Patagonia holidaysStaying in one of the flagship hotels within Patagonia's Torres del Paine national park is eye-wateringly expensive – but nearby Puerto Natales has a range of chic, interesting and more affordable boltholes, many offering locally run trips and treksKnow a great place to stay in Patagonia? Add your suggestion in the comments below
There may be a cluster of wow-factor hotels in and around Torres del Paine national park, but they come with minimum stays and a hefty price tag. Explora Patagonia trips, for example, cost from around £1,750pp for a four-night minimum stay (full-board with daily excursions), while a four-night stay at Tierra Patagonia on the edge of the park costs $2,450 per person. For more flexibility, try cheaper but still chic options in Puerto Natales, just over an hour's drive to the park entrance. Most hotels offer their own excursions at reasonable rates – in the park, or in more off-the-beaten-track areas – or will point you towards someone who does. You'll also experience real-life Patagonia in this quirky frontier town: settled by Scottish and German immigrants in 1911, it has a cosmopolitan vibe and a thriving foodie scene.
Hostal Amerindia Patagonia
This rustic, family-run B&B is set in two of the town's traditional clapboard houses. The 15 rooms – 11 of them en suite – are homely, liberally sprinkled with weavings and hand-embroidered cushions. The common room is heated by a woodburning stove and stuffed with vintage furniture, with lots of places for a post-hike flop. There's a large blackboard on the wall where the in-house agency posts tour information. The ground-floor cafe sells delicious pastries and great coffee, and there's a small deli stocking organic and anti-allergy products.
+56 61 411945, hostelamerindia.com. Doubles from US$25 B&B
Hotel Martin Gusinde
Don't be fooled by the office-block-style exterior. Step inside this Puerto Natales stalwart and you'll find the dark colours and heavy furniture have been replaced by a slate-and-stainless-steel lobby, a light-filled dining area with wooden beams and designer chairs, sleek sofas and white walls adorned with modern art. It was completely remodelled last year by Roberto Cancino, the interior designer of the Natalino (see below), and the 28 rooms follow the same minimalist lines, with neutral colours and lots of wood. Just one block from the main square, it's open all year round and will let you leave your luggage if you go off trekking.
+56 61 712180, martingusinde.com. Doubles from $85 B&B
Kau Lodge
Kau means "house" in the local Tehuelche language, and a group of friends have turned one of the oldest clapboard houses in town into a chic, five-room B&B. The first-floor rooms all have views over Last Hope Sound – from the corner room's double-height windows you can see all the way to the Paine mountains. The small, bright rooms have cool design touches – wicker lampshades, handwoven throws, pebble coat hooks – and the wooden wall behind the bed has been recycled from the frames of greenhouses. The open-plan ground floor has plenty of seating, the Coffeemaker cafe and bar plus the services of Antares Travel, which offers kayaking, biking, horse riding and trekking adventures.
+56 61 415978, kaulodge.com. Doubles from $45 B&B
Bories House
While the history of Bories House is inextricably linked to The Singular (see below) – it was once home to the factory's manager – its style is very different. Perched on the shore of Last Hope Sound with views across to the Serrano and Balmaceda glaciers, it's surrounded by 25 acres of grassland with grazing horses. The seven bedrooms mix antiques with contemporary comforts, including free Wi-Fi, and the restaurant serves classic Patagonian ingredients – fish, seafood, lamb – with a modern twist. Explore the surrounding countryside on horseback or by bike, or ask the hotel to help arrange trips further afield.
+56 61 412221, borieshouse.com. Doubles from $95, three-bedroom cottage $200-$300 B&B
Hotel IF
With its striking ergonomic design, centrally located Hotel IF stands out from its diminutive clapboard neighbours and is committed to sustainability – there's even recycled tea bag art in the dining area. Light streams through the glass wall of the atrium, providing natural heat and ventilation. A staircase dramatically zig-zags its way to the 15 small but perfectly formed rooms, where you'll find white walls and lots of native lenga wood. The two suites each have their own Jacuzzi and there's also a hot tub for sharing and stunning views from the third-floor terrace. The hotel specialises in four- and five-day fly-fishing itineraries but will also arrange day trips to the national parks, and mountain-biking tours.
+56 61 410312, hotelifpatagonia.com. Doubles from $115 B&B
Weskar Lodge
This hilltop hotel, a 10-minute walk from the centre, has panoramic views over Last Hope Sound and the mountains beyond. A newly built wing brings the room total to 28, and they all make the most of a small space, with wood-panelled walls and splashes of colour from handwoven woollen blankets. The large, open-plan lounge bar is kept cosy with an open fire and, if you don't want to go into town, the restaurant serves local dishes that you can pair with a good choice of South American wines. To ease any post-trek aches and pains, wend your way down the wooden walkway to the spa and the free outdoor hot tubs for spectacular sunset views.
+56 61 414168, weskar.cl. Doubles from $115 B&B
Natalino Hotel Patagonia
What Natalino lacks in waterfront views, it makes up for with a construction inspired by the Patagonian landscape. The white-and-glass facade – which turns icy-blue at night – resembles a glacier. Inside, a sparkling granite staircase cuts through three-storey-high concrete walls, as though it were a crack in the ice. The 21 minimalist rooms have white walls, slate floors, dark-wood furniture and flatscreen TVs, and the top-floor suite has a double-height loft space, perfect for families. There's also a heated indoor pool with views over town and beyond, a small fitness centre and lounge bar.
+56 61 414345, hotelnatalino.com. Doubles from $144 B&B
Indigo
Set on the waterfront of Last Hope Sound, Indigo was designed to resemble a barn – externally at least. Most of its 29 rooms, lined with blonde wood and concrete tongue and groove, look out over the water and are reached via a stunning atrium with interlinking stairs and walkways. You can take in the view from the freestanding tub in the expansive suite, or head to the top-floor spa and one of the three free hot tubs for even better views. Built like the prow of a ship, the original triangular building houses the Mama Rosa restaurant and bar, where you can feast on organic steak washed down with a pisco sour made with calafate (a native berry) and watch the ever-changing sky through the enormous picture windows.
+56 61 413609, indigopatagonia.com. Doubles from $285 B&B
Hotel Altiplanico Sur
On the edge of town, this long, lean hotel was built to blend into its hilltop surroundings, with a living grass roof and exterior walls covered in grass bricks, just like those used by the region's first settlers. Its low-slung, ergonomic design means it maintains heat and the 22 rooms are plain but comfortable, made of rugged materials – concrete, slate and wood – softened with throws and sheepskin rugs. They all look over Last Hope Sound, as do the two free alfresco hot tubs. If you need help with tours, the friendly staff can point you in the direction of operators in town.
+56 22 2123021, altiplanico.cl. Doubles $270 B&B
The Singular
More than just a hotel, The Singular is a piece of Patagonian history. European settlers introduced sheep to the region in the 1800s and this cavernous building, close to the village of Puerto Bories – 4km from Puerto Natales – operated as a meatpacking and cold storage factory for 70 years. After a 10-year restoration, the new wing channels industrial chic with expanses of metal, glass, concrete and brick. Its 57 lofty rooms – along with the spa and indoor-outdoor swimming pool – have floor-to-ceiling views over snow-capped peaks and the icy waters of Last Hope Sound. The original double-height warehouse now houses a display of massive Victorian machinery, as well as the atmospheric bar and restaurant, where you can try local delicacies, from king crab to Magellan lamb and guanaco steak. There are over 20 top-notch excursions on offer, both in and out of the park, but this is also a great place for a luxurious splurge after a long trek.
+56 61 722030, thesingular.com. Doubles from $350 B&B
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