Patagonia is home to Torres del Paine National Park, one of the world’s great adventure travel destinations. However, this rugged region is not only for serious hikers and experienced outdoors people. In fact, anybody interested in balancing a rugged journey around Chile’s southernmost region with inventive luxury dining and lodging will find Hotel Las Torres, the perfect place to bring everything on their Patagonian travel wish list together.

© Las Torres Patagonia

Hotel Las Torres now takes its distinctive travel proposition further with the recent launch of its Pionero Bar, the first fully sustainable bar in Chile. Under the guidance of award-winning lead bartender Federico Gil, the bar approaches international mixology trends with approaches paying respect to indigenous ingredients, the area’s terrain and ecologically friendly methods such as a regenerative kitchen garden. The Uruguayan-born bartender conducts himself with great showmanship, guiding his clientele through the creation of exclusive cocktails using calafate (whose flavor profile suggests a more exotic blueberry), along with medicinal plants, berries and Chilean-made spirits.

© Las Torres Patagonia

While the hotel’s docket of activities includes hiking, horseback riding and others that allow for an in-depth exploration of Chilean Patagonia’s epic land formations, wildlife and geography, taking in panoramic views in a cozy setting is a perfect extension of the experience. Gil, however, does one better with his educational talk, The Art of Sustainable Mixology, where he discusses the creation and inspirations behind his most famous drinks (Calafate Breeze, Patagonian Fire and Legend of the Calafate) as well as his thoughts on how mixology can contribute to a more sustainable world. For home bartenders, getting the details behind his environmentally sound preparations can prove one of the best souvenirs to take back home.

Travelers eager to sample local craft beers should not miss out on the house-made Pionera, fermented in the little cabin right outside the bar. Just like many of the cocktails, including the classic Calafate Sour, the beer is a superb accompaniment to the dishes created by France-native executive chef Yann Yvin. There is also a hotel-made Tierra Paine Gin, made with 18 botanicals straight from the hotel garden and an ancestral clay distillation process using glacial water sourced from the nearby waterfalls of Mount Cerro Paine. Chilean wines abound, and favorite international spirits and wines are also available.

© Las Torres Patagonia

Another thing worth noting is Pionero Bar further follows the hotel’s commitment to protecting the environment. Creative cocktails are served in recycled glassware with sustainable copper straws. All organic waste from brewing the hotel beer is used to generate compost worked back into the garden soil. All of it ensures a “happy hour” any time of day here will be something positively transcendent.