"There are views and then there are Views—and Tierra Patagonia, with its panoramic displays of the region’s snow-capped mountains and Lake Sarmiento—features the latter. Chilean architect Cazú Zegers is behind this 40-room low-rise hotel, indoor pool included. She designed it to be so in tune with the adjacent Torres del Paine National Park that wandering wildlife—pumas, guanacos, armadillos, foxes, and ostrich-like rheas—often pass by without giving the lodge much notice. You might catch some of these residents from the 49-by-10-foot indoor pool; it’s surrounded by warm wood columns and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame views of the mountain range and the occasional flying condor. The pool is kept at a balmy 97 degrees to keep things cozy on frequently chilly days; spa-like touches include jets and water cascades at one end. For those who wish to get closer to the winds gusting in from the Great Southern Ice Field, take a dip in the outdoor Jacuzzi next to the pool, which is protected from the elements by short panes of glass." - Kathryn Romeyn