This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Faced with Chile’s natural riches, from Patagonia to the Atacama Desert, it’s easy to rush through this gateway city. But with its sweeping views over Andean peaks and tumbling hills, including the forested Cerro San Cristobal at its heart, the capital is worthy of a closer look. It’s home to a third of the country’s population, many of its best museums, including the Chilean Museum of Pre-ColBumbian Art, plus street art and eclectic barrios (neighbourhoods) surrounding a historic core, with stately buildings giving way to skyscrapers. Places to stay include central barrios Lastarria and Bellavista, as well as smart Las Condes and Vitacura to the northeast.
1. Hotel Bidasoa
Best for: design gurus
Hidden behind a pared-back, monolithic facade, the interior of Hotel Bidasoa comes as something of a surprise. Inside is a riot of potted palms, colourful mosaics, vinyl flooring and kitsch botanical wallpaper, complemented by an array of knick-knacks such as toucan-shaped lamps, golden flamingo statuettes and vintage Olivetti typewriters. The mid-century design, from the polished green floor tiles to the emerald velvet armchairs, could have been plucked from a Wes Anderson film. All these distinctive decorations tie together beautifully. Located in the wealthy barrio of Vitacura, Bidasoa also has an outdoor pool and an excellent Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with a host of vegetarian and vegan options. It’s made strides towards reducing its carbon footprint, too, by introducing features such as heat pumps, solar panels and a biogas generator to power the kitchen stoves. ROOMS: US$230 (£180), B&B.
The restaurant in Hotel Bidaosa strives to reduce its carbon footprint through heat pumps, solar panels and a biogas generator to power the kitchen.
Photograph by Hotel Bidasoa
2. Hotel Carménère
Best for: wine lovers
Named after Chile’s signature red wine grape, Hotel Carménère is an intimate establishment in trendy Barrio Italia, an area known for its clothes and antique shops. There are five rooms in all, with ‘Curicó Valley’ the pick of the bunch thanks to its French doors opening onto a private terrace. Each room is themed around one of the country’s key wine-producing regions; photos of vineyards cover the walls and expert selections of premium bottles rest in racks. If you need more choice, head downstairs to the wine cellar, which is filled with bottles from organic producers across Chile. The hotel also takes sustainability seriously: measures include solar panels, rainwater collection, biodegradable cleaning products and an organic garden that provides ample produce for breakfast each morning. ROOMS: US$265 (£210), B&B.
3. The Singular Santiago
Best for: understated elegance
On the edge of the lively historical neighbourhood of Lastarria, The Singular Santiago offers respite from the busy city. It’s a peaceful realm of muted colours, dark-wood furnishings, subdued lighting, rich leather sofas and swish marble bathrooms, and feels a world away from the streets beyond. Rooms and suites are spacious and classically styled, with the occasional unexpected flourish such as 1970s-style wood room dividers. Plus there’s a fine-dining restaurant that combines French techniques with Chilean produce, a classy coffee shop and patisserie ideal for la once (a Chilean-style afternoon tea) and a rooftop bar, which looks out across the towering palms and web of trails of nearby park Cerro Santa Lucía. A swimming pool, gym and spa, with a steam room and sauna, complete the package. ROOMS: US$255 (£200), B&B.
4. Hotel Boutique Le Reve
Best for: sophistication
A charming, ivy-clad mansion built in the 19th century, Hotel Boutique Le Reve sits on a broad, leafy avenue in the district of Providencia, close to the shops and restaurants but well enough away from the bustle. The architecture, decor and patio garden all display a distinctly French touch, from the chessboard-style tiles to the gilded banisters and elegant wooden shutters. The hotel manages to avoid feeling stuffy, thanks to the on-point service from the staff and an array of thoughtful touches, including an honesty bar and a help-yourself guest kitchen. The spacious rooms and suites, meanwhile, are stylish without being fussy. The standard options are eminently comfortable but it’s worth paying a little bit more for a deluxe king with a private balcony, which overlooks the manicured garden. ROOMS: US$260 (£205), B&B.
