The Andes run the full length of South America, and along the way they create some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on Earth: the granite towers of Patagonia, the glaciers and lakes of the far south, the Inca valleys of Peru, the cloud forests of Ecuador and the vineyards of Chile and Argentina, where the snow-capped peaks rise behind the vines.
The mountain hotels here range from all-inclusive lodges with expert guides to a simple hotel on an island with one of the most famous views in Patagonia. These are the 11 South American mountain hotels in our collection, chosen for their setting, their character and the journeys they make possible.
The best mountain hotels in South America at a glance
- Best for a private Patagonian adventure: Awasi Patagonia
- Best for design and guided excursions: Tierra Patagonia
- Best for the view, on a budget: Hostería Pehoé
- Best for hiking around Fitz Roy: Explora El Chaltén
- Best for trekkers in El Chaltén village: Hostería Senderos
- Best for families, golf and lakes: Llao Llao Hotel & Resort
- Best for Machu Picchu at dawn: Belmond Sanctuary Lodge
- Best for the Sacred Valley: Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado
- Best for the cloud forest: Mashpi Lodge
- Best for wine and the Andes: Cavas Wine Lodge
- Best for art and architecture: VIK Chile
Patagonia: Torres del Paine
1. Awasi Patagonia, Torres del Paine, Chile
Best for: couples, hikers, photographers and wildlife lovers
Awasi is the most private way to experience Torres del Paine. On a 15,000-acre reserve on the edge of the national park, it has just 14 villas, each with an outdoor hot tub and views of the granite towers, and every villa comes with its own guide and 4x4 for the whole stay, so you explore on your own schedule. It is a member of Relais & Châteaux. Read our review of Awasi Patagonia.
2. Tierra Patagonia, Torres del Paine, Chile
Best for: design lovers, hikers and photographers
A long, curving timber building that seems to grow out of the windswept steppe, Tierra Patagonia stands on the shore of Lake Sarmiento facing the Paine Massif. Stays are all-inclusive, with meals, drinks and daily guided excursions, chosen each evening from a menu of hikes, horse rides with gauchos and boat trips, and the Uma Spa has a sauna and outdoor hot tub. Read our review of Tierra Patagonia.
3. Hostería Pehoé, Torres del Paine, Chile
Best for: budget-conscious travellers, hikers and photographers
Hostería Pehoé 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 footbridge, it looks straight across to the Cuernos del Paine. The rooms are basic, but the dining room's huge windows frame one of the most famous views in Patagonia. Read our review of Hostería Pehoé.
Patagonia: Fitz Roy and the Lakes District
4. Explora El Chaltén, Argentina
Best for: hikers, adventurous couples and photographers
Close to Fitz Roy, the granite tower that rises above the Patagonian steppe, Explora El Chaltén is a 20-room lodge on the Eléctrico River inside a private reserve. Stays are all-inclusive, with more than 30 guided explorations, many on trails used only by lodge guests, and five outdoor hot tubs in the forest for the evening. Read our review of Explora El Chaltén.
5. Hostería Senderos, El Chaltén, Argentina
Best for: hikers, climbers and budget-conscious travellers
In the village of El Chaltén, Argentina's trekking capital, Hostería Senderos is a cosy boutique hotel inspired by old Patagonian farmhouses, with timber interiors, a log fire and a good restaurant serving steaks, Patagonian lamb and Argentine wines. The trailheads for Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre are within walking distance. Read our review of Hostería Senderos.
6. Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, Bariloche, Argentina
Best for: families, couples, golfers and skiers
Designed by the architect Alejandro Bustillo and first opened in 1938, Llao Llao is a grand timber-and-stone lodge on a hill between two glacial lakes, surrounded by forested mountains. It has an 18-hole golf course, a spa with indoor and outdoor pools and a marina for boat trips on Nahuel Huapi, and it is open all year, with skiing nearby in winter. Read our review of Llao Llao Hotel & Resort.
