Isla Bruja Lodge — Hotel in Queilen

Throughout our short 2 night stay, we were made to feel a part of the hotel’s family. Be that sat on the veranda with a glass of wine or sat in the hot tub. Family style round the table dining means you get to chat with the owners and fellow guests, hearing stories and tales from across the world, all with the backdrop of an amazing view across the estuary. The rooms are simple but in keeping of the wooden house style, with beds and duvets that refuse to let you not lie in and snooze. Two days, including an afternoon kayaking, left us relaxed and disconnected from the real world. An ideal location where we arrived as guests and left as friends.||Practical stuff - you probably need a decent car/truck to get to this relatively remote location as the roads are gravel away from the main road. Ensure you ask in advance for the hot tub just in case the fire needs lighting - admittedly the tub seems to be ‘on’ endlessly! The kayaks are great - the double is the most stable. Enjoy the view with the resident Labrador and sheep who thinks she is a dog.||Plus points - family feel with plenty of Wi-fi and connectivity if you really need it; great home cooked food with plenty of choices ; owners embrace you as long lost friends from minute one and there is seriously nothing they won’t do to make you feel at home.||Negative points - nope.....! This is a family home and so you won’t get all the bells and whistles of a 5* Hotel but you will leave relaxed and ready for the next chapter of...

I spent the most amazing three nights at Isla Bruja Lodge, entertained and cared for by owners Marie Brandt and Francisco Campbell. The lodge itself is rustic and charming, really cozy with attention to details: plenty of hot water and thick towels in each private bathroom, ironed sheets and warm duvets, super-clean rooms. Breakfasts offer a lot of variety, from yogurt to toast to eggs and good coffee. I purchased all my meals there and Marie prepared both typical and non-typical menus, delicious and as adventurous as I wanted. They run a first-rate operation, agreeable to let guests venture out on bike and hiking trails on their own or let them relax in the spacious and comfortable common areas. It was raining for much of my off-season visit, but that made it a great opportunity to curl up on one of the sofas, enjoy a tea or glass of Chilean wine, and soak up the peace a quiet. Their Golden Retriever, Lana, is very much a part of the family (although she stays outdoors); I also met the pet sheep and toured the property, the new cabana, and the greenhouse. It really couldn't have been a better stay. Marie and Francisco are attentive, happy to accommodate guests' particular needs, full of fun, flexible, and passionate about their growing business. Can't wait to see photos of the new water-view cabanas when they're completed! A great place to visit, even in...

We've just returned from a 5 week tour of Argentina and Chile and Isla Bruja lodge was one of our favourite places. The owners, Francisco and Marie were the perfect hosts and made us feel so at home- it was like staying with old friends or family! The lodge is situated on a beautiful estuary and you can take their kayak out onto the water which we would recommend as you get to see lots of great wildlife and birds! They also have bikes that you can use for free and we enjoyed spending a day exploring the area by bike, then coming back and resting our tired muscles in the wood-fired hot tub. Breakfast, lunch and dinner can all be taken at the lodge, and the food is some of the best we tasted in Chile. Breakfast is very generous and for lunch and dinner there is a good choice of local and traditional foods. They also have an excellent wine selection. The lodge itself is cosy so on wet days its great for curling up with a book by the fire and watching the calming views of the sea. Chiloe island is beautiful - remote, sparsely populated and full of wildlife. We took a boat tour to the penguin island and saw dolphins along the way! Thank you Francisco and Marie for...