1557

The Origin of Última Esperanza

Juan Ladrillero navigated the fjord where the hotel stands today and named it Última Esperanza. Since then, the name has remained inseparable from the landscape and history of this region.

Antique nautical map of Senoret Strait, showing Puerto Natales, nearby points and bays, compass roses, and a sailboat.

1896

The First Buildings of Puerto Bories

Rodolfo Stubenrauch built warehouses, a sawmill, housing and a pier, marking the dawn of the industrial history on the site that is now home to The Singular Patagonia.

Historic black-and-white photo of the Puerto Bories cold storage plant and pier beside a Patagonian harbor.
Black-and-white photo of wooden storefronts, pedestrians, and horses on a quiet rural street.

1911

The Birth of Puerto Natales

The rapid growth of Puerto Bories drove settlement throughout Última Esperanza. Founded in 1911, the town of Puerto Natales developed in close connection with the industrial complex.

1915

Puerto Bories Begins Operations

Puerto Bories began operating as one of Patagonia’s most advanced industrial complexes. Its brick halls, workshops, pier and machinery still shape the character of the hotel today.

Historic black-and-white view of a wooden pier leading to industrial buildings in Tierra del Fuego, with snowy mountains beyond.
Black-and-white photo of a small locomotive and workers beside a railcar loaded with bundled cargo outside large warehouses.

1910s - 1970s

A Community Built Around Bories

For nearly seven decades, families and workers of every trade brought Puerto Bories to life. Its homes, workshops, and locomotives became an essential part of Última Esperanza’s history.

Black-and-white historical photo of workers lining railway tracks beside textile mill buildings as a steam locomotive arrives.
A large flock of sheep crowds a wooden livestock chute leading toward waterfront buildings and a distant shoreline.

Late 20th Century

THE Silence After Industry

After operations ceased, the buildings and machinery stood as silent witnesses to a defining era in the region’s history. Puerto Bories entered a long period of abandonment and neglect.

1996

A Legacy Worth Preserving

Puerto Bories was declared a National Historic Monument in recognition of its architectural, industrial and social value, safeguarding one of the most vital testaments to Patagonian history.

Interior of a large industrial building with exposed steel roof trusses, support columns, and rows of bright windows.

1998–1999

The Recovery of Puerto Bories Begins

After years of neglect, a dedicated heritage restoration project began to rescue the complex, its materials, and its industrial relics without erasing the marks left by time.

Black-and-white archival photo of a large industrial steam engine with flywheel, piston, and connecting rods in a factory
Historic industrial museum with a massive steam engine and flywheel behind glass, illuminated by warm orange lighting.

1999–2011

Restoring Without Erasing the Past

Pedro Kovacic led a heritage restoration in which the site's rich history guided every architectural decision. Enrique Concha & Co directed the interior architecture and design, subtly integrating contemporary spaces within the original walls, materials, and machinery.

2011–Present

A Living Heritage

In December 2011, The Singular Patagonia opened within the historic grounds of thePuerto Bories. Its original walls, machinery, smokestacks, and spaces now coexist seamlessly with refined hospitality, gastronomy, and daily life at the hotel.

A glass walkway runs through a historic brick factory interior with old machinery, exposed beams, and tall windows.
Abandoned industrial workshop with old brick furnaces, metal hoods, worktables, and large factory windows