Stay in the heart of wild Patagonia at this hidden luxury lodge

October 1, 2019 // By Dave Stamboulis

By Dave Stamboulis
October 1, 2019

Looking over the Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa set in a breathtaking fjord Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Looking over the Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa set in a breathtaking fjord

Remote, exclusive, magical, wilderness escape, paradise. Just a few of what could be an endless string of laudatory adjectives describing Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa, Patagonia's most fantastic resort. Sitting in a private bay on the banks of a pristine fjord, and reached only by private boat, not only is this stunning lodge a great place to live your bliss, it's also home to the beautiful Aysen region's best hot springs, making it a perfect retreat after a stint of adventure travel in one of South America's last untouched spots.

Solitude and tranquility are the norm here Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Solitude and tranquility are the norm here

Surrounded by temperate rainforest, turquoise water and glacier-covered peaks, Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa offers a complete wilderness escape in the heart of wild Patagonia, yet at the same time, it's a pampering luxury resort, built in one of the most breathtaking settings found anywhere on the planet.

Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa
When you stay at Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa in Cisnes, you'll be on the waterfront and within a 5-minute drive of Queulat National Park. Featured amenities include a business center, dry cleaning/laundry services, and... Read More

First view from the boat arriving at Puyuhuapi Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis

First view from the boat arriving at Puyuhuapi

To get to the remote lodge, you have to travel down part of the gorgeous Carretera Austral, a wilderness road that cuts through the heart of Patagonia, and only has one road outlet, as the southern terminus ends in Villa O'Higgins, surrounded by islands, fjords and glaciers. From outside the sleepy village of Puyuhuapi, the resort's private boat picks up guests from the Muelle Austral pier, taking them across the Ventisquero Sound and to the hidden lodge.

A mirror of clear water and untouched temperate forest Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis

A mirror of clear water and untouched temperate forest

The first view of the resort from the boat is of this beautiful wooden set of buildings that reflect in the crystal clear fjord water, backed by pristine dense forest and engulfed in total silence and solitude, about as magical of an arrival as one could dream up.

Every direction here offers magnificent views Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis

Every direction here offers magnificent views

From the rooms and everywhere on the property, one looks out at the Queulat National Park, home to almost 600 square miles of evergreen forest, glacier-fed lagoons and snowy peaks. The mountain views, protected bay, hot springs and endless forests that surround make it a wonderful spot for de-stressing, having a romantic escape or just enjoying a truly slow vacation in one of the world's most mesmerizing places.

Pink and purple sunset hues are the norm here Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis

Pink and purple sunset hues are the norm here

The views of the bay change throughout the day, from vivid sunsets and sunrise colors to blue skies showing off the surrounding peaks and trees, and, of course, plenty of overcast and drizzle, as this is Patagonia. But with the hot springs on the premises, a spa and plenty of cozy niches or fireplaces to curl up around with a good book, even the rainy days here are pretty sublime.

Rainbows are common after storms over the Queulat Range Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis

Rainbows are common after storms over the Queulat Range

If you're lucky, you'll get to see rainbows forming over the Queulat mountains after storms, and even closer to home, spot "toninas," Chilean dolphins, which often swim by in pods and frolic in the bay. There is also abundant birdlife found at the lodge, ranging from Magellanic woodpeckers to Andean hummingbirds, herons, albatross and southern crested caracaras, naming just a few.

Kayaking Puyuhuapi's pristine bay Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis

Kayaking Puyuhuapi's pristine bay

Adventure junkies will love it here, as there's plenty to do in the surrounding wilderness. You can go kayaking in the bay, which is well protected from the often-severe Patagonian elements, or you can trek in the rainforest, as the lodge has constructed several trails heading into the dense forest which lead to superb fjord viewpoints. In addition, Puyuhuapi Lodge has its own yachts for cruising further afield, and they'll also get you into Queulat National Park for exploring its trails and lakes.

The Ventisquero Colgante hanging glacier in Queulat National Park is right next door Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis

The Ventisquero Colgante hanging glacier in Queulat National Park is right next door

Queulat National Park is home to the Ventisquero Hanging Glacier, one of Patagonia's top draws, and the park service has made it one of the most accessible glaciers you will find anywhere in the region. Trails lead up to impressive viewpoints of the glacier, which tumbles down from the peak above. You can also access the base of the glacier by boat, as regular tours navigate up the Tempanos Lagoon to view the natural spectacle from below. The park is just a 15-minute drive from Puyuhuapi Lodge's boat pier.

