Stretching over 400,000 square miles – roughly one and a half times the size of the UK – and across 2 countries, South America’s southern frontier of Patagonia is equal parts wild, rugged, and beautiful. This is a place where the skies are vast and the spaces are empty. While the enormous emptiness holds great appeal for the most intrepid of explorers, Patagonia’s jagged peaks, turquoise lakes and dusty trails are the real attraction, pulling in hikers and adventurers from all over the world.
If you’ve ever seen a picture of Patagonia’s dramatic mountain landscape, odds are it was taken in Torres del Paine. Chile’s most famous national park is named for its razor-like peaks that form the Cordillera Paine, the small but spectacular mountain group that make this one of the most beautiful places in the entire world. The park’s 935 square miles are covered with trails ranging in difficulty. The 130km ‘O’ circuit is popular, though you can opt for shorter sections, including the W Circuit – a 5–7 day trek that takes you past all the park’s highlights – and dozens of rigorous day hikes such as the trek to the base of the park’s spectacular towers.
I recently selected my favourite hiking lodges in Patagonia for Expedia and came to the realisation that the Torres Del Paine has wonderful accommodation in abundance. There are campsites for those looking to fully immerse themselves in the great outdoors, several superlative hotels, and the park’s rustic refugios are a wonderful compromise between the two. I have selected some of my favourites below.
Refugio Grey
Located at one end of the W trekking circuit, most hikers will come across Refugio grey either as they begin or end their 5-day hike along the park’s most popular trail. For this reason, it is one of the busiest and best-known hostels in Torres del Paine. You will find it nestled among the trees on the bank beside Lago Grey and about 1hrs hike from the side of Glacier Grey and the Southern Ice Fields, and you can access it by walking from the Shelter Vértice Paine Grande, by catamaran from the Hosteria Lago Grey or from Paso Gardner.
The refugio itself has space for around 60 hikers with beds distributed in dormitory rooms for 4 or 6 people across two floors. The common areas have roaring wood burners to dry those soggy boots after a hard day’s hiking and the well-stocked restaurant, with a beautiful view of the mountain range that frames the Grey Lake, serves an American breakfast, lunch, dinner and a range of Chilean wines.
Hostería Pehoé
Hosteria Pehoe enjoys the best location in Torres del Paine, set on its own small island directly opposite the magnificent Cuernos del Paine and linked to the mainland by a long footbridge. The panoramas of Los Cuernos and Paine Grande are visible from the communal restaurant, although the views are significantly better than the quality of the food.
Eco Camp Chile, Torres Del Paine
If you want to hike the spectacular trails in the heart of the Torres del Paine but don’t fancy hauling your tent the whole way, EcoCamp is the comfortable alternative. The cluster of geodesic domes all contain wooden floors, cosy wood-burning stoves, real beds with lots of warm bedding, and a window in the roof to see the stars.
For the more adventurous guests, the camp offers trekking packages of all lengths and levels, with excellent bilingual guides, and meals, drinks and transfers included. However, if hiking isn’t your thing, you can relax with yoga sessions, massage treatments, or just hang out with fellow travellers beside a roaring fire in the Community Domes
Hotel Remota
Located on the shore of Seno Ultima Esperanza, just outside of Puerto Natales, the sprawling Hotel Remota was the brainchild of architect Germán del Sol. He found himself inspired by Patagonian quila sheds slanted by the wind and designed the hotel as a warm, ecologic refuge that fits seamlessly into the landscape.
The hotel, which occupies an old agricultural building, offers 72 rustically designed rooms overlooking either the fjords or the mountains, as well as vast, stylish communal spaces where you can relax by the fire after a long day of hiking. If relaxation is your main aim, you can take full advantage of the hotel’s 15-meter heated pool, Finnish sauna or 2 outdoor Jacuzzis.
However, it is Hotel Remota’s ecological credentials that really set it apart; The grass-covered roof and floor-to-ceiling thermal windows were installed with energy efficiency and insulation in mind; Stainless steel bottles instead of plastic ones; all cleaning products used are free of polluting chemicals; the ventilation system utilises the power of the wind rather than electricity or fossil fuels.
Tierra Patagonia
The sweeping Tierra Patagonia was designed to blend seamlessly with the wild, windswept Chilean landscape like a curved fossil half-sunk into the grassy Patagonian steppe. The striking wooden structure sits on the bright blue shores of Lake Sarmiento in the shadows of the Torres del Paine National Park with enormous windows allowing the lakes and peaks the UNESCO biosphere reserve to shine as a constant and awe-inspiring backdrop.
Each of the 40 eco-luxe rooms, merging the style of the indigenous Tehuelche people with Scandi minimalism, look out over the lake and the majestic towers of the Paine Massif. The views here are the main attraction, with an enormous, open communal space utilising floor-to-ceiling windows and even the indoor pool showcasing the Paine massif and Lake Sarmiento from its toasty waters.
Explora Patagonia
Clinging to the shores of Lake Pehoe, Explora Patagonia’s award-winning hotel sits like a welcoming white beacon literally in the middle of Torres del Paine National Park. It’s surrounded by a dramatic granite vista with its clever design meaning that all of the 51 rooms take in the view.
The original concept for the hotel was based around walking and riding, and with over 40 different expedition options, guests can cover all areas of the park either on foot, horseback or by van, providing travellers with the opportunity of discovering the landscape at their own pace.
While the luxurious Scandi-style interiors and outdoor jacuzzis may be a little much for the walker that is wanting to tackle the famous “W” route, the Explora is a superb base for exploring this wild and beautiful region.
