Hostería Pehoé, Torres del Paine, Chile

Hostería Pehoé is an affordable hotel in Torres del Paine National Park, and it is worth visiting for one reason above all: its view. Set on its own small island in the turquoise waters of Lake Pehoé, and reached by a long, slender footbridge, it looks straight across the lake to the Cuernos del Paine, the dramatic, two-toned horns of granite and dark sedimentary rock that are among the most famous sights in South America. The rooms are simple; the setting is unforgettable.

Location: Torres del Paine, Chile

The hotel stands on a roughly five-hectare island in Lake Pehoé, in the central part of Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia. The park is one of the world's great wilderness areas, a landscape of granite towers, glaciers, wind-whipped lakes in impossible shades of blue, and open steppe where guanacos graze and condors circle overhead.

The nearest town is Puerto Natales, around two to three hours away by road, and the nearest airports are at Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas. A hire car or pre-arranged tours are the best way to explore, as the park's trailheads are spread over a wide area. The season runs roughly from October to April, the southern spring, summer and autumn.

Rooms and suites at Hostería Pehoé

The accommodation is honest and straightforward. There are a few dozen rooms, all heated and comfortably furnished, each with a private bathroom. They are, frankly, simple and somewhat dated, and many do not look out over the lake. This is not a luxury lodge, and you should not expect one.

What you pay for here is the location. Staying on the island means you wake up in the middle of the national park, with one of its most spectacular views right outside the door, at a fraction of the cost of the park's high-end, all-inclusive lodges.

Facilities at Hostería Pehoé

The heart of the hotel is its dining room, with huge windows looking straight across Lake Pehoé to the Cuernos. The restaurant serves regional Patagonian dishes, and breakfast is included. There is also a bar and café, and a large lounge on the upper floor, a good place to sit with a drink and watch the light change on the mountains.

The hotel's central position makes it a convenient base for exploring. Lago Grey, with its icebergs drifting from the Grey Glacier, the Salto Grande waterfall and the trailheads for parts of the famous W Trek are all within reach. Short hikes close by, such as the walk to the Mirador Cóndor viewpoint, offer wonderful panoramas of the lake and peaks.

The mountain moment

The defining experience is sunrise or sunset over the Cuernos del Paine. At dawn, the first light catches the upper horns, turning the pale granite gold and pink above the dark rock below, while the lake shifts from deep blue to brilliant turquoise. On a calm day, the peaks are reflected in the water. In the evening, the same peaks glow again as the sun sets behind you.

There is something quietly magical, too, about walking back across the footbridge at night, the wind finally dropping, the stars coming out over the island and the dark silhouette of the mountains rising across the water. Guests in the know also head round to the back of the island, or to the small hill across the road, for different angles on the peaks at sunrise and sunset.

Why Hostería Pehoé is one of the best mountain hotels

Hostería Pehoé earns its place in our Affordable stays collection because it offers what many consider the single most breathtaking hotel view in Torres del Paine, at a price that makes the park accessible to travellers who cannot stretch to the luxury lodges.

We want to be clear: the rooms are basic and service can be variable. This is a place to stay for the location and the view, not for luxury. But if you value waking up in the heart of one of the world's great national parks, with a front-row seat to the Cuernos del Paine, it is very hard to beat.

When to go to Hostería Pehoé

The season runs roughly from October to April. December to February is the southern summer, with the longest days, the mildest temperatures and the busiest trails, and it is famously windy. October and November bring spring flowers and fewer visitors, while March and April offer autumn colour, calmer weather on some days and softer light for photography. Because rooms vary so much, ask for a lake-view room when you book, and reserve early for the summer months, as accommodation inside the park is limited.