Though the exterior is unassuming, the Hotel Bidasoa interior is colourful and kitschy.
Photograph by Hotel Bidasoa
5. Castillo Rojo
Best for: a quirky stay
Built in the 1920s for a wealthy French-Chilean family, the ‘Red Castle’ was later bought by a Russian writer who then bequeathed it to his maid. After a spell as an artists’ hangout, the mansion fell into disrepair before being restored to its former glory and turned into a hotel in the 2010s. This eclectic history is reflected in the design: a striking crimson exterior, over-the-top chandeliers, arched hallways, exposed stone walls, beamed ceilings and period furniture. The rooms are more sedate in style, but still characterful. And given the location in central Bellavista — close to countless restaurants and bars, poet Pablo Neruda’s former house and the Cerro San Cristóbal funicular — the rates offer good value. Rooms: US$146 (£115), B&B.
6. Hostal Río Amazonas
Best for: social vibes
In a stately townhouse near Lastarria and Bellavista, the Hostal Río Amazonas is one of the best budget options in Santiago. The welcoming atmosphere is infectious and it’s easy to fall into conversation with fellow guests in the communal lounge and flower-filled courtyard, in which breakfast, snacks and drinks are served. Set along rambling corridors, the rooms are all brightly decorated and come with private bathrooms; some also have bathtubs and stained-glass windows.Rooms: CLP$55,000 (£46).
7. Providencia Bed and Breakfast
Best: guesthouse
In a quiet residential area of Providencia, with downtown a 20-minute metro ride away, this family-run B&B provides a homely touch at prices that are hard to beat. The 1920s house has a handful of comfortable rooms, all with polished wooden floors, air conditioning and private bathrooms. As well as a triple and a quad, there’s a snug double and a larger one in the loft. Black-and-white photos, leather sofas and vintage ornaments decorate the hallways. Rooms: US$50 (£40), B&B.
8. Luciano K
Best for: architecture
Dwarfed by the city’s skyscrapers in Barrio Lastarria, the narrow seven-storey block that houses Luciano K was the tallest building in Santiago when it was built in the 1920s, as well as the first in the capital to have central heating and a lift. The hotel retains many of the art deco features, including patterned floor tiles, geometric columns and wrought-iron fences. The rooms feel more modern, though black-and-white photos provide a reminder of the building’s heritage. Note that some only have internal windows. Rooms: US$115 (£90), B&B.
For those who like a night cap, there is no better place to stay than The Ritz-Carlton, which has a bar menu dedicated to Chile’s national spirit, pisco.
Photograph by The Ritz-Carlton Santiago
9. Ritz-Carlton
Best for: rooftop lounging
The top floor of the Ritz-Carlton houses a heated pool dotted with mini palm trees, enclosed by an eye-catching tubular glass roof — swimmers enjoy glorious views across the Santiago skyline to the snowy Andes beyond. Combined with the adjoining spa and sundeck, it’s the ideal spot to unwind at the end of a busy day. Elsewhere in the hotel, located in affluent Las Condes in the northeast of the city, there’s a similarly relaxed atmosphere, and 205 swish rooms with copper-hued lighting, marble bathtubs and plenty of space. There are also top-notch dining options, notably Estró, a restaurant specialising in modern, seafood-focused Chilean dishes, as well as a sophisticated bar with a menu dedicated to Chile’s national spirit, pisco. Rooms: US$289 (£205), B&B.
10. Select by time
Best for: families & groups
Good-value accommodation in Las Condes is decidedly thin on the ground, which makes Select by Time all the more appealing, particularly for travellers planning an extended stay in the city. Close to the Tobalada metro station, less than an hour from downtown, this reliable apart-hotel does the basics well. Tasteful dark-wood furnishings help to elevate the large studios and apartments above others in their price bracket; rooms sleeping up to four people come with neat kitchenettes featuring a hob, microwave and coffee machine, as well as their own living/dining areas. Guests also have access to the swimming pool, gym and restaurant at sister hotel Rugendas, which is just a two-minute walk away. ROOMS: US$140 (£110), B&B.
Published in the June 2024 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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