What is the best luxury hotel across South America?

Awasi Patagonia leads our South America list with a Fat Score of 8.8. It reflects the editorial standards we apply to every property in our curation.

How many luxury hotels does Fat Voyage recommend across South America?

We currently feature 3 curated properties across South America. Each is scored on service, design, location, dining, and wellness using signals from luxury travel communities, editorial publications, and verified guest reviews.

The Fat Score is Fat Voyage's 0–10 editorial rating. It weighs recent guest experience more heavily, amplifies consensus across multiple high-credibility sources, and reflects the current on-property reality — not marketing.

All Hotels

Best luxury hotels across

South America

3 properties in our curated South America collection — ranked by Fat Score and distilled from signals across luxury travel communities, editorial publications, and verified guest reviews.

Fat Score8.4avg. score

At the top of our South America list sits Awasi Patagonia with a Fat Score of 8.8.

Chile

2 properties

Fat Favorite

8.8

Independent

Awasi Patagonia

Torres del Paine, Chile

Awasi Patagonia operates on a completely different level than its Torres del Paine competitors, and the difference comes down to one transformative element: the private guide system. While Explora herds groups through scheduled excursions, Awasi pairs each villa with a dedicated guide who crafts entirely bespoke itineraries—carrying hot soup to sunrise hikes, arranging impromptu fly-fishing when you mention it casually, tracking pumas for hours because they know you're passionate about wildlife. The 14 gaucho-style villas scattered across the property feel authentically Patagonian rather than design-hotel sleek, each with private hot tubs overlooking the Torres massif. Service operates at an almost telepathic level of anticipation, while the cuisine intelligently balances local ingredients with international techniques, though some ambitious preparations can miss the mark.

Explora Atacama — San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Fat Approved

8.1

Independent

Explora Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Explora Atacama delivers an extraordinary expedition experience in one of Earth's most otherworldly landscapes, but it's not luxury hospitality in the traditional sense. The low-slung desert architecture integrates beautifully with the environment, and the location inside the Atacama puts you minutes from flamingo lagoons and Valle de la Luna. What sets this apart is the guide program—these aren't hotel tours but genuine explorations led by passionate locals who know every geyser and salt flat. The all-inclusive model works brilliantly for active travelers who want to focus on adventure over amenities. However, rooms feel spartan with basic furnishings and thin walls, service can be inconsistent despite friendly staff, and the food, while decent, lacks the refinement expected at this price point. This is expedition luxury, not resort luxury—come for the unmatched access to the desert, not pampered comfort.

Brazil

1 property

Fat Approved

8.2

Belmond

Belmond Copacabana Palace

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Copacabana Palace stands as Rio's undisputed grand dame—a 1923 Art Deco masterpiece that captures the essence of Brazilian glamour better than any competitor. Its prime Copacabana beachfront location is unmatched, offering guests exclusive access to one of the world's most famous stretches of sand. The hotel's historic charm and impeccable service create an experience that feels authentically carioca, from the personalized attention to local touches like mate Leão tea amenities. However, the dining falls short of expectations for a property of this caliber, with several guests noting overpriced, mediocre food that doesn't match the hotel's otherwise stellar reputation. Recent construction noise has also impacted the pool experience, though the hotel's legendary New Year's Eve celebration and iconic status continue to draw discerning travelers seeking Rio's most prestigious address.