PUYUAHI LODGE & SPA, PATAGONIA, CHILE
There are over 240 hot springs in Chile! See Chile Hot Springs for a look at four of the more popular.
by Roberta Sotonoff
The Spa: Puyuahi (poo-ya-wapee) Lodge & Spa, Dorita Bay in the Ventisquero Sound, Patagonia, Chile.
The Environment: The lodge and natural hot springs are hidden among the Andes, the fjords and pristine forests of the region. Few places in the world are surrounded with such incredible pristine beauty. Getting there is a scenic adventure. From Balmaceda, there are two choices. The Astral Road weaves past charming villages, through mountains, forests and along rivers and waterfalls. The catamaran glides along the channels past fjords, glaciers and San Rafael Lagoon. Each trip takes over five hours.
The Distinction: You are truly thousands of miles from civilization.
The Experience: The journey from Santiago to the lodge is by plane, car and boat. The enire trip takes over 12 hours and it's late when we arrive. Everyone is bone tired. Daniel, our guide, tells us to put on our bathing suits and robes and meet him in the lobby. That’s the last thing I wanted to do. But far be it from me to be a party pooper.
For our official welcome, everyone is led into a room illuminated only with candles. We are handed wine glasses filled with glacier water. “The water will cleanse your bodies,” says Daniel as he toasts to our health.
My body can certainly use a good cleaning. It has begun to ferment from all that fine Chilean wine. After the internal rinsing, we "take the waters" in the form of three indoor pools and a hot tub.
The large “get acquainted” pool has bath temperature water. It feels great. The cold water pool does not. There are screams and laughter. Many people only get to the ankles and make tracks for the hot tub. The macho of the group make it up to their neck on their first try. It takes me three tries and one visit to the hot tub before I can immerse myself in this icy agua. My teeth chatter and my body tingles. I make a mad dash for the warm algae pool and later linger in the hot tub.
Outside there are three hot spring pools set alongside the water and surrounded by greenery. One even has a little waterfall. The daylight hours are a more convenient time for them.
Besides the waters, spa offerings include unique Thalassotherapy treatments -- a healing technique that uses sea water and sea algae. Thalaform – a massage in a computerized bath mixed with thermal water -- and Thalatherm – a body mask with algae – are just two examples.
Regular massages are done in tower-like rooms, accessible only by a small winding staircase. While Enya is babbling in the background, I have a therapeutic massage that combines pressure, light massage and relaxation. I don’t want to miss the smashing view of the bay but it is difficult keeping the eyes open.
Accommodation: The lodge is rustic. Public areas – the bar, restaurant, spa and lobby area are quite cosy. The accommodations are sparse, but comfortable. Each room has a terrace with a drop dead view – the mountains and the bay. I would have liked it better if there was more wattage in the room.
What to eat: Anything they serve. The presentation makes the excellent cuisine even more appealing. You just don’t expect top-notch dining in a place so remote. On our cruise to the lodge, some fisherman came on board with several, huge king crab. Each was US$5. The next night, the chef cooked them for those of us lucky enough to procure one. It was some of the tastiest crab I have ever eaten.
The Extras: Products used in the treatments are available for sale.
The Cost: A five-day/four night all-inclusive spa starts at about US$1,200 pp. Treatments are extra. Twenty-five to 30-minute spa treatments range from at about US$30 to US$65 and one-hour treatments are about US$120.00.
Beyond the Spa: Beyond spa is the wilderness. The “must do” trip is Parc Nacional Queulat (K-oo-lot). It is a quick raft across the water, a short drive on the Astral Road and an easy hike to get a closer look at the finger of the 2,700-foot wide and 600 foot deep hanging glacier. Other excursions include remote fly fishing, biking, hiking and kayaking excursions. Take a trip across the bay to the delightful town of Puyahuapi. People are friendly and you can visit the rug factory and Café Rossbach, a combination restaurant, bakery, disco, Internet café and private residence.
What I liked best: The welcoming ceremony and quiet that pervades the area. Being lucky enough to be at the lodge on a rare sunny day was an extra treat. At sunset, the snow on the mountains turned pink.
Words to the wise: It can get pretty chilly here so bring warm clothes, a rain jacket, hat and gloves. If you like to read at night, bring a reading light. The room has only three 25-watt bulbs to illuminate it. That didn’t do it for my old eyes.
For more information: www.puyuhuapi.com
