Hotel Puerto Pilar

Lovely views of Lake Llanquihue and Osorno Volcano.

The location is truly wonderful, and the view is beautiful. That was the clear highlight of our two-night stay two weeks ago. We paid $95,000 per night, which felt high for the service and condition of the hotel. It has great potential because of where it is, but needs more maintenance and better service management. Our room had some cleanliness and maintenance issues, along with a few other minor details that affected the impression of quality. There was no mini-fridge, and a hairdryer was only available if we asked reception. We also noticed how few staff members were on hand, which seemed like it could affect the service. Breakfast had limited options: bread, cheese and ham, tea and coffee, and yogurt. On the second morning, we heard an argument in the kitchen. A man, though I don't know if he was the owner, was speaking inappropriately to the staff. They turned up the dining room music, apparently to cover it, but the situation was obvious and made us uncomfortable. I'm sharing this constructively, in the hope it can be taken as an opportunity to improve. I don't mean to cause harm, just to contribute based on our experience as guests.

The views are wonderful, but there isn't much else to recommend the hotel. Myriam, the manager, was sarcastic and impatient whenever we dealt with her. Maybe she was overworked or exhausted, but that doesn't excuse the lack of basic courtesy. Some of the towels were clean and others were dirty, and breakfast was the cheapest option. I don't think I'll return.

We had a great time and plan to come back. The hotel is lovely, with beautiful views of Osorno volcano, and the kayaks are great. The paddling area wasn't clearly explained, though. It's meant to run from the rocks to the end of the cabins, but we went to the beach to paddle, and two people had gone beyond the marked boundary.