Boutique hotels in Chile

Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from the driest desert in the world to the ice fields of Patagonia, and its best small hotels are built to take in those extremes. Desert lodges, wine estates, restored mansions and remote refuges, many of them all-inclusive and guided, define the country's boutique offer.

North and center

San Pedro de Atacama is the base for salt flats, geysers and some of the clearest night skies on Earth, with adobe-style lodges at the edge of the desert. Santiago has a handful of design hotels in Vitacura and Lastarria, while the Maipo, Casablanca and Colchagua valleys have vineyard estates within easy reach. Valparaíso's hillside mansions and the beach resorts of Viña del Mar, Zapallar and Pichilemu line the coast, and the Elqui Valley is known for its pisco, stargazing and domes.

Lakes and Patagonia

Pucón, Puerto Varas and Frutillar sit among volcanoes and lakes in the south, with German-influenced architecture. Chiloé has stilt houses and wooden churches. The Carretera Austral and Puyuhuapi lead into remote fjords and hot springs, while Torres del Paine and Puerto Natales are the gateway to some of the world's best-known trekking, with lodges that offer daily guided excursions. Easter Island, 3,500 kilometers out in the Pacific, has a small group of stylish lodges.

When to go

Summer, from December to March, is best for Patagonia and the lakes. Spring and autumn suit the wine valleys, and the harvest runs from March to April. The Atacama is dry and clear all year, but nights are cold in winter.