The Singular Patagonia hotel is located on the premises of the Puerto Bories Industrial Complex just outside the town of Puerto Natales, the “gateway” to Torres Del Paine National Park in southern Chile. Opened in 1915, the Frigorifico Puerto Bories was an abattoir and cold storage facility that, at its peak, processed more than 250,000 sheep a year. The British owners were the first to bring sheep production to Chile, and the industry was responsible for the growth of Puerto Natales, a port with convenient access to the Pacific Ocean. In operation for nearly 70 years, the facility was declared a National Historical Monument in 1996. In 1998, the great grandsons of John MacLean, a Scott who arrived in Patagonia in 1887 and worked at the Puerto Bories plant, purchased and developed the site as a hotel. They hired Patagonian architect Pedro Kovadc as the creative force behind the project to design 57 rooms, a spa and restaurant, while maintaining much of the original space as a museum. You may think you have made a wrong turn at first as you find yourself arriving at a barn, but the staff will steer you down a funicular to the reception and to the main meat (excuse the pun) of the hotel. Elevated walkways help guests navigate their way from their rooms (formerly the cold storage space) through the main factory (now maintained as a museum) to the swanky bar and restaurant (formerly an employee mercantile). And if you think you can just sit by the fire and drink calafate ** sours all day (well, maybe you can do that too), hang tight and stay tuned for my next post when I will tell you about some of the fantastic excursions offered at the Singular Patagonia. xoM
** Calafate is a bush indigenous to Argentina and Chile that is the symbol of Patagonia. It produces a berry that, legend has it, when eaten, will guarantee your return to Patagonia.
Singular Patagonia
Puerto Bories s/n. Tel: +56 61 2722-030
This is not a sponsored post…the hotel is just super cool!
