Remota

Stunning modernist design, Jacuzzis with a view, and a huge range of adventurous trips both in and around Torres del Paine National Park

Lying low in the land above Last Hope Sound, long black sheds snake across the grass, broken by the glow from irregular trapezoid windows. If Remota is intriguing on the outside, it's breathtaking within. Endless white corridors are flooded with light; floor-to-ceiling windows bring in vast views of sky, water and distant mountains. Grasses grow right up to the walls, and chic indoor campfires waft around wood smoke in winter: all to maintain your connection with the magnificent natural surroundings. Bedrooms are generous, light-filled and fragrant with lenga wood; even the bathrooms have views.

Patagonian delicacies, Chilean wines and pisco sours are all included. Best of all, you'll be offered more than 30 different hikes, rides, kayak trips and biking trails - all led in small groups by expert, bilingual guides. Remota was revolutionary in offering trips outside Torres del Paine National Park as well as inside. As well as classic hikes, you can spot condors at Cerro Benítez, ride horses to Sierra Dorotea or hike in the Sierra Baguales. Return to a sauna, a massage and a Jacuzzi under the stars.

Highs

• Stimulating architecture and design make returning from your hike a pleasure - plus there's a spa where you can soothe tired muscles
• Plentiful public spaces, with fabulous views - you can be inside the hotel and still feel you're very much in Patagonia
• Torres del Paine with its jagged mountains, luminous lakes and icefields is arguably the most spectacular nature reserve in the world
• The all-inclusive packages offer a huge range of first-class excursions, ranging from the easy to the extreme, many unique to Remota and offering paths less trodden
• Personalised service - you get the chance to discuss activities with your guides on a daily basis, and choose what you'd like to do

Lows

• Although Remota is just an hour's drive from the entrance to Torres del Paine, it's another 2 hours to the heart of the park where lots of hikes begin, so be prepared for a longer day than you might expect
• Service can be slow - partly the result of Remota's admirable policy of hiring local staff. Remember that everything moves more slowly in Patagonia!
• You're just a couple of miles outside the small town of Puerto Natales, so don't expect complete wilderness
• Those seeking traditional hotel comforts may find the bold, angular furniture a little harsh