Name: Termas Malleco
Address: Camino Curacautin, Curacautin, Curacautin, Curacautin, 4690000, Chile
Rating: 6

Air conditioning

Smoke-free property

Heating

All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

General

Non-smoking rooms

Shower/Bathtub

Shower

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Free parking

Parking

Swimming pool

Outdoor pool

Pool and beach

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

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Termas Malleco

This is a great place to relax, there are 4 pools and a great restaurant with two options in price for lunch and dinner. Is not cheap, but they offer a good service and quality. 
We went in September and we was lucky because one night it was snowing and the panoramic view of the mountains and araucarias with snow was great.

After reading the mixed reviews on Termas de Malleco I was a little concerned and set to check out all of the complaints.  Hopefully this will help other travelers make a decision on whether or not this place is for them.
There are different ways to be a visitor here:  you can go for the day and enjoy the big pools near the entrance and use the communal bathrooms and changing rooms, or you can stay at one of the 2 lodges either with meals included or not included.  The latter option gives you access to other pools that are exclusive to the guests staying in the lodges.    

The Good:
1. The views are absolutely beautiful!  We loved the feeling of wide spaces and gorgeous forested rocky outcrops.  I loved listening to the river as I drifted off to sleep.  The windows in the room and the bathroom had incredible views.  The restaurant view is gorgeous!
2. The hot spring pools are a nice temperature and the views are (again) spectacular!  The Vaporarium (Turkish bath) was pretty cool--a rock cave that you go in and steam comes up through the bottom.  A bit dark, and definitely need sandals to avoid burning your feet.  My husband really enjoyed sitting in the steam and then jumping into the pool.
3. The food was very tasty, abundant and varied.  Kudos to the chef!
4. The surrounding areas are lovely--we went for some great hikes!  The very short visit to the geyser is worth it--we had a great guide and it was very interesting to see.

Things to Improve:
1. There is little to no informative signage.  It would have been nice to have an info packet in the rooms with the times and locations of meals, prices, services (i.e. what time is check out, where do you check out, who do you contact if you need someone, when are towels changed), excursions, emergency information, etc.
2. It would be nice to have a trail or walkway for pedestrians to get from the lodge to reception or to the restaurant.  The road is not in good shape and it is easy to slip on loose rocks.  There is a medium walk (300 meters) from the lodge to Reception/the Restaurant, which includes a hill.  If you enjoy walking it is a very nice walk, but for people with limited movement it is difficult.  You can drive to and fro if you have 4WD or a high vehicle, but parking is a bit limited.
3. The lodge is understaffed.  While the staff were very friendly, it did seem that they were lacking people.  We had a few confusions during check-in regarding our reservation, but it was quickly fixed.  Towels were not changed during the 3 days/2 nights that we were there (perhaps an ecological intention), and it was difficult to find someone from housekeeping.  However, the rooms were cleaned daily (i.e. beds were made, tp was replenished). On the last day we were asked to show our plastic bracelet indicating that we were guests, but we had not received them.  Nevertheless, this had not been a problem while we were staying in the lodge or dining.  
4. They are a bit behind on maintenance.  Considering that this is a wilderness lodge ("refugio"), I'm not so surprised that it's not in top shape.  Our rooms were small and rustic (the views were AMAZING).  They would do well to go through and patch up holes and put a layer of paint in some areas, but the beds were comfortable, the sheets were clean and soft, and the shower had good pressure and temperature (the only "if-y" part was the drain in the floor which was very flimsy).  As mentioned in another review there were ceramics and other building materials piled up in plain view (for example, by the sign of the lodge), and the entrance to the pool needs to be fixed.  The downstairs dining and common areas were clean and spacious.  It would be a nice place to play games in the evening.  The roof of the lodge looked to be in bad shape (covered with plastic).  We stayed on the 2nd floor.  The floors are thin, so we could hear the people above when they would walk.
5. It would be lovely to have access to tea or coffee in the afternoon at the lodge (instead of walking to the restaurant).  Also, I'd love to seem them offer water by the hot spring pool (you get thirsty) and perhaps beverages for purchase. 

We would definitely return.  I think we may go in winter time.  According to the waitress the lodge is nice and warm with their central heating, and the hot springs are a delight when you are surrounded by snow.  She also said that the road gets plowed every day.

Hopefully this will give you an idea of whether or not this kind of lodge is right for you and your family.

Curacautin

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Know what to expect to see if this place is for you

Great to relax

I wanted to take advantage of a special offer : 3 nights including full board for the price of 2. First, the hotel is in the middle of nowhere and if your navigation system leads you to pass by Inspector Fernandez, just forget it and head up to Caracautin : coming from Inspector Fernandez, you will have to face a 43 kms track which is not suitable for a normal car and which is also (almost) totally deserted. Some of the staff of the hotel don't even know that way and some other say it is just not safe. That's about 2 hours of stressfull driving. Passing by Caracautin is a longer way if you come from the North but the track is only 23 kms long, it is in good shape with less slopes and it takes only half an hour to get rid of it. The scenery around the Termas is excellent but the infrastructure of the thermal baths is poor, not well maintained and not really clean. So are the rooms. Positive points : 1) friendly staff 2) good food in full board 3) surprisingly, the prices of the drinks are really friendly although one might expect them to be high as it is a remote location with no quick access to competing bars and restaurants. Don't hesitate to try the local Patagonia Andina beer.

Just try to find another activity / location

Positive: Escenery, Water Quality / Negative: Lack of Hygiene exterior swimming pool

Even Though the astonishing scenery, the exterior pool maintenance was really awful, the lack of hygiene was evident. They don´t require the use of swim cap, or at least tie your hair back. In comparative terms with other options in the Region, it does not keep up with them. 

A pesar del maravilloso entorno y magnífica vista, el servicio es muy malo. La mantención de la piscina exterior denota falta de higiene. No es un requisito el uso de gorras en la piscina, ni atar el cabello. No están a la altura de otras opciones en la región en relación precio calidad.
 
Nota: Las piscinas para los pasajeros del Hotel son otra historia.

Bad daily option for transient passenger / Mala opción para pasajeros en tránsito

After the first visit and review I made I gave them another chance as the webpage says they remodeled the rooms. It seems that information is some ten years or more old. The rooms are small and ran down. A old carpet does not make it more cosy. The entrance to one of the houses once had tiles, they are stored next to the entrance. The other house seems to be for the staff, not for guests anymore and is even in a worse condition. Walking up the path behind the restaurant, supposedly also the starting point of the hikes you pass a garbage pile of the last couple of years. What is advertised as a geyser to me seems to be just a hot spring and not more.
All in all to expensive for what it is. It could be a nice place if someone would maintain it. No idea how people can give it good reviews. Must be a local thing.

Still another chilean rip off

I heard a lot about this place before, but it wasn't what I was expecting. First the pools are really small, and then the restaurant was the worst, it was extreamly expensive and the food wasn't really good. I don't think I'll recommend this place.

Termas Malleco

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