Take a journey through some Patagonia luxury lodges with Knowmad Co-Founder, Jordan, to learn about their subtle differences in location, excursions, spa amenities, dining, and more, to discover which lodge is best for you.
We’re all different and what’s a perfect Patagonia trip for you may be very different from someone else’s. This Patagonia lodge and hotel review will keep that in mind, and focuses exclusively on the lodges that serve Torres del Paine National Park in Chile’s southern Patagonia.
Adventure lodges offer guests a flexible ‘choose your own adventure’ approach with a wide range of excursions, from wildlife and photography focused days only requiring light walking, all the way to summiting the famed Base of the Towers, a demanding 8-hour round trip with over 3,000 ft. of elevation gain. In addition to having far reaching explorations throughout and beyond Torres del Paine National Park, arguably the crown jewel of Southern Patagonia wilderness, they offer lodging featuring the country’s top chefs, wine lists, and some of the most sweeping hotel views on the planet. This flexibility of adventures with seasoned wilderness guides in one of the world’s most stunning landscapes, coupled with a world-class lodging experience, is a unique combination that provides the foundation for an unimaginable travel experience.
My favorite of the Patagonia luxury lodges in the Torres del Paine, Patagonia area are Tierra Patagonia, Awasi Patagonia, Cerro Guido, Patagonia Camp, and Explora Torres del Paine. Long the standard bearer of hotels in Torres del Paine, Explora Torres del Paine was the pioneer and in the last fifteen years it has been joined by Tierra, Awasi, Patagonia Camp, and most recently, Cerro Guido. These lodges consistently rank in the top 10 lodges in South America and top 50 lodges in the world, and the question of ‘which is the best lodge in Patagonia’ has become hotly debated. Having experienced all of these lodges multiple times, including post-pandemic, I will draw distinctions between them in the quest to help you answer how to choose the best Patagonia luxury lodge for you. Patagonia is also home to a handful of other amazing luxury lodges, however, this article focuses only on comparing the best lodges in Torres del Paine National Park.
The Best Patagonia Luxury Lodge For You
Tierra Patagonia
Tierra Patagonia features architecture and design befitting of its sweeping views that will have your mouth agape. It has a feel that’s laid back, yet lively, and the vibe is often more social and international than its other Patagonia luxury lodge counterparts. The food consistently gets high marks, and the room quality, decor, design and overall facilities appeal to design-forward travelers with a flair for a modern aesthetic.
Tierra has excellent guides and although not the most exhaustive excursion list out there, they cover all the bases and then some. Their location on the eastern edge of the park is central enough that you can enjoy Torres del Paine’s highlights, and also do some off-the-beaten-path hikes on the private land surrounding the lodge. It’s also the only Patagonia luxury lodge that boasts both its own e-bikes and mountain bikes for those who’d prefer to explore the neighboring landscapes on two wheels.
The great location, views, and some of the park’s newest facilities make Tierra Patagonia luxury lodge a great choice. Their pool and spa are by far the best in Patagonia, with relaxing evening yoga classes providing respite after a day of outdoor activities.
Tierra Patagonia is often the ideal lodge for honeymooners, discerning couples open to small group excursions, and those willing to sacrifice a small bit of additional excursion drive time overall for more striking and modern facilities.
Insider tips:
- The property features 3 ‘standard’ rooms which have a nice price reduction from the ‘superiors’. These standard rooms are nearly the same only with the bathtub in the main bedroom area (outside the bathroom), which can actually be a plus as you’ll never have a bath with these views and it’s romantic for honeymooners, making this a steal (word’s getting out though, so these need to be booked far out and it’s best to have some date flexibility).
- As of the 24/25 season, “suite” rooms will come with a fully private program including a private guide for those looking for a more exclusive experience.
- Tierra’s shoulder season rates start in March, earlier than most lodges, which makes staying at Tierra Patagonia in March 2025 a real steal. Prices are significantly lower this time of year when compared with the usually equal price-point lodges. Tierra prices are actually comparable with Patagonia Camp prices in March, at any other time of the year the latter is at a significantly lower price point than Tierra.
Awasi Patagonia
Awasi differentiates itself by offering totally private excursions to their guests, whereas at other Patagonia luxury lodges you will usually be with small groups. Completed in November 2013, Awasi Patagonia is the highest level of luxury in Torres del Paine lodges especially when it comes to the lodging and food component. Outside of the park but near, the location affords dramatic and expansive views and access. Awasi Patagonia is one of only two lodges that offers a fully private experience with each villa having its own guide, driver, and 4×4 vehicle.
