Hotel Lago Grey

The scallops I ordered were one of my favorite dishes of the trip. The food was incredible, and this felt like an upscale lunch stop right on Lake Grey in the park. The interior is thoughtfully designed. I enjoyed one of the coffee table books so much that I bought a copy after getting home.

At least they got me to my destination, which earns the extra star. Still, 100,000 CLP for a 45-minute ferry ride feels like pure money-grabbing. The website doesn't make it clear whether the one-way trip includes a glacier visit, so double-check before you go. They may say the remote location drives up costs, but the company next door, Vertice, somehow doesn't seem to have the same issue.

Once we were aboard, the Lago Grey glacier cruise became a memorable highlight. The boat is small but laid out well, with enough viewing space to admire the glacier without feeling crowded. We got to try a Calafate sour made with glacier ice, which was a fun, tasty touch, and our guide kindly took some great photos of us. Getting on board was another story. Check-in and boarding were painfully slow and poorly organized, and took more patience than expected. Things improved dramatically once the cruise got underway. It's well worth doing, just be ready for a sluggish start.

I don't get the restaurant recommendations. Lunch for two cost us 70,000 pesos, and the drinks showed up after the main course. We had to remind the waiter we'd ordered dessert. There was something odd, almost like plastic, in the dessert, so they replaced it. The waiter seemed to have little interest in working and spent most of the time on the phone. I'd eat somewhere else.