Save The Date 3rd Of October 2025 As Refugia Chiloé Makes A Comeback In Chile
Interview and edit by Rebecca Woolford, Senderos
Refugia Chiloé hotel is making an exciting come back, with it’s first official season commencing on the 3rd October 2025.
With this happy announcement we invite you to learn about the history of this unique hotel, the island’s culture and to uncover one family’s story of letting something they loved go, for it to later return.
Scroll down to learn more about this incredible place and hotel in an interview with Ellen Guidera de Purcell, part of the family and team at Refugia Chiloé.
Left image: Ellen Guidera de Purcell | Right image: Henry Purcell, Sandra a local farmer, Teresa Edenholm, Tim Purcell & Ellen.
Refugia Chiloé has recently returned to the Purcell family. For those who don’t know the story, can you share a little bit of the history of the Purcell family in the hospitality industry and the journey of this very special hotel in Chile?
Ellen – “The Purcell family are American/Chilean. Our family history and hospitality in Chile are interconnected. It all started in 1961 when my husband Henry came to Chile to run the Portillo ski resort. His children, including sons Miguel and Tim, were raised in Portillo immersed in a world of hospitality.
Miguel Purcell launched his own career in hospitality in 2002 when he led the family in founding and operating the Tierra Hotels, including Tierra Chiloé, Tierra Patagonia, and Tierra Atacama until they were later sold in 2022.
The decision to let them go was difficult and quite painful. We had poured so much love into the Tierra hotels, but following the pandemic and some political unrest in Chile at the time the decision was made to sell our majority control.
The new owners of Tierra hotels have had success with Patagonia and Atacama, yet Chiloé remains this hidden gem. And so when they decided to sell it wasn’t a hard decision for our family to welcome this beautiful hotel back into the fold. We’d only relatively recently renovated and expanded the hotel, so we bought it back in pristine condition.
We’re so excited to be bringing this hotel back into our family unit. The name will transition to Refugia Chiloé and will open October 3rd, 2025. Miguel Purcell runs the show alongside his brother Tim, his wife Teresa, Henry and me and all our team.
What does it mean for our guests that the hotel has come back to us? The hotel will return to that ‘Purcell’ human family touch. People share with us that our approach is best described as being warm, down to earth, and for championing the great outdoors. We love welcoming guests and we all share a common passion for the hotel business in our family.
We include our employees as part of the family when we talk about our family business. By extension, our guests are also part of the family while they visit us, or let’s say they are family friends. Either way, our guests leave our hotels feeling rejuvenated and good.
We understand and deeply respect how important a vacation and time with their family or friends is to people, especially today in this fast paced world. It’s an honour and privilege to provide a memorable experience, to bring back happiness, relaxation, rejuvenation and calm.”
Refugia Chiloé is an architectural marvel. Geometric and sustainable by design, it’s a testament to the hotel’s ethos, and values. Can you share the inspiration behind the unique design?
Ellen – “The architects of the hotel studied the climate here at different times of the year and different times of day before any plans were drawn up. The concept is built upon something called ‘passive energy management’ which means that their designs incorporate the timing and seasonality of the sun, wind, rain, and monthly weather patterns..
This means that rainwater is captured and used, the hotel’s heater systems are set in a cooler part of the building, and the building is shingled in wood to help keep it warm.. Perched on stilts the hotel design is reminiscent of the island’s traditional palafito houses (stilt houses), and captures the charming essence of Chiloé’s culture.
The hotel overlooks the inland sea, also meadows, green pastures and the wildlife-rich wetlands. Wetland and coastal preservation, as well as cultural preservation and support for the local community are all super important to our family and team at Refugia Chiloé.”
The island of Chiloé is steeped in folklore and tradition. Its culture, a result of mixing Huilliche, Spanish and Chono influences across centuries of isolation from the rest of Chile. What makes it a hidden gem today?
Ellen – “The Chiloé Archipelago is a group of islands lying off the coast of Chile, in the Los Lagos Region. The Archipelago possesses one of the most diverse and singular floras of Chile. It’s a place beloved by Chileans and they flock here. Yet, for international travellers Chiloé remains this hidden gem and so is able to surpass travelers’ expectations.
