Going to Torres Del Paine? You’ll probably have to spend a night or two in Puerto Natales. Buses take you from this sleepy little town to the park every single day, but it’s more than just “where you go before going to Torres Del Paine.” It’s got quite a bit of charm.

When I booked the O trek (my first multi-day hike!), I was relieved to know that there was a daily talk in Puerto Natales that explained everything you needed to know about going to Torres Del Paine. At 3 o’clock, the staff members at Erratic Rock hostel go through the ins and outs about what gear to bring, what food to pack, and what routes to take. I was also able to book my bus ticket to and from Torres Del Paine (15000 CLP.)

I didn’t actually stay at Erratic Rock, but if they are as helpful to hostel guests as they were to people going to TDP, I highly recommend staying there.

Also, I highly recommend the two places that I did stay (and another place where I had dinner.) If you’re heading to Puerto Natales, consider booking any of these options.

(Disclosure: If you do book through the links I provide, at no extra cost to you, I make a little commission. Whoop!)

Three Places to Stay in Puerto Natales, Chile

For Backpackers on a Budget: Hostal Treehouse

I spent three days in Puerto Natales before I left for Torres Del Paine. This was a bit excessive, considering I only needed to go to one 3 o’clock talk to get the info I needed. But Puerto Natales is a surprisingly cute town and I was very satisfied with the Hostal Treehouse.

Hostal Treehouse is a small hostel, with one four-person dorm and a handful of private rooms. You feel like you’re staying at someone’s house; the main common room has a long table that is always set with plates and coffee mugs for breakfast. The fridges are stocked and if the coffee pot isn’t brewing, you can still get a decent cup with the French presses stored throughout the kitchen.

Once you’ve finished eating or doing work at your computer (the wifi is decent, especially considering you’re in Patagonia,) you can sit at the long bench near the heater and curl up with a book. Hostel libraries are always changing, so you might not see the copy of Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl that I picked up and left at the hostel (it was a captivating three-day read that gave me something to do in Puerto Natales.) But you will always see Pancho, the owner of the hostel who was wonderfully accommodating.

Ahh, pre-hike relaxation.

In addition to the free breakfast and good wifi, Hostal Treehouse also has luggage storage (you may be able to get a huge locker to yourself, provided that you bring your own lock.) Each room has a clean, private bathroom (the dorm has one next door, but it’s reserved for the dorm guests.) The hostel is a 13-minute walk from the bus station and less than a 10-minute walk to everything else in Puerto Natales. For USD $20 (around 13000 CLP) a night, I wouldn’t stay anywhere else.

I did, however, have room in my budget for a “Congratulations, you didn’t die on the O trek” celebration at a hotel. So I splurged.

If You Want To Splurge With A Spa – NOI Indigo Patagonia

The spa pretty much sold it for me. NOI Indigo is a hotel, spa, and restaurant right on the sea. I reserved a Junior Suite Double Room with no plans other than relaxing and patting myself on the back after the O trek (more like massaging myself on the knees, which were destroyed after the hike.)

When I arrived, I was greeted with a complementary pisco sour, which was the perfect start to my lazy day of recovery.

The Junior Suite Double Room at the NOI Indigo Patagonia.

I spent the afternoon buried in four comfy pillows catching up on Drag Race. (The hotel had wifi, but it didn’t work in the spa.) I treated myself to an extra-long time in the waterfall shower before and after heading to the spa upstairs.

The spa is free for hotel guests (and non-hotel guests can purchase a few hours there for 24000 CLP) and contained two large pools with great views. A cup of tea, some music, and a chance to soak my sore knees. Ah. This was a perfect post-trek afternoon.

Spa time!

The room itself was sleek and modern, boasting a nice combination of steel and wood decor. Unfortunately, there was no room service available, but it gave me a chance to stretch my legs and get dinner at Vinnhaus (which you’ll read more about next!)

Puerto Natales is a quiet town, so I had a wonderful night’s rest and took advantage of the late 12 o’clock check-out time. I only left the room for breakfast, which had eggs, the usual breakfast options, and a large array of sweets. 

(A lot of sweets for breakfast is surprisingly commonplace in South America – if you have excessive sugar cravings at breakfast time, you’ll really enjoy Chile and Argentina.)

There are a few different NOI hotels throughout Chile, and if you’re looking to treat yourself or just have a bigger budget than me, I would highly recommend any of their locations.

For A Budget That’s Not Quite Balling – Vinnhaus

When I was on the O trek, I met a Canadian couple that recommended Vinnhaus to me. Excellent food and service aside, the story of Vinnhaus brought me there.

Vinnhaus is the dream of a German man and a Finnish man, who I got to meet at the restaurant. You can tell they poured their hearts and souls into this place – it’s 1920s-themed, and every detail is beautiful. From the gold silverware to the uniforms (where can I get those suspenders, seriously,) this has to be one of the best restaurants in Puerto Natales. Plus, the couple owns a very well-behaved dog named Novia (which means “girlfriend,” the cutest name for a dog ever,) so you get to hang out with a dog.

For dinner, I had a glass of Chardonnay and the spinach gnocchi. If you are heading to Chile, be prepared to eat a surprising amount of Italian food. This dish, however, was the freshest pasta I had; it’s all homemade. I could have ordered three more servings because it was so delicious.

YUM.

I didn’t stay at Vinnhaus, but if the detail of the restaurant is any indication of the care they put into the hotel, I say go for it. Enjoy homemade pasta in the evening and a delightful list of coffees in the morning. (I’m talking pumpkin spice latte, people.) The Canadian couple that recommended it really enjoyed their stay, and I am always down to support a business that is so clearly built by passion and a dream.

If you stay at any of these places, let me know! I absolutely enjoyed my time in Puerto Natales and I hope you have a similarly wonderful experience!