Tierra Patagonia

From the moment I arrived at Tierra, I loved everything from the innovative archicture that blends the hotel so subtlily into the hill, to the delicious food to the breath-taking views of the Cordillera Paine mountain range at sunrise. As soon as you arrive at Tierra you will be shown around the property and introduced to the guides, they will give you an idea of what activities they think will be available judging by the weather. Even though the activities are the main focus of being in the National park, it is very important to remember that the weather in Torres del Paine is notoriously unpredictable so if you are making the effort to travelling all the way down to Patagonia, you must be prepared for all types of weather and that this may affect what activities you can and can't do. When I stayed at Tierra I was extremely lucky and hiked to the base of the Torres, which is the most famous part of W trek. This particular trek is 22km in total, it's long day and some parts of the trek are challenging but this is all made worth it when you reach the mirador, and gaze up at the impressive 3 torres peaks which tower above a beautiful turquoise blue lagoon. Seeing the Torres mountains on a perfect day without a cloud in sight is extremely rare so if you're lucky enough to get a clear day and are up for a bit of a challenge I would really recommend doing this particular trek because the views are truly breathtaking and I guarantee you won't regret it! Make the most of your time with the lovely and extremely knowledgable Tierra guides, be as honest as you can about your fitness levels, what you like to do and remember that the weather dominates the activities!

Everything at Tierra Patagonia has been fully considered; the architecture of the building wonderfully blends into the surrounding and the interiors are so cosy as you look out on the amazing views of Torres del Paine. All the guides were so knowledgeable and made every excursion amazing. The spa area is not to be missed !

The architecture at Tierra Patagonia is stunning - the hotel has been designed so much to totally blend in with the surroundings that you almost don't see it until you're right up close. The sweeping curves of the building both inside and out and the simple interiors of pale local wood, sheepskin & cowhide rugs keep the main focus on the sensational view over Lake Sarmiento to the famous granite peaks behind. The lodge's guides can organise a wide range of experiences in arnd around the Torres del Paine National Park including photo safaris, horseback riding with gauchos at a traditional Estancia, kayaking amongst icebergs and glacier hiking. The heated indoor pool and grotto-like spa were perfect for unwinding after a day's adventure.

The little-travelled road from Puerto Natales to Chilean wilderness lodge Tierra Patagonia laces through marvellous, archetypal Patagonian sheep country before ending at a simple red gate, the only man-made feature in a vast landscape of broad bowls and sweeping valleys. It's a tribute to architect Rodrigo Ferrer that the lodge itself, with its 40 bedrooms smartly done out in lenga beechwood and natural wool, is near-invisible from above. A two-storey, plate-glass window dominates the impressive principal salon; bedrooms, too, drink in that view of big sky and tufted grasses, the bright-blue waters of Lake Sarmiento and the jagged peaks of Torres del Paine. The owners, the American-Chilean Purcell family, set out to provide extreme comfort in testing terrain, a refuge for guests to return to having braved buffeting Patagonian gales by day, rambling with expert naturalist guides. And how brilliant it is to come back at dusk to a peppered-beef supper paired with a glass of mineral-rich Matetic syrah, and then to sprawl on a lambswool sofa and gaze out as the setting sun picks out the Torres' granite-and-basalt peaks.

The desert and glacier-scapes of the north and extreme south of Chile have become associated with striking architecture of an elemental kind. The new Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa, whose sister hotel opened on the edge of the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama in 2008, is no exception. The exterior mimics 'an old fossil, a prehistoric animal beached on the lakeshore, like those drawn by Charles Darwin' according to architect Cazu Zegers, referring to Darwin's voyage to Patagonia on HMS Beagle in the 1830s...the 40 room hotel, with views of Lake Sarmiento and the spectacular peaks of Torres del Paine National Park, will provide tailored excursions including walking, climbing and horse riding. There will also be a spa with an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor Jacuzzi for recharging the batteries before the next day's activities.