South America Explore our selections.
Belmond Monasterio
HotelSouth America, Peru
From $550
Monasterio is a hotel inside a monastery built in 1592 on the foundations of the palace of the Inca Amaru Qhala, in the historic center of Cusco. The building is recognised as a national landmark, so its Spanish colonial architecture has barely changed, with stone arches, cloisters and a central courtyard. The hotel holds one of the city's most important collections of 18th-century religious art, with expert-led tours each day and oil paintings hanging in many of the rooms. Some rooms have oxygen-enriched air to help guests adjust to Cusco's altitude of over 3,000 metres, a useful detail before heading to Machu Picchu. The Plaza de Armas and the cathedral are just a few minutes' walk away.
Kenoa Resort
HotelSouth America, Brazil
From $745
Kenoa Resort sits between tropical vegetation and the warm, Caribbean-like waters of Alagoas, one of Brazil’s most striking coastal regions. The architecture is contemporary and sculptural, with natural materials, strong geometric lines and open spaces that keep the landscape constantly in view. With only 23 suites and villas, the hotel remains intimate, combining panoramic sea views, private pools and direct beach access with a strong design identity.
Casa Siará
HotelSouth America, Brazil
From $850
Casa Siará sits directly on Praia do Preá, pairing contemporary Brazilian architecture with one of Ceará’s most elemental landscapes: constant wind, an uninterrupted Atlantic horizon and a beach that seems to run forever in both directions. Designed by architect Miguel Pinto Guimarães, the hotel takes inspiration from fish scales in its curved forms and opens almost entirely toward the outdoors, while large 60 m² suites, pools, spa, tennis courts and a dedicated kite school make it especially strong for longer stays. The setting is the real draw, though — mornings begin with the sea in front of you, afternoons belong to the trade winds, and sunset turns the whole coastline gold.
Casana
HotelSouth America, Brazil
From $1,950
Casana is an ultra-intimate beachfront retreat on Praia do Preá, with just seven bungalows spread across a 10,000-square-metre property facing the Atlantic. The hotel leans into the wildness of Ceará rather than fighting it: palm trees, constant trade winds, pale sand and wide-open sea sit alongside private pools, an infinity pool, spa and polished contemporary interiors. Preá is one of Brazil’s great kitesurfing destinations, and Casana has its own dedicated kite school, making the experience as much about being on the water as disappearing into a very private beach house.
Mashpi Lodge
HotelSouth America
From $1,500
Mashpi Lodge emerges from 3,200 hectares of Chocó cloud forest like a glass observatory dropped into one of the most biodiverse landscapes on Earth. The contemporary lodge hosts only 47 guests, with floor-to-ceiling windows turning bedrooms, baths and communal spaces into front-row seats to mist, giant ferns, hummingbirds and an extraordinary concentration of wildlife — more than 400 bird species have been recorded in the reserve alone. Exploration is a serious part of staying here: naturalist-led trails descend to waterfalls, the Dragonfly gondola glides above the canopy, a Sky Bike crosses the forest and the on-site research team gives unusual access to the conservation work happening beyond the hotel.
UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa
HotelSouth America, Brazil
From $480
UXUA occupies a collection of casas around Trancoso’s historic Quadrado, including homes that date back hundreds of years and were restored by former Diesel creative director Wilbert Das with local artisans. Furniture, lighting and decorative pieces are made by craftspeople from the region, while tropical gardens and open-air living preserve the informal rhythm of the village. The result is unmistakably Brazilian, sophisticated without polishing away the history and handmade character that make Trancoso so particular.
Tierra Patagonia
HotelSouth America, Chile
From $1,770
Tierra Patagonia stretches almost horizontally along the shore of Lake Sarmiento, with the Torres del Paine massif filling the horizon beyond it. The architecture follows the natural curve of the land and uses local lenga wood extensively, allowing a 40-room hotel to remain surprisingly discreet within such a monumental landscape. Days revolve around guided hikes, horseback riding and excursions across Patagonia, followed by long views of the mountains from almost everywhere inside.
Rosewood São Paulo
HotelSouth America, Brazil
From $638
Rosewood São Paulo occupies part of Cidade Matarazzo, the extraordinary transformation of a former maternity hospital complex into one of the city’s major cultural destinations. The project combines the restored historic buildings with a new tower by Jean Nouvel, while Philippe Starck’s interiors are layered with Brazilian art, craft, vegetation and references to the country’s cultural identity. Restaurants, bars, music, art and nightlife make it particularly compelling: this is a hotel that functions almost as a destination within São Paulo itself.
Pulso Hotel
HotelSouth America, Brazil
From $460
Pulso brings a new generation of Brazilian design hospitality to São Paulo. The building and interiors by Studio Arthur Casas use warm materials, clean lines and Brazilian furniture to create a calmer counterpoint to the intensity outside, while art, gastronomy and wellness give the hotel a cultural life beyond its rooms. Opened in 2024, it belongs to a recent wave of ambitious independent hotels changing São Paulo’s luxury landscape.
