January 05, 2022/ Community / 0 Comments

The Sol y Luna Story

Not just any other hotel, Sol y Luna was founded in order to sustain a school for local children in Peru’s Sacred Valley.

Sol y Luna was the first hotel to open in the Sacred Valley, the gateway to Machu Picchu. Family-run, the Relais & Chateaux hotel has 43 casitas (individual villas or ‘little houses’) nestled in beautiful gardens.

Hotel grounds

Hotel Sol y Luna offers luxury accommodation, seasonal gastronomy in two restaurants and a large range of excursions – from kayaking to trekking, paragliding, horseback riding and visiting ancient ruins. However, at the heart and soul of Sol y Luna sits the owner Petit whose story led to the creation of this hotel that was built to support the local community.

‘We decided that the only way to make a real difference would be to start our own school’, says Petit Miribel, founder and owner of Sol y Luna. ‘The idea was not to have a school for “poor children” but to open it to everyone. My children were both educated at the Sol y Luna School.’

Watch The Sol y Luna Story

The Sol y Luna Foundation has four main branches. There is the Intercultural School with over 200 students from kinder to seventeen years of age. Then the Paqari School for children with special needs. There is also the Sol y Luna Home which provides a safe and loving home for children who have suffered abuse and maltreatment.

Lastly, the is further education where we are supporting students from the Sol y Luna School with further studies, for example taking the Cambridge English exams. The hotel itself also provides sustainable employment for the local community.

Petit Miribel

‘I always wanted to be useful to other people,’ says Petit. ‘Even as an adolescent I had that need. I was brought up in a very traditional family in France, but I remember reading books and saying to my parents I have to go and help people.’

 

Petit, her husband Franz, live on site at the hotel. Their two children, Melanie and Thomas, were received their full education at the Sol y Luna Intercultural School.

The Sol y Luna Foundation is open to visitors, see here for details.

The Sol y Luna Timeline

1990: Petit was working as a commodity trader in mining in Lima – Peru
1996: The idea of creating the Sol y Luna Foundation was born
1998: The initial works began for the creation of the school, this is what would later become the Sol y Luna Foundation
2000: Hotel Sol y Luna opened with 14 casitas
2003: The Sol y Luna Foundation works to support local public schools
2009: The Sol y Luna School opens its doors offering education for kindergarten, and the first few years of primary school

2010: Hotel Sol y Luna expands, opening Deluxe and Premium casitas
2010: Sol y Luna School now offers full primary education
2016: Hotel Sol y Luna expands with a new heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym
2017: The first Sol y Luna students graduate from the school
2019: The Sol y Luna Home opens its doors, providing a safe foster home for the students who most need it
2020: Petit and Franz’s eldest child, Thomas, graduated from the Sol y Luna School at the age of 17
2020: As a result of the covid pandemic, the Sol y Luna School became virtual. The majority of students had to have internet installed and tablets or computers supplied by the Sol y Luna Foundation. Paqari developed a programme of home visits.
2021: Petit and Franz’s daughter, Melanie, graduated from the Sol y Luna School at the age of 17
2022: After two years of closure, the Sol y Luna School reopens once again offering in-person lessons for the 200 students

Sol y Luna is a Relais & Chateaux hotel in Peru’s Sacred Valley, founded in order to sustain a school for local children. With every possible comfort on-site, including a large swimming pool and spa, the guest experience combines luxury, wellness, gastronomy and excursions.

 
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Activities and Excursions at Sol y Luna, Peru  
Footprint

The name Footprint originally came from our newsletter and we decided to use it for the Sol y Luna blog as well. Footprint fits well with the concept of Sol y Luna: our hotel was founded to support the local community. Leave footprints of kindness wherever you go.

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