The Andes of Peru and Ecuador
7. Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, Machu Picchu, Peru
Best for: first-time visitors, history lovers and photographers
The only hotel at the gates of Machu Picchu lets you see the citadel in the early light or the quiet of late afternoon, after the day visitors have gone back down to the valley. It is small and comfortable, with gardens full of native plants and the Tampu restaurant, and its location is unique. Read our review of Belmond Sanctuary Lodge.
8. Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado, Sacred Valley, Peru
Best for: couples, families in the villas and Machu Picchu travellers
A riverside garden hideaway on the Urubamba, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Rio Sagrado has 21 rooms, two villas, a riverfront spa and its own stop for the train to Machu Picchu. Much of the food comes from the hotel's own gardens, and it is a gentle place to acclimatise to the altitude before visiting Cusco. Read our review of Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado.
9. Mashpi Lodge, Chocó cloud forest, Ecuador
Best for: nature lovers, birdwatchers and families
Deep in a private reserve on the western flanks of the Andes, about three hours from Quito, Mashpi is a sleek, glass-walled lodge in the Chocó cloud forest, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. Naturalist guides lead daily walks to waterfalls, and the Dragonfly, a canopy gondola, glides over the treetops. Read our review of Mashpi Lodge.
Wine country: vineyards beneath the Andes
10. Cavas Wine Lodge, Mendoza, Argentina
Best for: couples and wine and food lovers
A cluster of adobe villas among the Malbec vineyards of Alto Agrelo, with the snow-capped Andes behind, Cavas is one of the great vineyard hotels of the world. Each villa has its own terrace and plunge pool, the spa specialises in vinotherapy, and Mendoza airport is about 40 minutes away. It is a member of Relais & Châteaux. Read our review of Cavas Wine Lodge.
11. VIK Chile, Millahue Valley, Chile
Best for: wine, art and design lovers
Two hours south of Santiago, VIK Chile rises from a hilltop beneath a shimmering roof of bronzed titanium, in a 4,400-hectare vineyard reserve facing the Andes. Art fills the hotel, the infinity pool seems to float above the vines, and the Wine Spa uses the estate's own grapes. Read our review of VIK Chile.
When to go to South America's mountains
The seasons vary along the Andes. In Patagonia, the season runs from around October to April, with the longest days and warmest weather from December to February, and quieter trails and autumn colour in March and April; be ready for wind at any time. In Peru's Andes, the dry season, from May to September, brings clear skies over Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Mendoza is best for the harvest from February to April, and Llao Llao is open all year, with skiing from July to September. Mashpi's cloud forest is rich in wildlife in every season.
How to plan a mountain trip in South America
Distances are huge, so it pays to focus on one or two regions. In Patagonia, Torres del Paine is reached from Puerto Natales, and El Chaltén from El Calafate, and the two can be combined in one trip with a border crossing. In Peru, most travellers spend a few nights in the Sacred Valley before a night at Machu Picchu. Mendoza and Santiago are a short flight apart, making it easy to combine Cavas and VIK in one wine-country trip.
For more, see our guides to the best mountain golf courses and affordable mountain hotels, or explore all our hotels in South America.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best mountain hotels in South America?
Our favourites include Awasi Patagonia and Tierra Patagonia in Torres del Paine, Explora El Chaltén near Fitz Roy, Llao Llao in Bariloche, Belmond Sanctuary Lodge at Machu Picchu, Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador, and Cavas Wine Lodge and VIK Chile in the wine country.
Where should I stay in Torres del Paine?
For a private, guided stay, Awasi Patagonia; for design and all-inclusive excursions, Tierra Patagonia; and for an affordable stay with a famous view, Hostería Pehoé.
Is there a hotel at Machu Picchu?
Yes. Belmond Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel at the gates of the citadel. Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado, in the Sacred Valley, has its own stop for the train to Machu Picchu.
When is the best time to visit Patagonia?
From around October to April, with the warmest weather and longest days from December to February.
