Explora en Torres del Paine

The tailored outings were what made Explora stand out for us. The guides matched hikes and rides to our different abilities, and the setting and views are hard to beat. Rooms felt homey, were clean, and were looked after carefully. We had a warm welcome, and staff spoke fluent English. Dinner had plenty of choices, and there was excellent Chilean wine. The outdoor jacuzzis and massage are worth trying. Breakfast service can be slow if you order instead of using the buffet, so allow extra time. We felt it was good value.

We came away with new friends, which says a lot about the international crowd here. People seemed open to adventure and meeting others. The hotel is all-inclusive, with great food, spacious comfortable rooms and beautiful views. Tours suit all abilities, from van trips to technical hikes, and there are rides for beginners as well as experienced riders. The location feels magical. Just be ready for Patagonia’s changing weather: sunshine, rain, clouds and strong winds can all show up in one day. Bring gear for the season and different conditions, and be realistic about what you can fit in. Do that, and you can have an amazing time.

The location and the views from the hotel are stunning, and the staff were mostly lovely. Managers, servers, drivers and guides were especially friendly. Martin, who led our base of the towers hike, was exceptional. One guide treated us unfairly and made the stay uncomfortable; management can contact us if they want details. We enjoyed the stay, but for this price I expected more flexibility and better service. Excursions are shared, usually with groups of 4-8, and some activities aren’t offered daily. I expected private guides and groups matched by hiking ability. I appreciated the wide choice of hikes and horseback rides, though, and most days we could do what we wanted. If you’re hoping to hike all three legs of the W, I wouldn’t stay here. The hotel’s small boat to the French Valley or gray glacier only runs when winds are under 20 knots, which seems to happen rarely. In my experience, most days had winds of 20-30 mph with gusts of 40-50 mph, so you may miss the park’s most striking areas up close. There’s a public boat that runs daily, but the hotel doesn’t provide transport or guides if you use it. Lago gray hotel has a boat that runs daily too. Explora needs a bigger boat that can handle typical local winds. The rooms are dated and cramped, with no AC, ceiling fan or TV. It got hot at night, and we had to squeeze luggage along the table and room sides. Hot water was almost never available in the shower. We got lucky once in five days, showering late at night, but it runs out quickly between guests. The bed was comfortable, most rooms have great views, and wifi worked well. Most of the food was very good, especially the in-person lunches and dinners, and the desserts. Breakfast and boxed lunches on full-day outings were the exceptions. The boxed lunches were really bad, so bring protein bars. Espresso martinis were good, but wine choices were very limited unless you paid a couple hundred more for a better bottle. The spa has a steam room, sauna, four private outdoor hot tubs and a pool, but it’s a five-minute walk away on wooden stairs that felt questionable. There’s no fitness center, and apart from half-day or full-day excursions, the hotel itself has little to do. Board games, cards or some hotel activities would be nice. If all you want is to sit around, take short outings nearby and sip coffee or a cocktail, it may suit you. Overall, it’s a nice hotel and probably the most luxurious in the park, but it needs a lot of work to justify the price. You’re really paying for the central location and the view. I wouldn’t recommend it for a plan to hike the full W.

The guides and hikes were the best part of our stay at Explora Patagonia. They were friendly, knowledgeable and passionate, and lunches were excellent too. The location inside Torres del Paine National Park is extraordinary, with breathtaking views from the hotel. It really is a 10/10 setting. A few service details kept the experience from matching the price and category. Reception seemed to have recurring communication problems. We booked a massage for 7pm on our first day, then found out it had been cancelled because of a double booking. We moved it to the next day, and that was cancelled for the same reason. After hiking all day, that was really disappointing. The spa also felt far too small for a hotel of around 100 rooms. With essentially three beds, it was hard to use after long hikes, especially in cold, windy, rainy Patagonia. More spa capacity or relaxation space would help. Daily yoga, stretching or simple morning movement would fit well with all the hiking. Food tasted good, but portions were very small after a full day of activity. Hiking groups were often too large too. Smaller groups or more tailored outings would make a difference. We arrived by car and it wasn’t clear where to go. Nobody directed or greeted us, and we carried our own luggage. An arrival sign would help. Many small operational details felt below what I’d expect at this price. Compared with our stay at Explora in El Chaltén, the service and communication here could be tighter. Still, the views, guides, hikes and lunches were memorable. It’s a great stay with room to be much better, especially on the smaller details, spa capacity and communication.