Hotel Peulla — Hotel in Puerto Varas

We had no choice as to where we had to spend half a day because we were crossing the Patagonian Lake in Chile. They dropped us here without telling us what to expect.||The staff was not friendly. The receptionists were rude. We did not check into the hotel but we were left here. There were a few excursions offered but we did not take any. Lunch was expensive and service was not efficient. We had to flag down the waiters as they were not even making eye contact with us! We had soup, pasta and stew. The food was not good. The landscape was attractive. There was a rundown abandoned hotel next to the hotel There were beautiful flowers in the back of the hotel. What do you do in the middle of nowhere where you had no choice but to stay until the next bus service came to pick you up? I will not...

This hotel is part of the Andes Lakes Crossing between Bariloche and Puerto Varas in a tiny village of Puella. Most people go straight through but we opted for an over night here and don't regret it. We paid the extra money for their newer Natura Hotel, which was probably quite nice when it was new. But it all had a special charm. I cannot imagine anyone actually staying in the historic Puella Hotel. It is like a US national park lodge that has been even worse maintained than those hotels. The Natura was just fine, but fairly basic. The food was OK but not great. Fortunately they have a decent bar and lounge room, but you have to rustle up some staff to get a drink. I have to admit, we were in low season and I can imagine the place is hopping...

It was surprising to find such a fine hotel in such a remote place, but then it is on the Andean 'road' from Chile to Argentina! We visited as day tourists and had a light lunch in the restaurant. The soup tasted like it could have been from a packet of instant soup, but the service was attentive and courteous. Also they have log fires, fabulous views, and clearly most people go there to enjoy the remoteness. Perhaps packet soup has to be part of the deal so far from civilisation? We would definitely go there again and stay over if we had the chance. Having seen the beef cattle grazing on the local farm the steaks are probably...