

This is definitely a unique way to experience the Amazon but is this a theme park or a hotel.

Located within the Huilo Huilo Private Natural Reserve, Chile, The Magic Mountain Hotel is without a doubt one of most unique hotels in South America. The architecture alone is sure to astound you with its unique beauty and location.

This hotel was made to look just like a volcano on the outside and has a waterfall which cascades down its windows and rocky walls. Wood and stone spiralled staircases as well as wooden walls and furniture are just some of the natural decorations you’ll see in and around the hotel.

The hotel rooms themselves have windows which overlook the forest and the wildlife; toucans, lizards, iguanas, eagles, condors, and pumas are just some of the animals frequenting the area. From the hotel you can also gaze upon one of Chile’s natural marvels – the breathtaking and enormous Arenal Volcano.