A Relais & Chateaux property, guided by the acclaimed Chef Marco Salinas, the culinary experience at Awasi is unrivaled. Adding to the culinary experience are the personalized menus for each guest, based on food restrictions and preferences. Similar to the guest to guide ratio, the hotel staff-to-guest ratio far surpasses the other lodges and results in impeccable service. Awasi is the most intimate, featuring just 14 villas perched throughout the property, all with expansive zoomed out views of Sarmiento Lake and the tops of the Towers peaks. Blending a modern aesthetic with local woods, the villas are a massive 860 sq feet with their own living room, fire place, jacuzzi tub, and traditional outdoor wood-fired Chilean hot tub (be sure to request your guide call ahead to have them fire it up while you’re on excursion as they take hours to heat).
Awasi’s location is a bit farther east than Tierra and will add a bit of drive time for many of the most famous hikes in the park. However, this remoteness often equates to more wildlife activity and abundant unknown hiking options where you will see nobody. It’s not uncommon to see wild herds of hundreds of guanacos and solitary gauchos on horseback, and this is prime puma habitat. They have incredible access to Sierra Baguales, a mystical and extremely wild valley on the Argentine border chock full of fossils, wildlife and dramatic landscapes. Their guides are as personable as they are professional, and although Awasi overall sees less hardcore hikers than the others, they are fully equipped to offer more demanding hikes both iconic and unknown.
Awasi is ideal for those with an ample budget seeking the highest level of luxury, and those who prefer to have a fully private guide allowing for a completely flexible and custom Torres del Paine experience. Additionally, it’s ideal for culinary-centric travelers, as well as people with a keen interest in photography, as the private guide component allows for excursion timetables that best accommodate lighting needs.
Insider tips:
- Book early!
- The only other lodge, along with Tierra, giving price breaks starting March 1st as opposed to April 1st, makes an early March stay a sneaky great relative value. Shoulder season in Patagonia is amazing!
- Villas 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 are closest to common spaces and preferable for the less active, while villas 1-4 and master suite 12 & 13 are more secluded (vehicle service to main lodge available as well).
ESTANCIA CERRO GUIDO
Photos by Claudio Magallanes
Estancia Cerro Guido is a historic, traditional estancia property that the family updated and opened as an adventure inclusive style lodge. It is the biggest working estancia in Chilean Patagonia (still in operation today with more than 20,000 heads of sheep). For those looking for an exceptional lodging experience that is authentically Patagonian, this luxury estancia lodge should be strongly considered. Both on and off their private land, the excursion offering is robust and includes plenty of riding and hiking options in addition to culture, conservation, and wildlife safaris. With so many activities taking place on private land you’re unlikely to cross big groups of other travelers, and it’s puma country, so any wildlife sightings will likely feel more authentic than inside the park where there is a higher flow of people and vehicles. This is the original estancia home of the family whose land holding both Awasi and Tierra are located on, and it has a great expansive view that includes both the Towers and the Paine Massif mountains. It is operated by the team at Patagonia Camp, and can make an awesome lodging style combination with the camp (don’t recommend combos unless you have at least 5 nights, preferably 6 or more). The food is exquisite and unpretentious, with the added detail of homegrown vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
As it is the newest of Knowmad’s favorite Patagonia luxury lodges and working to gain notoriety, one of Cerro Guido’s most notable aspects is that it is a top-shelf property that feels uniquely Patagonian, with a competitive range of adventures and excursions, and for the 24/25 season, is a relatively incredible value and price; I expect rates to steadily and strongly increase in the coming years.
Cerro Guido is ideal for families, friends, or couples who love authenticity and value for a high-quality adventure experience. It’s also ideal for those with a focus on wildlife viewings, conservation, and more cultural experiences.
Insider tips:
- Unlike other lodges where combining two impedes the experience with the loss of a day of excursions and a lot of additional transport and cost, Cerro Guido combines easily and makes for a diverse experience with Patagonia Camp.
- Cultural ruedo activity to welcome guests and traditional asado every Wednesday and Saturday (weather permitting).
- As it’s a private land holding, Cerro Guido offers in-depth access to lesser-known areas of archaeological interest, such as Las Chinas and Sierra Baguales.
- The conservation and wildlife safari activities offer a chance to learn more about Patagonian wildlife, as well as Cerro Guido’s Puma Conservation Project, among others.
Patagonia Camp
Patagonia Camp offers a close-to-nature ‘glamping’ style setup in luxury yurts replete with cozy down comforters, central heating, en suite bathrooms, and all the comforts of a hotel room. Don’t let the name deceive you: an experience at Patagonia Camp does not feel like camping. Deluxe jacuzzi yurts even come with a jacuzzi hot tub on your private terrace overlooking the lake and mountains. The food is amazing, service great, and this smaller property also offers some savings relative to most of the other Patagonia luxury lodges. It’s an option to consider regardless of budget for those who may have once loved a great camping trip, but are looking for a super comfortable and unique lodging experience in Patagonia.
