Indigo

Hip, cosy boutique hotel with superb views, Pisco Sour bar, and rooftop spa, just an hour from Torres del Paine national park

Indigo is all surprises. Quaint, scruffy Puerto Natales offered only ancient hotels and pricey youth hostels until this stack of scarlet ship containers appeared on the shore of Last Hope Sound. But walk inside, past a wall of wicker, up a ramp of polished slate, to find an airy reception space, with sofas to sprawl on and welcoming young staff. Zig-zagging gangplanks slice through the dramatic atrium, giving constantly changing views of the bold interior and grand landscapes beyond. Bedrooms are cosy cabins with rolling wooden shutters and drenching hot showers.

Windows frame stunning views across the fjord with its jagged snow capped mountains, inviting you to get out and explore. Bilingual staff will arrange your boat trips, hikes and kayaking adventures. After blistering winds and wide open spaces, retreat to your candlelit room, thaw out in the sauna, and soak in the rooftop Jacuzzi with its perfect view of coloured roofs and indigo water. Pluck a Pisco Sour from the menu in the intimate restaurant. And relax.

Highs

• Best views in Puerto Natales – uninterrupted vistas across the indigo fjord to far-off mountains
• Great architecture and inspiring design
• Good restaurant serving local dishes, Pisco Sour bar and all-day café – a relaxing place to hang out
• The roof top spa – bliss after a long day's trekking
• Staying in Puerto Natales has its advantages: shops, cafés, and places to buy/rent equipment, and closer for activities such as kayaking
• Friendly upbeat atmosphere, without being remotely pretentious, cool or noisy

Lows

• Puerto Natales is the gateway to the spectacular Torres del Paine park but it's still a 2-hour drive to where most hiking excursions begin, making day-long hikes extra tiring
• Standard rooms are small – but well designed, so you're unlikely to feel squashed
• All rooms have rainhead showers, but only the suite has a bath. If you want a soak at the end of the day, there's always the rooftop Jacuzzi
• Service in the restaurant can be slow, and service throughout the hotel is relaxed rather than five star