Soaking away all stresses in a hot spring pool Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Soaking away all stresses in a hot spring pool

Probably the biggest highlight at Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa are its outdoor hot spring pools. There are three options, varying in degrees of heat, all of them thermal and therapeutic. One features a mud floor from which bathers can give themselves a mud wrap while soaking, and the other pools sit right on the edge of the fjord.

Hot springs with a view Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis

Hot springs with a view

It's about as close to paradise as you're going to find in beautiful Patagonia, soaking away city or work stress, or just relaxing the muscles after hiking in the nearby national park. Bottlenose dolphins sometimes swim right by, and the views of the fjord, mountains and Carretera Austral can all be seen from here. The hot springs are open all day and night, and are just a short walk on a forest trail from the main lodge area. Some longer term guests spend the majority of their days here, relaxing on sun loungers, reading or just taking in the superb views and sense of solitude while steaming away.

Spa swimming pool for total pampering Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Spa swimming pool for total pampering

The lodge also features a world class spa with indoor swimming and jacuzzi pools, perfect for rainy day relaxation. Here, you could be at any elegant spa resort around the world. Yet, leaving a massage or spa session, the difference between here and elsewhere is that you come back out into peace and tranquility outside the spa as well, back to the bird calls and slow lapping of the tide in the bay at your doorstep.

Blissful massage treatment Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Blissful massage treatment

There are a wide array of relaxing spa treatments at Puyuhuapi Lodge, ranging from marine algae body masks to "talaform" hydro-massage baths with aromatherapy, milk baths and even hot stone massage treatments to go along with more common massage techniques done by expert therapists.

Night comes to Puyuhuapi Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Night comes to Puyuhuapi

The beautiful lodge here slightly resembles a Bavarian village, due to the original owner, Eberhard Kossmann, a German immigrant who ran a shipping business in Valdivia and passed through here while sailing through the fjords in 1986. While the harbor here offered fresh water and protection from the elements, the Carretera Austral had yet to be built, and the only access here was via seaplane or sailing, but Kossmann thought it was a one-of-a-kind type of place, and despite having no experience in tourism, he thought that an escape-travel lodge here could be a wonderful experience.

Bird's-eye view from the sitting room Photo courtesy of Raquel Mogado

Bird's-eye view from the sitting room

At Puyuhuapi Lodge, there is a lone computer in the lobby which can connect to the internet, but guests are steered away from it, as the experience here is all about disconnecting, unwinding and enjoying the magnificent surroundings. Rooms do not feature televisions, but who needs one when the views from every angle are so enchanting? A favorite guest hangout is the front salon-lobby area, where there is a fireplace, large coffee table books on Patagonia and huge bay windows offering a postcard setting.

Romantic dinners at the lodge Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Romantic dinners at the lodge

The dining room is just as captivating, set right on the edge of the bay, perfect for sunsets and the starry clear skies outside at night, as this area of Patagonia is free from light pollution. International and Chilean-accented meals are served here, including fresh seafood, along with the fine wines that Chile is famous for.

Room with a view Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Room with a view

Rooms also feature views of the bay and mountains, either from right up close or looking down on the bay from higher up. The lodge has a concept, "the secret South of silence," where each guest is made to feel the tranquil space needed to experience the immense power of natural beauty that Patagonia offers in an unobtrusive, private and exclusive setting. Guests don't come here for just a quick night, but come to relax, absorb and get into the flow of the magical surroundings.

Escape to nature in one enchanting spot Photo courtesy of Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa

Escape to nature in one enchanting spot

There are plenty of pampering luxury resorts around the world, and there are also plenty of magnificent wilderness places, but few that combine the two together. Patagonia is one of the only spots left on the planet with clean air and water, untouched forests and offering a true wilderness experience. And Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa offers all the comforts needed to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. A trip here should be on every nature traveler's bucket list.

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About Dave Stamboulis

Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer based in Bangkok. Born in Athens, Greece and growing up in the U.S., Dave first discovered Bangkok while on a 45,000-kilometer bicycle trip and moved there for good in 2005. Dave's photos appear in publications around the world. He's the author of Odysseus' Last Stand, which received the Silver Medal for Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers. In addition to updating the Fodor's Guidebook to Thailand, he is the author of 500 Hidden Secrets to Bangkok, and his travel stories and photography appear in publications around the globe.