Patagonia Camp is rustic luxury done right. With just 20 yurts spread throughout an expansive shoreline and peninsula, it offers intimacy as well as a social atmosphere and experience. The food is on par with the more expensive lodges which is to say quite delicious, and they accommodate well for dietary restrictions. The included wine list is also quite solid (all from Matetic Vineyard which has ownership overlap).
It is the only Patagonia luxury lodge to include options to kayak, done right from the lodge on turquoise Lago Toro. They offer the options to do self-guided spinner fishing (or fly fishing equipment rental, as well as guided fly fishing options at an additional cost). There are also short hiking trails on the property, a plus for those who like more independence or an additional solo hike after guided adventures in the park.
Patagonia Camp is ideal for those looking for a luxurious and intimate lodging experience in the heart of nature at a more accessible price point. Those looking for more of a multi-activity excursion offering can enjoy a mix of hiking, kayaking and fishing. It’s often a great choice for younger couples, but can also work well for families (children aged 10 and up), with family yurts accommodating up to 4 enhancing the value in comparison to other lodges.
Insider tips:
- Price differential for a deluxe jacuzzi yurt, which, in addition to the jacuzzi on the terrace, offers better views and more ideal locations closer to the lake, is not huge. Generally worth booking this category if available.
- Due to the value proposition and small size, Patagonia Camp can book out similarly far out to Awasi.
- Wednesdays and Sundays feature a fun cocktail hour with amazing shaved lamb and meats in traditional gaucho pit style slow cooking in a quincho with delicious sopaipillas, and maté tasting.
Explora Torres Del Paine
Explora Torres Del Paine is the only Patagonia luxury lodge located within the Torres del Paine National Park boundaries, so has the best views from the property, and retains the feel of a perfectly situated basecamp from which to enjoy a flexible Torres del Paine expedition. As much focus is placed on the overall experience as the facilities, and the excursion offerings are some of the most extensive.
The sleek lines of the hotel set with the Paine Massif as its backdrop make for a jaw-dropping lodge that maintains a sense of simple elegance. Although all these lodges have incredible views, being tucked so closely to this multi-colored jagged peak and sandwiched between two lakes gives Explora the best “room with a view” of them all, more dramatic than anything I’ve ever experienced, anywhere, period.
Explora Torres del Paine’s biggest differentiator has always been its excursion offerings. They’re located on Lake Pehoe, smack in the south of the park, equidistant to highlights on both the west and the east. With the use of their private catamaran they have better and more regular access to Grey Glacier excursions as well as the French Valley, both park highlights for serious hikers. They also offer one of the best and most comprehensive equestrian offerings, with their own horses, breeding program, and stables, making horseback riding excursions a highlight.
Explora is ideal for those who want a top-shelf Torres del Paine vacation that emphasizes location, convenience and excursion depth, as much as it does the facilities and lodging component. It’s great for couples and groups averaging over 50 years of age, as well as very serious hikers and equestrians.
Insider tips:
- Cordillera Paine room category is a must (click the link to see one of the most beautiful Torres del Paine views – from my room many trips ago, with a 2013 camera phone no less!)
- For serious hikers choosing Explora, consider their French Valley and Grey Glacier excursions which utilize their private catamaran to reach stunning trails less accessible by other lodges.
- Explora has taken over operations of the conservation-focused Parque Patagonia Lodge (created by the Tompkins Foundation and located in the Patagonia National Park) which is in another remarkable and incredibly remote Patagonia location. If combining both lodges with a minimum of 4N each, a charter flight option connects the two seamlessly every Monday and Thursday. Consider this combo for an in-depth Patagonia luxury lodge experience in both iconic Torres del Paine and off-the-beaten-path Parque Patagonia.
- For shoulder and low season travel, discounts are available when combining with Explora Easter Island, Atacama, or Sacred Valley Peru.
Bottom line is all of these lodges and hotels are amazing. I hope this helps some out there wrestling with choosing the perfect Patagonia luxury lodge for their perfect Patagonia adventure vacation.
It has always been our goal to take the stress out of travel planning, and that rings true now more than ever. If you’re interested in crafting a custom trip to Patagonia, reach out to a Knowmad Trip Specialist at 612-315-2894 or fill out the short form below to begin planning today!
Que disfruten la aventura, Jordan
Jordan is a Co-Founder of Knowmad Adventures, a company dedicated to creating unique, private and custom trips in South America. He was recently honored as a Condé Nast Experience Maker for Patagonia, and has won Travel + Leisure’s prestigious Top Travel Specialist for Patagonia, Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador/Galapagos three consecutive years. “Travel brings me incredible experiences and challenges, highlighting the world’s natural beauty while connecting me with inspiring people. I am convinced that travel makes us better people, and better people make a better planet.” Read Jordan’s biography and more about the Knowmad team.
Note: This post was originally posted on October 17th, 2013 and was adjusted to include the most up-to-date information on February 18th, 2025
