History and Sustainability

Our History

Located between the Strait of Magellan and the city’s main square, in the very center of Punta Arenas, our Cabo de Hornos Hotel is nowadays an icon of Chilean Patagonia. It was chosen by the Comisión Bicentenario commission as the most emblematic architectural work and contribution to the capital of Magallanes during the 20th century. 

These honors are nothing more than a reflection of the significance that this traditional building has had in the history of the city, being a witness and part of its development, its great events and illustrious visits. All of Chile's presidents from the 1960s onwards have passed through its chambers, as have a large number of foreign presidents, men of science, political personalities and celebrities from the world of show business.

All these activities have been forging over time, in the community of the city of Punta Arenas and its great Cabo de Hornos Hotel, the identity and tradition of modern Patagonian culture. 

A hotel for Punta Arenas

It was in 1957 when Sociedad Explotadora Tierra del Fuego and with the help of its president, Pedro Poklepovic, made public the visionary idea to build a large hotel in the city of Punta Arenas due to the growth of the tourism industry in the region. 

This initiative, supported by the mayor Manuel Ibáñez Pérez, represented a millionaire investment of one billion pesos at the time. Its location was chosen in front of the Plaza Muñoz Gamero square, for which the empty lands were bought especially for this purpose. 

The building, with a structure of eight thousand five hundred meters built, would consist of nine floors, of which the upper floors would be a tourist hotel with one hundred spacious and comfortable rooms, while the lower floors would serve to accommodate offices and business premises.   

The first important event

The construction of such a large work was in charge of the construction company Salinas y Fabres and had an initial execution period of two and a half years, which became almost five after overcoming the difficulties imposed by the weather and the distance.   

The first major event of the construction took place on February 14, 1959 at 6:05 p.m. with the laying of the cornerstone, a symbolic act that made the idea of the hotel real. For this occasion, representatives of the Church, Banking, National Industry and Commerce, Ministers, Senators, Commanders in Chief of the Navy, Journalistic Entities and the former President of the Chilean Republic, Mr. Gabriel González Videla, were invited. 

Officially inaugurated

The inauguration was another great event for the society of Punta Arenas and the beginning of history in community. It was on September 7, 1962 at 7:00 p.m, along with the exhibition of the painter Arturo Pacheco Altamirano in one of the salons, that Cabo de Hornos Hotel was inaugurated in the presence of the board of directors of Sociedad Explotadora Tierra del Fuego and Sociedad Hotelera Panamericana, who were the firsts hotel managers. And of course, more guests were invited to the ceremony.  

Finally, the Hotel opened its doors to guests on September 22 of the same year, and since then it has remained active to date. 

A complete remodeling

The Hotelera Panamericana company kept the administration for thirteen years until 1975. Then, it passed to the Empresa Turismo y Hoteles Cabo de Hornos, which ran the hotel for 20 years. In 1995, Hotelera Panamericana company was in charge over again until 2004. On that same year, the hotel finally passed to HOTELES AUSTRALIS LIMITADA company, the current owners.   

At the time of the last transfer of ownership in 2004, the hotel experimented a complete and total renovation by the architect Pedro Kovacic and Enrique Concha’s interior design team. Together, they gave a contemporary atmosphere to this iconic building, taking advantage of its large dimensions and keeping the greatness of our hotel, becoming a renowned leader in the region. 

Sustainability commitment

Our Collaborators

We have a strong commitment to the growth and progress of Punta Arenas. This is why we prioritize natives to be part of our staff and so, through them, we can show our guests the purest and most authentic Patagonian identity and culture. 

Our Suppliers

We love to supply our restaurant & lounge with local crops as a way to collaborate with the SME and native entrepreneurs, and also to share with our guests the characteristic flavors and products of our region. 

Environment

Our commitment to the environment leads us to be permanently innovating in our operation, in order to contribute to the health of our planet. 

  • Paperless. 

  • Recycling. 

  • Sustainable Amenities. 

  • Optional washing of linen.