After nearly a century, the circa-1915 Bories Cold Storage Plant will breathe new life with the December debut of The Singular Patagonia, the Chilean region’s newest luxury retreat, the result of a meticulous 10-year restoration and renovation.
Set on nearly 100 acres (40 hectares) overlooking the Fjord of Last Hope along the shores of the Señoret Channel in southern Chile, the new property pays homage to the once thriving factory’s historic past while delivering all of the conveniences and comforts guests expect today. It also offer guests the singular adventure of exploring a pristine landscape heretofore not accessible to the public and reserved exclusively for their enjoyment.
The Bories Cold Storage plant built by the Sociedad Explotadora de Tierra del Fuego to process the millions of sheep, and their byproducts, which were subsequently distributed to major European markets.
After 70 years in operation, the demise of the industry in the 1980s brought upon the factory’s disrepair luckily to later be rescued by the great-grandchildren of one of the factory’s original employees, John MacLean Fraser, and subsequently declared a Chilean national monument in 1996.
With the hopes of continuing the family’s impact on the area and economy for generations to come, the MacLean family turned to the Sahli-Lecaros family, also descendents of the plant’s original founders, to ready the building in partnership for its next chapter as a luxury hotel.
The Singular Patagonia’s design team, led by famed Chilean interior design company Enrique Concha & Co worked in concert with local architect Pedro Kovacic to carefully combined the old industrial structure with a modern, sleek wing of 57 guestrooms.
After a day of adventure, guests can retreat to The Singular’s Barbara Morrow designed 3,000 sq ft (278 sq m) eco-spa.
In The Singular’s restaurant Chef Laurent Pasqualetto will re-imagine traditional, local recipes; fully respecting the region’s culture and its rich byproducts. Most of the elements used in the kitchen will be natural including the strict use of only non-caged / bred animals. The menu will focus on local products, both grown in the hotel’s garden and sourced locally, including tooth fish, golden eel, Patagonian hare, lamb, white strawberries, rhubarb, algae, seaweed and Patagonian honey. Accompanying the delectable dishes coming out of the kitchen graced with as much beauty as the surroundings will be a wine list based on the local terroir, presenting the best selections (roughly 16) from each grape-growing valley of Chile.
The Singular Patagonia will also house a museum in the original industrial section illustrating the history of the region and the significance of the factory in the development of the area.