Trendy hotels, boho shopping, culture and art – the Chilean boutique hotel scene is more dynamic, and eclectic, than ever.
With Santiago continuously enriching its collection of atmospheric boutique choices and Valparaiso quickly re-emerging as an exciting cultural centre, Chile is back on the map for culture lovers.
We’ve listed five great boutique hotels for anyone looking for a culturally enriched holiday.
1. The Aubrey
The Aubrey is an Australian/English owned and operated small friendly boutique hotel which opened in 2010, situated in Bellavista. Providencia, next to the Park Metropolitano and the San Cerro Cristobal
The Aubrey is Santiago´s first true boutique hotel and is truly a distinctive urban retreat that lets one escape from the buzz of the city.
Located in the bohemian Bellavista neighbourhood, which is packed with intellectuals, artists and avant-garde galleries, the hotel is a short stroll to Nobel Prize poet Pablo Neruda’s old house La Chascona.
It counts fifteen en-suite bedrooms, old Mission-style outdoor patio terraces with medieval stone arches and a restaurant that, back in the day, was the setting for the Legendary Thursday Political Lunches of leading socio-political Santiago figures. These are just a few features that make this hotel a must stay, before you head off for some live jazz and Chilean music in the nearby cafes.
Constitución 299 – 317, Bellavista, +56229402800.
2. Hotel Orly
One final Providencia gem, this revamped 1940s mansion boasts a Victorian-style conservatory perfect for a relaxed breakfast, floral and wooden features and worn white antiques that give you a feel of French countryside in the middle of Santiago.
Elegant, yet super warm, it will cater to all your needs—like inviting you to one of those wonderful wingback chairs, ideal after a long museum tour. It also offers one of the best deals in a trendy and arty barrio—which means it is always wise to book ahead.
Av. Pedro de Valdivia 027, Providencia/ Santiago, +5622231894.
3. Mi Palafito Apart
On Chiloé Island, where life first started about 7000 years ago, lays the enchanting Castro—Chile’s third oldest continuously inhabited city.
Among the World Heritage Site churches—an outstanding example of ecclesiastical wooden architecture in the Americas—and the bustling Plaza des Armas, blossoms the town’s most colourful site: its picturesque palafitos (stilt houses made out of native wood).
A restored long-legged structure itself, Mi Palafito is a quaint ‘Aparthotel’ that can house up to 9 people, from where you can watch (and even feel) the tide twice a day, while thumbing through a book from its small collection. The town also holds the noteworthy Museum of Modern Art of Chiloé, which you can explore after a delicious breakfast of bread and jam made on the spot.
Ernesto Riquelme 1210, Castro, Isla Chiloe, +5665634878.
4. Hotel Palacio Astoreca
Also on top of Cheerful Hill, with stunning views that include that of the Fine Arts Museum, this new Valparaiso palace comes well-equipped for the art & culture crowd. Palacio Astoreca has its walls adorned with a large collection of local and foreign art, while it actively invites artists to develop projects in the area.
There’s a modern chic piano lounge bar, a sunbathed terrace and a wine cellar packed with good Chilean wine, while in the quiet and relaxing library you will play chess, browse new art and travel destinations in a series of guidebooks, or discover great new Chilean and world literature. A true haven before you take the trademark El Peral (the cable car) down to Sotomayor Square and start your exploration of the port.
Calle Montealegre 149, Cerro Alegre, Valparaíso, +56-32 327 7700.
5. Le Rêve
A getaway with Parisian charm in a quiet street of historic 19th century Providencia neighbourhood, Le Rêve is a restored architectural gem that could have easily jumped out of a scenic street in France. A four-story town house set amongst colonial mansions, bars and restaurants, and within walking distance from a choice of art galleries and theatre stages that make up Santiago’s vibrant theatre scene.
To properly evoke the barrio’s cultural atmosphere, a collage of elegant Gallic details—wrought-iron railings, chinoiserie, botanical prints and, of course, the pebbled gardens—is mandatory.
Before heading out, try a drink from the hotel’s self-service Honesty Bar—just make sure to write it down in the open confessional notebook on the bar.
Orrego Luco 023 | Providencia, +5622757 6000.
