Mandarin Oriental, Santiago, Chile

We started our trip in style, with a stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Santiago. This hotel brand would be out of our price range in the U.S., but we got a good deal through American Express, so we went for it.

I was happy to find that the pool was as beautiful as it looked on the website. That was perfect because most of our plan for the day was laying by the pool. The hotel is in the business district so I wouldn’t recommend it for city touring, but it fit our needs. The onsite restaurant was very good and not too expensive so we had a relaxing evening before heading out to Rapa Nui the next day.

Nayara Hangeroa, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile

We splurged on our next stay. Since this would be our first (and maybe only) trip to a tropical Polynesian island, I wanted a nice experience. Nayara’s resorts in Costa Rica and Panama are rated among the best in the world, and while the Hangeroa resort doesn’t get this designation yet, it is very lovely.

The resort is designed to evoke the ceremonial buildings at Orongo, the site of the birdman competition, and we certainly saw that. The rooms were laid out by an interior designer who used local products and had whimsical features like a ladder for towels and a tub near the bed.

The staff was excellent, extremely helpful and friendly, and the food was delicious. We ended up eating there three out of our four nights since the food was good, prices were in line with what we saw in town, and it made for relaxed evenings.

My only disappointment was that the room didn’t have an ocean view, since the website says that all rooms are “ocean facing.” That is true, but some rooms, like ours, are in a second tier so you can only get a glimpse of the ocean over the first row of buildings. Even the rooms immediately across from the ocean can be blocked by berms that protect the room from passing cars and pedestrians. For ocean views we spent time on the restaurant patios and walked along the waterfront.

Although we had done everything we wanted to do in four days, we were sad to leave.

Arc Recoleta Hotel, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This is a nice tourist hotel in the upscale Recoleta neighborhood. We were pleasantly surprised at the size of our room, and especially happy to find that we had a balcony. Although the balcony only looks out at other buildings, we enjoy having a coffee in the morning and a glass of wine in the evening while enjoying the outdoors. It also made a great natural ‘dryer’ after doing some laundry in the sink.

We generally prefer inns and B&B’s over hotels, so we would have chosen another type of place, but for a basic city stay it was great – in a safe neighborhood surrounded by lots of cafes and restaurants and near some tourist attractions.

Kosten Aike, El Calafate, Argentina

El Calafate feels like a ski town, and the hotel has a bit of a ski lodge feel. The rooms are comfortable, and there are nice sitting areas.

Some of the rooms have new faux hardwood floors, which feels like an update to the carpeted room we had, but the rooms still feel a bit tired. But they’re perfectly acceptable for two nights. It’s also a block from the main street and near several laundromats, so it was a great location coming off more than a week on the road. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again.

Rio Serrano Hotel, Torres del Paine, Chile

Yes, we were back in Chile again after about 12 hours on the road. (That included scenery stops, lunch and immigration so it wasn’t 12 hours of driving.)

As noted earlier, when I envisioned Patagonia, I thought of Torres del Paine, and I always assumed we’d stay at Tierra Patagonia, the sister hotel to Tierra Atacama, which we loved so much 12 years ago. But prices have gone up there dramatically, and even a travel agent said they didn’t think it was worth the cost.

Though I can’t compare directly since I wasn’t at Tierra Patagonia, Rio Serrano was absolutely fine. The common areas overlook the Paine massif, and if traveling on your own you can upgrade to a room with a view. We spent so little time in the room even I didn’t miss having a view.

There is a very nice infinity pool and sauna, and the staff will arrange excursions if you’re not with a group. The bar staff was friendly, and meals were good. And although it’s out of the park, it’s not a long drive. The only potential downside is that it does seem to host a lot of groups, so it could be a bit annoying to independent travelers, but overall it’s a fine choice.

Costaustralis Hotel, Puerto Natales, Chile

We stayed one night here before departing for Punta Arenas to board our boat. The common areas have really nice design touches, and the rooms appear to have been refurbished. We were unlucky enough to get a room overlooking a construction site, and when the backhoe started working in the morning we had to close the windows to keep the dirt from flying in. (That explained the dirt in the tub.)

Aside from that, it was probably one of the better lodging options if you don’t want to stay in one of the hostels catering to backpackers using the city as a base for Torres del Paine.

Ventus Australis

Jim already did a great job reviewing our experience on this boat. It’s an expedition ship, so there is no pool or casino or entertainment other than the lectures about the areas we’d be visiting. We’ve been on more luxurious ships, but we thoroughly enjoyed this ship on our adventure to the end of the world.

Las Hayas, Ushuaia, Argentina

This hotel was a pleasant surprise! Instead of staying in downtown Ushuaia, which is very busy during peak tourist season, we drove about ten minutes up a hill to a lovely resort overlooking the town and the bay.

In addition to great views, it had walking trails, a pretty stone fireplace, a spa with a heated pool, sauna and steam rooms. They even have a shuttle to take you into town if you don’t want to spend on uber or a taxi. I highly recommend it if you need a stopping point before or after a cruise through Patagonia or to Antarctica. Otherwise, there’s really no reason to be in Ushuaia.

Sofitel Montevideo Carrasco, Montevideo, Uruguay

We added on three nights in Montevideo, Uruguay with the intention of getting some R&R after a very busy three weeks. (Little did we know the extra time in South America would allow us to miss the huge storm that hit the east coast of the U.S. Our fellow travelers all had a terrible time getting home.)

The hotel is extremely ornate. Construction began in 1912 under two French architects with a vision to reflect the grandeur of the Belle Epoque. World War I interrupted construction, but the hotel finally opened in 1921, when it became the epicenter of Montevideo high society. Foreigners like Albert Einstein also stayed here. It fell into disrepair and closed, then opened again in 2013 when Sofitel undertook the restoration.

The hotel’s common areas are beautiful. We upgraded to a room with a river view which provided lovely views, but with only a Juliet balcony we couldn’t take our morning coffee there. The room, though comfortable, had a very odd layout. The toilet was in a little room without a sink, and the door to the sink/shower opened inward so you had to totally close it before you could get in to wash your hands. Oh well, I guess that’s what happens when you retrofit an old hotel. (Note: I have since learned that having the toilet in a separate room is common in France. So the French architects were just being French!)

But the highlight was the pool and spa, which perfectly suited our desire for rest and relaxation. We enjoyed a beer near the outdoor pool on our arrival day, then spent quality time on the indoor loungers near the pool in the spa area on our other days. The area was perfect because you could open the doors to the outside so we had an indoor/outdoor experience.

The downside is the hotel, though technically in Montevideo, is about a thirty minute drive to the tourist sites downtown. We knew this and were okay with it, but for anyone who wants to spend a lot of time touring the city this isn’t the spot for you. On the other hand, it’s closer to wine country and the airport, so depending on your plans it could be an ideal location.

This post wraps up our Patagonia+ adventure. It was a great experience!