For the generations who have been living here for thousands of years, they have had to adapt to the dramatic coast, the extreme weather during winter, and island life. And so it’s created this unique culture unlike anywhere else.
From strange legends and myths to the hundreds of types of potatoes, to giant garlics, to endemic species, meaning they are only found here, including the Kodkod which are small wild cats and a tiny mouse-like creature called the monito del monte–there is much that is unique.
There are trees here that are 3,500 years old, and gigantic rhubarb called nalca that grow taller than an adult. The sea is bursting with life, from dolphins to seabirds. It’s a place that’s hard to describe in words, with its Valdivian forest and wetlands on the island, and surrounded by and integrated with the sea and the irregular archipelagic coastlines that can be accessed by boat.l.
The island has a relatively small population and most locals live by raising sheep, making crafts, or building boats. The artisan crafts here are interconnected to the sheep farming, so we showcase on our cultural excursions the local knitting, yarn making and carpet making, which are nothing like usual carpets, but are these beautiful works of art.
There have been shipwrecks in days of yore along this area of coastline in Chile. Also, from 1832 to 1835, Darwin traveled through Chile and visited these islands. He was impressed when he visited Tantauco Park, the most pristine forest on the island.
Even though it might sound difficult to get here, the island of Chiloe is relatively easy to reach. From Santiago, guests fly to the city of Castro on Chiloé Island, it’s only a two-hour flight. The airport is only a 30 min drive from our hotel.
Minga is an indigenous ritual that dates back centuries. The term Minga means a request for help, with the promise of something in return from a neighbour, from planting potatoes to moving an entire house. Just one example of the uniqueness of this island. What else can you share?
Ellen – “The tradition of moving house, means something completely different in Chiloé. When it is time to move house, the entire village works together. This collective practice is called ‘la minga’ (collective work).
The island has preserved this deep sense of community where the people help each other and they pay each other in potatoes or you pay each other with sweaters or by helping to move an entire house. That’s Chiloé.
Whilst we are on the topic of community, there is a very special local lady called Sandra whom our guests often meet. She is a fireball of energy and enthusiasm. She’s about 50 years old and she runs this farm where she is raising organic garlic, onions, potatoes and honey. She bakes, makes jams and this is just the beginning of her talents, because she’s become an excellent tour guide to her amazing and gorgeous farm..
She once told me that she didn’t know how to talk to other people. But since we’ve been bringing guests to her farm over the years, she’s gained confidence and now loves talking to people and people love listening to her and find her charming. She’s a visionary and incredibly intelligent.
Sandra once saw an article in a magazine and became inspired. The concept was that of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a seed bank for the world located in Norway, and so she decided to start a seed bank for Chiloé. She shows her seed bank and talks about it during her tour for Refugia guests. These seed banks serve as a secure backup for the world’s crop diversity, safeguarding against potential losses in gene banks due to disasters or conflicts, and ensuring the future of global food security.
There are also these amazing and unique churches on Chiloé Island and the archipelago that are designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. These wooden churches are a testament to the fusion of Spanish colonial culture and indigenous building traditions.
Combining techniques from Spain with Chiloé’s influence of wooden boat construction, the church builders created these nail-less churches that still exist today. The church ceiling is like an upside down boat hull.
On the small islands of the archipelago you have these cemeteries, that are a replica of the village that you’re in. Each family’s house has a matching grave house. And that grave is host to family members who pass so they remain in the family home.
When our guests arrive they enjoy a drink with our head guide to find out what interests them most, suggesting day trips and activities that match their level of fitness. The head guide will then put together a personalised program of excursions at the proper level of athletic exertion, from the cultural, like going out on Refugia’s Williche Boat and seeing the churches, the cemeteries, or going to Sandra’s farm, to the more athletic like hiking the forests, beaches and meadows, or biking, e-biking, kayaking and horseback riding.
There are also wellness activities like nature bathing, or contemplative activities like bird-watching, walking the horses or digging for clams which can later be served for dinner.
I recently did a hike with other guests through this dense Valdivian rainforest. It was beautiful. The walk ends on the beautiful rugged shore line.”
Chiloe is a foodie’s paradise. Whether it’s the potatoes or the local honey from Sandra. Can you describe some of the food experiences that your guests might enjoy?
