Quelen Austral

Reception was only open briefly around 6 PM. We never got towels or soap, and no one answered when we tried calling the reception phone several times.

Javier, the hotel manager, was extremely helpful and friendly, and we felt well looked after. We spent one night in the new wing, just behind the restaurant, in a modern, very comfortable bedroom. It was spotless, with a great bathroom, flat-screen TV, comfortable bed, and a balcony with a mountain view. The hotel is centrally located and reasonably priced. I highly recommend it. Thank you, Javier!

The room had a cozy, modern feel, but that was about the only good part of my one-night stay in Hornopirén. I was traveling solo and booked a single room for what seemed like a reasonable $43.000. I had said I'd arrive between 6 and 7 pm, but the manager wasn't at reception. The restaurant called him, and a few minutes later he showed up looking surprised and even a bit annoyed, though I'd arrived during the time I gave. He was busy, so a girl took me to my room in a nice house with a small apartment complex beside the restaurant, where the other bungalows and apartments are. She came in with her shoes on, checked the bins to see if the room was clean, and found there was no toilet paper or towels. She left, then the manager knocked shortly afterward with those things and sheets for my pillow. I laughed because I couldn't believe I had to put the pillowcase on myself after paying $43.000. I can do it, and it isn't hard, but they seemed so unprepared for a guest that it felt strange and made me quite mad. There were also two hairs in the bathtub, and the shared coffee outside the room was empty. Why wasn't room service checking that? I worked in hotel housekeeping as a high school student and knew to check. The TV worked, but stayed muted and I couldn't turn up the volume.

The food is well worth a stop if you're passing through Hornopiren on a trip around Chileno Patagonia. We usually stick to cooking or very cheap cafes as budget backpackers, but came here for a treat meal during a heavy downpour and were glad we did. Prices are moderate and reasonable for the quality. The atmosphere is a plus, and the staff are sweethearts. The ingredients are fresh, including freshly caught fish, and the chef has a great palate for flavors.