While on our tour of the National Park, we had a site inspection of Hotel Salto Chico, the only five star property within the park… and this location is its main advantage. If you want to spend three days exploring the Torres del Paine National Park, it's best to drive in and out just once.

Room

This hotel is about location, location, location. Lead-in Salto Chico rooms overlook the waterfall behind the hotel, while upgraded rooms have a stunning view of the lake and the mountains beyond. Rooms are quite small, reminding me of a Superior Room … and the bathrooms are also small (one colleague describing them as "lodge bathrooms"): shower in the tub, one small vanity, and a toilet. Suites are larger, reminiscent of a Junior Suite, with bathrooms that are more appropriate for a luxury property.

Overall

There is a 4-day minimum during high season, with shorter stays possible during other times of the year. A member of Virtuoso, guests receive an upgrade if available on arrival, a welcome gift, and early check-in/late check-out. The resort is fully inclusive with three meals a day and daily activities.

Looks like it has been awhile since this hotel had been reviewed. I'll throw in my two cents here.

We flew into Puenta Arenas and met our hotel representative at the airport. He got us into a private van which took us on the five hour journey to the hotel. 

We received a very nice welcome from the staff and were quickly introduced to one of the guides so we could pick out our activity for the following day. We chose hiking, as we did most days, and were given detailed instructions as to where to meet and at what time.

I had notified the hotel prior to our arrival that I did have a food allergy. That was acknowledged by the service staff and they made sure all of my meals were okay for me to eat. The food is really wonderful and we had a great time with the service staff and dining in the restaurant. 

The hotel is beautifully situated and it looks like every room has a spectacular view. The rooms are not huge, but they are comfortable and the drying rack in the bathroom is a nice to have, especially if your hiking boots or clothes get wet. 

The guides were top notch and we had a lot of fun hiking with them. I would say that my biggest complaint was the fact that they wouldn't take us out on harder hikes until we proved we were ready, by doing longer hikes each day. I would like to have gone longer and harder to start with.

Overall, a fantastic property and the people that work there really make it a wonderful place to visit.