This is a very special place in gorgeous mountainous scenery in the "middle of nowhere" -- actually a forest of rare endangered alerce trees. I would recommend it for nature lovers who also want comfort and a bit of pampering but who also know how to be flexible. Our friendly and solicitous guides took us hiking every day and when we returned to the lodge the outdoor hot tub was prepared for us and a fantastic dinner was in the making. We stayed for 5 nights and did not want to leave. The one day it rained, we were happy to sit in the lodge and read books and gaze at the ancient trees poking through the mist. We stayed in one of the cabins and loved it, although the hot water was a bit erratic and the electricty goes out at 11 pm because it is made by a generator -- but not to worry, we were ready to sleep by then after a long day of hiking.

My wife and I were in Puerto Montt on business and had a few days to explore (and be pampered a little). We chose Alerce because it seemed to offer the opportunity to experience a wild, natural setting -- and to be honest, it looked of a very high quality. We were nogt disappointed.

It is a very rough 2-3 hour drive from Puerto Montt, the last section up a rutted gravel and wood-plank road that seems almost impossible. (Don't even THINK about trying to get to the Lodge on your own)

Granted, we were spoiled, since we were the only guests, but the Lodge was marvelous. The young woman who served us was lovely and attentive, and the chef superb. (The kind you want to ask : why are you working way out here??) Really, the food was superb, creative and fresh. The rooms are big, and elegantly comfortable. The lodge itself is a beauty, with a wooden rustic design but with no sacrifice of quality or comfort.

Activities are limited : bird-watching and wandering on your own, or a guided rough 2-hour walk to see a virgin alerce forest. The area around the Lodge was logged at one time, so the alerce trees here are young and scattered among other trees. The hike takes you into an untouched montane forest which is beautiful.

Anyhow, for a taste of the wilderness - and a spectacular place to stay - I recommend this place highly.