Hotel Antumalal, Pucón

Location

Beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Villarrica near the town of Pucón, this architect-designed hotel is reminiscent of the 1940s Bauhaus style. From British royalty to stars of the silver screen, previous guests include Queen Elizabeth II, James Stewart and Emma Thompson, no doubt attracted to the privacy of the hotel’s expansive gardens and secluded cliff top position. Indeed, the gardens themselves cover an area of five hectares with meandering paths and viewpoints that lead to volcanic rock pools, gushing waterfalls and hidden beaches.

Accommodation

Rooms are as appealing as their spectacular surroundings, with panoramic windows, native wood panelling, roaring fireplaces, handmade throws and rugs made by the local Mapuche community; for the best views look to the Lake Chalets perched just above the water’s edge. All rooms come with walk in closets, plasma TVs and private bathrooms while larger suites and chalets, which sleep up to six, also feature a small kitchenette.

Dining

Antumalal’s restaurant is known throughout the area, its menus bringing together the very best in regional food and fine Chilean wines; it’s the place to come for languid lunches and long evening meals set against a backdrop of distant volcanic peaks. In summer, an early evening cocktail on the terrace is hard to beat while on cooler days the cosy Don Guillermo Bar comes into its own with its open fireplace and welcoming leather chairs.

Facilities

The Chilean Lakes are renowned as a region of intrepid exploration, and what better way to end a day in the great outdoors than with a massage or treatment at the hotel’s newly opened spa. Once you’re suitably relaxed, enjoy a dip in the indoor/outdoor pool with its sun loungers and lakeside setting, or perhaps head to the hydro massage pool or steaming sauna.