Ellen – “First of all we’re on the sea. The shellfish, the fish, it’s all incredibly fresh, likely picked or harvested that day. Guests are going to taste shellfish, clams, sea urchins like they can’t even imagine.
And then there are the vegetables grown and plucked from our gardens so unbelievably fresh and fantastic. The potatoes are abundant and colourful. From red, to brown, dark brown, dark blue. Some are funny shapes. Chiloé is famous for them.
Our chef Francisco is a local guy and he is a true artist. His creativity and artistic nature flows into the dishes and brings forth such memorable and surprisingly fine dining experiences. He´s a superstar.
There is one traditional dish I simply must share with you. The Curanto. It’s a dish that has been cooked in Chiloe for thousands of years, it’s the original cooking method. Where meat, seafood, and potatoes are cooked underground in a wood-fire pit coated with nalca leaves.
It all begins with digging a hole in the ground, lining the pit, putting in the hot stones, adding in the ingredients, covering it up and just cooking it slowly inside the earth.
Local musicians play Chiloé music at the cocktail hour as the Curanto is finishing its cooking. Guests drink pisco sours, which is a Chilean cocktail , and then the Chef and team dig up the Curanto. Some of it is served as cocktail appetisers, then we move into the dining room and are served a plate of Curanto with its vegetables, shellfish,chicken, and sausages. No worries for the vegans or vegetarians, Refugia has deliciousness for you as well. It’s a feast like no other!”
Beyond the incredible food experiences, what other experiences are unique to Refugia Chiloé?
Ellen – “I must mention Refugia’s boat, the Williche! The Williche is a wooden boat built on the island by local artisans.
It’s a unique boat, striking with its black and yellow colour and it is an important part of the Refugia guest experience. It’s an icon here, like what Mickey Mouse is to Disney.
When guests embark on the Williche an incredible adventure awaits them as they navigate to the surrounding islands in Chiloé. It’s common to see wild dolphins and sometimes whales. With kayaks on the boat, guests can get into the water to explore.
The boat will also stop where shellfish are growing and the crew will pull up some of the shellfish, serving them right there on the boat. You can’t get much fresher ingredients than that!
The Williche boat can be rented for the night for a special or romantic dinner or for a team activity within a company. We have various excursions that can be privatised, including a private excursion by hydroplane to visit some of Chile’s volcanoes over on the mainland, which is a 3-hour tour.
Beyond private excursions groups can also take over the hotel with its only 24 guest rooms for weddings, meetings or reunions of families or friends. I’m going there in a month with a bunch of my friends from University. There will be 12 of us, all women, and it’s going to be an absolute blast.
And then there are the small things like every guest receives a pair of handmade knitted slippers knitted by local women on the island during the slow season which provides much needed employment. Our guests often share how these small homely touches shape the overall experience.
Chiloé is an absolute paradise for bird enthusiasts, guests might see the Hudsonian Godwit, one of the world’s longest migrating birds, also flightless steamer ducks, kelp geese, red-legged shags, oystercatchers, and various plovers, sandpipers, and gulls. Magellanic and Humboldt penguins coexist in southern Chiloé and might be seen on a private excursion by hydroplane.
There is also the black swan. It’s pretty much the same size as the white swan, but it’s just got this beautiful black neck. It looks like a swan in a tuxedo!”
What’s next for you and your team?
Ellen – “Right now we’re in the middle of this transition period as we bring the hotel back into the family and relaunch it on October 3rd, 2025, as Refugia Chiloé.
We look forward to welcoming guests. October and November are spring time in Chile and it’s a beautiful time to visit. Then December, January, February is our summer time, with March and April being our Autumn season. Any of these months are great times to visit.
When our guests visit Chiloé, regardless of the time of year, they can experience all 4 seasons in one day. It provides the opportunity to get cosy in the hotel and use the amazing spa, to sit around the fire or go out on a big hike in the sunshine.
For guests looking to support the places where they travel, we’re developing a programme to facilitate guests’ helping the local community and participate in the conservation of the coast, wetlands, and culture.
For example if our guests would like to further support the children in the local schools of Chiloe, they are encouraged to look into their cupboards at home for a musical instrument that’s no longer in use, and bring it with them for the island’s school.
Discover more about Refugia Chiloé here>
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