Design and interior design

Patagonia with the stamp of Katherine Rahal

A story that has been weaving together for almost twenty years is that of interior designer Katherine Rahal and Río Serrano Hotel + Spa. It began when she was called for the hotel's first renovation and was solidified, recently, with international recognition.

May 28, 20253-minute read

The hotel's double-height lobby, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the pampa and the mountain range.
The double-height foyer. All the furniture is arranged around the view.

The office of Katherine Rahal received a double recognition at the Americas Property Awards: in the Residential category for Casa Q21, and in the hospitality industry, first prize for his work at Río Serrano Hotel + Spa.

Although she is deeply attached to both projects, the one in Río Serrano is a long-standing and very special relationship: it’s linked to the moment she felt confident enough to devote herself to interior design. Previously, she had designed furniture for various architects and served as product manager for a major brand of building materials.

  • 2002It opens as a guesthouse with 20 rooms.
  • 2005Katherine Rahal arrives for the first remodeling.
  • Today108 rooms, overlooking the Paine Massif and Mount Balmaceda.
The main living room features caramel-colored leather sofas, sheepskins, and a flagstone floor.
The main living room, after the most recent renovation.
Mustard leather armchairs next to bookshelves and walls paneled in native wood.
Mustard-colored leather, stone, and native wood in the reading area.

Located on the southern edge of Torres del Paine National Park, in the Magallanes Region, Río Serrano Hotel + Spa is a regional, family-owned business founded by Jaime Arancibia Tagle, who developed the project. In 2005, Katherine Rahal was brought in for the first renovation, and since then she has continued to evolve alongside the hotel, leaving her mark on each of its spaces.

With every change she has made at Río Serrano, Katherine has managed to give it a fresh look without losing its Patagonian character. The most recent renovation included the bar, the living rooms, part of the lobby, guest rooms, and bathrooms—all areas to which she brought a warm new look with new finishes, lighting, and furniture.

The Cuernos del Paine at dawn, seen from the hotel's living room through a wood-framed picture window.
The Cuernos del Paine at sunrise, as seen from the hotel lobby.
I love changes, I adapt to whatever scenario I find myself in. I'm a mix of classic and rocker, hippie and chic!
Katherine Rahal
In his words
Besides the joy, how did you feel when you received the award for a project so dear to you?
I realized that Chilean interior design really can achieve international recognition at this level. It was very motivating, exciting, and rewarding—not just for me, but also for the hotel owners.
Making my clients’ dreams come true, ensuring that projects bear their unique stamp, and that they are also profitable—that is part of our expertise as a firm.
What projects would you like to develop next?
I have pending things that I really want to do. I want to design a line of furniture, objects, and also wallpapers.
I am of Lebanese-Palestinian descent, and I firmly believe that this Middle Eastern imprint—so beautiful in interior design and so subtle to apply—can bring something unique and different.
Central hotel lobby with a stone wall, stacked firewood, and leather armchairs.

Come meet him

The bar, the lounges, and the renovated rooms are best experienced in person, with the Paine Massif visible through the glass.

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