andBeyond Vira Vira

Location

1.5km from the resort town of Pucón in Chile’s lesser-visited Northern Lake District, the hotel is an hour and a half’s drive from the airport of Temuco but can also be reached from San Martín de los Andes in Argentina or Puerto Montt to the South.

Rooms

The hotel rooms are divided between the main lodge, containing 6 suites with private terraces, and 12 villa suites housed in a separate building right on the banks of the Liucura River. A series of jacuzzis are positioned throughout the grounds of the property for all guests to reserve whenever they like but villa suites have the advantage of having their own outdoor jacuzzi and river views – a serene spot for stargazing in some of the world’s clearest skies.

Layout

Vira Vira is made up of a main lodge, housing the restaurant, bar and cosy seating areas looking over the lake, the villa suites next to the river and a series of outbuildings dotted around the property. There is a dairy factory where they produce cheese, milk and yoghurt for the hotel, the “ruca” where cooking classes are held and a small shop selling locally made pottery, jewellery and textiles.

Features

There are more than twenty-five activities available ranging from trekking through monkey-puzzle tree forests through to kayaking on nearby lakes and rivers; in addition to horse riding, fly fishing and mountain biking. While most of the activities have been designed with older clients in mind, for the more adventure-hungry, there is also the option to climb Villarrica Volcano or to take to the waters and go rafting in the rapids of the Trancura River.

If you’re visiting in January and February, it's worth bearing in mind that the roads around Pucón get filled with holiday traffic and it will take longer to get to the starting point for most excursions. In high season the hotel has a helicopter on site, which can be hired at an extra cost for transfers to Temuco airport and elsewhere.