The best hotels in South America: 2025 Readers' Choice Awards
Maybe it’s the Paddington effect, but after a period of domestic turmoil, Peru is back in the game, fielding no less than eight hotels on our South America list – including Inkaterra La Casona, set in a 16th-century manor house where Simón Bolivar once stayed. Another top pick from the Peruvian eco-hotel brand was Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo for its village location near the mystical Incan ruins, while others revelled in South America’s natural beauty. Explora El Chaltén, for instance, buries its smart lodge complex at the heart of the glorious Argentinian Patagonia, and Brazil's Villas de Trancoso unfurls its beach house cluster across both white-sand coastline and tropical jungle. Ultimately, it was Brazil’s colourful capital which stole the show, with its dazzling landmark palace crowned as your favourite South American base.
These are the best hotels in South America, according to the 2025 Readers' Choice Awards. The scores below are percentages representing overall average levels of satisfaction.
The best hotels in South America
20. Casa San Agustín, Cartagena, Colombia. Score 87.67
19. Puqio, Colca Valley, Peru. Score 88.44
18. Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Cusco, Peru. Score 88.91
17. Mandarin Oriental, Santiago, Chile. Score 89.40
16. Villas de Trancoso, Brazil. Score 90.62
15. Rio Sagrado, a Belmond Hotel, Sacred Valley, Peru. Score 91.25
14. Hotel Magnolia, Santiago, Chile. Score 92.34
13. Hotel AWA, Puerto Varas, Chile. Score 92.73
12. Fasano Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Score 93.90
11. Palacio Nazarenas, a Belmond Hotel, Cusco, Peru. Score 94.72
10. Palácio Tangará, São Paulo, Brazil. Score 94.75
9. Explora El Chaltén, Argentina. Score 95.60
8. Cirqa, Arequipa, Peru. Score 96.35
7. Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Peru. Score 96.52
6. Hotel Casa Real, Maipo Valley, Chile. Score 96.91
5. Titilaka, Puno, Peru. Score 97.25
4. Blue Apple Beach, Bolívar, Colombia. Score 97.79
3. The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago, Chile. Score 98.15
2. Inkaterra La Casona, Cusco, Peru. Score 98.75
1. Copacabana Palace, a Belmond Hotel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Score 99.98
