Silversea opens the world's southernmost hotel

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There's now a new reason to travel to the bottom of the world.

Silversea on Thursday officially opened The Cormorant at 55 South, a new luxury hotel near the southern tip of South America designed to transform the experience of traveling to Antarctica.

Located along the Beagle Channel near Puerto Williams, Chile, the 150-room property will serve as a luxury base and launch pad for Silversea's high-end fly-cruise trips to Antarctica — journeys that begin with a flight from Puerto Williams to a research station at Antarctica's King George Island.

Once there, travelers board a Silversea expedition ship to explore Antarctica.

Related: How to get to Antarctica: The pros and cons of flying vs. cruising

"Silversea has always been about going further, and for our guests heading to Antarctica, that journey now begins here at the southernmost hotel on Earth, with the kind of welcome they've come to expect from us," Silversea president Bert Hernandez said during an unveiling event at the hotel.

TPG is one of just a handful of travel media outlets getting an early look at the property this week.

Rooms at The Cormorant at 55 South are modern and stylish. SILVERSEA Until now, Silversea's fly-cruise passengers have stayed in non-Silversea hotels in Punta Arenas, Chile ahead of a charter flight to King George Island. The less-than-ideal arrangement meant guests were booked across various hotels, while the line was left scrambling for additional rooms whenever bad weather delayed or grounded flights to Antarctica.

Now, with The Cormorant at 55 South, guests can relax in modern luxury overnight — or sit out bad weather — just minutes from their charter flight. Better yet, the expedition begins well before they step aboard their ship.

While at the hotel, guests will be able to try on or swap their Silversea-provided Antarctica polar gear, complete biosecurity checks that are necessary before visiting the continent, and clean any personal equipment they plan to take ashore, as well as attend an initial Antarctica briefing — activities that usually take place on the ship.

Related: I just camped on the ice in Antarctica; here's how you can, too

They'll also get a chance to explore Patagonia's breathtaking wilderness on guided excursions around the hotel, including kayaking, hiking, birdwatching and horseback riding. A shuttle bus will also take guests into Puerto Williams.

A bar at The Cormorant at 55 South. SILVERSEA "The idea was that this wasn't a stopover hotel. This is the first and last impression that we make on our guests, and so we wanted that to be memorable," Hernandez said at a press conference ahead of an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

What to expect at the southernmost hotel on earth

Initially conceived in 2018 as a turnaround hub for Antarctica, the Cormorant at 55 South has become a destination that by Hernandez's own admission is "more beautiful than anyone ever envisioned."

Designed to blend in with the environment, the low-slung hotel features soaring ceilings, concrete floors, natural wood, stone and earthy textiles punctuated by pops of orange, yellow and green — colours that echo the surrounding terrain.

Floor-to-ceiling glass means the view is never far away, be it forest, sea or snow-scratched mountains, stretching from the jagged peaks of Dientes de Navarino to the Andes in Argentina.

Related: The best Antarctica cruise vessels

"It was always incredibly important that the hotel reflect the environment," Silversea senior vice president of expeditions Conrad Combrink said during unveiling events. Elements of fire and ice inform the design, alongside the darkness of the Drake Passage and the Beagle Channel, just beyond the hotel.

A lounge area at The Cormorant at 55 North. SILVERSEA Being in the "land of fire", the hotel fittingly has a massive indoor firepit, surrounded by lounges and easy chairs. An outside terrace offers more places to sit and take in the scenery.

Rooms are simply designed, with a view of mountain or sea, and pair a soothing mix of local wood, natural textiles and green upholstery. There's a Nespresso machine and a small bar fridge with water and craft beer from a brewery in Punta Arenas.

Latitude 55, the onsite restaurant, showcases regional flavors, including excellent empanadas and a stand-out asado barbecue served on the first night of any stay, slow-cooked over an open fire in the hotel grounds.. At Bar Sur, guests can sample Chilean wine, enjoy a pisco sour tasting or try a cocktail made with calafete, a berry indigenous to Puerto Williams. The Uncharted Boutique is the place to stock up on beautifully made Chilean handicrafts or last-minute polar gear.

A new gateway to Antarctica

More than a hotel stay, The Cormorant at 55 South marks a wider shift for Silversea,which will now base all its Antarctica expeditions out of Puerto Williams. Previously only sailings that crossed the Drake Passage left from Puerto Williams.

While most Antarctic operators base their fleets out of Ushuaia, Argentina, Silversea is the only cruise line running operations out of Puerto Williams. Located further south along the Beagle Channel, Puerto Williams provides a shorter, more direct launch point into the Drake Passage.

Expanded fly-cruise itineraries

Silversea's fly-cruise trips allow Antarctica-bound travelers to skip a ship-based voyage across the Drake Passage — the notoriously rough, 600-mile-wide waterway separating the tip of South America and Antarctica.

Guests fly from Santiago directly to Puerto Williams for an overnight stay at The Cormorant, before taking a charter flight across the Drake to King George Island in Antarctica's South Shetland Islands, where their expedition ship awaits. Upon return, guests spend another night at the hotel before flying back to Santiago.

Related: The ultimate guide to expedition cruising to Antarctica and beyond

The opening of the Cormorant at 55 South coincides with Silversea's largest Antarctic season to date. Fly-cruise itineraries now dominate the line's offerings in Antarctica, accounting for 29 of its 40 total sailings across three expedition vessels: Silver Endeavour, Silver Wind, and Silver Cloud. The hotel will currently stay open from October through March, but there is talk it will open year-round, for travelers to southern Chile looking for a soft landing after adventures.

More than a place to stay, The Cormorant makes the journey south feel like an experience in its own right — a fittingly rugged starting point for what lies ahead, plus unique bragging rights of having stayed at the southernmost hotel on earth.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.