Hotel Alaia

Style

Perfect break

Setting

Hallowed surf spot

Boutique surf lodge Hotel Alaia is perched amid the dunes at Punta de Lobos, a world-famous surfing destination on Chile’s northern coast. A five-minute drive from Pichilemu, this rugged stretch of beachfront is renowned for its reliable swells and long, left-breaking waves, which are some of the best in the southern hemisphere. In the past, what the area didn’t have was a hotel worthy of design-savvy surfers – a gap that Hotel Alaia has filled with aplomb. The rooms are styled with rustic minimalism, featuring polished concrete floors and timber walls that sit easily with the landscape, keeping the focus on the sweeping Pacific views. Most guests spend their days out in the ocean, but other diversions include yoga classes, wood-fired hot tubs and a restaurant that only serves food and fine wine sourced from within 100 kilometers of the hotel.

Facilities

Rooms

12 suites.

Checkout

Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

More Details

Rates include a hearty buffet breakfast with fresh bread and muffins, cereals, yoghurt, avocados, cheeses and eggs however you like them.

Also

The hotel has a boutique stocked with surfing and outdoor gear, particularly goods by US brand Patagonia, who collaborated with Save the Waves to purchase 4.5 acres of land at Punta de Lobos, which they duly designated a World Surfing Reserve.

Free Internet Access

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

At the Hotel

Beach with world-class surfing; outdoor hot tubs; climbing wall; skatepark; surf boutique; free WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen TV; minibar; Nespresso coffee machine; tea kit; free bottled water; Majen bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

All 12 rooms are the same size and style, so there’s no chance of getting a dud. What’s more, they all have floor-to-ceiling windows and a private terrace overlooking the dunes and ocean.

Packing Tips

Bring sporty clothes for the yoga classes and something to wrap up with in the evening – guests often congregate by the bonfire for a nightcap.

Also

The coastal landscape and lack of adapted rooms make the hotel unsuitable for wheelchair users.

Children

All ages are welcome. Four of the suites can be connected, and babysitting is available from CLP50 an hour; three days’ notice is needed when booking.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

You can’t beat a table by the windows.

Dress Code

With such a strong surf scene in the area, beachy bohemianism is the order of the day.

Hotel Restaurant

The rippling ocean takes center stage at the restaurant which is flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows on the ocean side, bringing the rich blues of sea and sky into the room. The interiors are a study in organic elegance, clad in richly-toned timber and strewn with mid-century furniture fashioned from rattan and iron. There’s an open fire at either end of the room, adding a cheerful crackle and the scent of wood smoke to the evenings. The mod-Chilean menu is tied to the local area, with all the produce sourced within 100km of the hotel, whether it’s hand-caught fish and samphire from the local waters, salt and quinoa from Cáhuil or fine wines from the nearby Colchagua Valley, one of the country’s best-known regions. To start, try the tiradito alaia, a ceviche dish made with the fish of the day, sweet potato, citrus, pickle, Cáhuil salt and green chili. For the main event, order la vieja rica, a roasted rockfish served with a cream of toasted almonds, sautéed lime beans and a vinegar reduction.

Hotel Bar

Part of the restaurant, the bar is clad in chunks of wood that have been carved into smooth diamond shapes, creating a pattern reminiscent of fish scales. There’s a large selection of local Chilean wines, craft beers and all the necessary spirits for classic cocktails, including an excellent pisco sour.

Last Orders

Breakfast is served from 8.30am to 11am; the all-day menu is available from 11am to 11pm.

Room Service

While the restaurant is open, anything on the menu can be ordered as room service. You can also order snacks and drinks to the hot tubs.

Planes

The best place to touch down is Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, which can be reached directly from London Heathrow. It takes around three hours to drive from the airport to the hotel; the Smith24 team can arrange your transfers.

Automobiles

You won’t need your own set of wheels if you’re going to spend all your time at the hotel, but it’ll be worth having a car if you want to explore under your steam.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

With Chile’s most famous surf spot on the doorstep, the hotel’s a haven for anyone who loves to feel the sand beneath their feet and taste salt spray on the wind. The waves here get ridden by some of the best in the business, but don’t be put off if you’ve never set foot on a board before – the hotel can organise expert-led surfing lessons for all abilities. At any level, surfing is best done with a limber body, so join one of the morning or evening yoga classes, which are held out on the sun deck when it’s warm. Once you’ve returned from the beach in the afternoon, make a beeline for the wood-burning hot tubs on the terrace (you’ll need to reserve one in advance). They’re served by the bar staff, making them the best places to watch the sun setting over the bay. For a taste of centuries-old culture, take a trip to the salt flats at Cáhuil, where sea salt has been produced since pre-Hispanic times. The marshy landscape is also home to a large population of birds, including herons and black-necked swans. If the trip inspires you to discover more about the local culinary scene, book onto an experience with Raíces Lab, a team of chefs, sommeliers and food writers who describe themselves as ‘gastronomic consultants’. Experts in the local cuisine and passionate about redefining the way its approached, they run a variety of foodie experiences, including one where you'll forage along the coast with a chef, then head back to the Raíces studio, where the day’s bounty will be transformed into a gourmet meal. Pilchemu is also renowned for its strong art scene, with many artists choosing to up sticks from busy Santiago and journey south to this quieter coastal spot. Ask at reception about the wine and waves art tour, on which you’ll visit the studios of local artists, sampling some first-rate Chilean vintages along the way.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .