Hotel Surazo, Matanzas, Chile

Named after the strong, southerly winds that have made the scenic Chilean cove of Matanzas an obligatory call on the world windsurfing circuit, this beachfront bolthole two hours from Santiago will quite literally blow you away. Architectural partners Felipe Wedeles and Jorge Manieu, and chef Andres Tobar - a trio of serious wave-seekers with a keen eye for design – put this sleepy village on the map when they first opened their 12-cabin hideout in 2008. Decked out from top-to-toe in rough-cut pine, the hotel was destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami of 2010. But despite the best efforts of the elements to blow the them off course, Surazo is back looking better than ever. The popularity of the hotel’s design has allowed Wedeles to move his office to Matanzas where he kills time between breakers, working through a backlog of private commissions from like-minded souls sharing his passion for contemporary cubes and big kahuna.