Scene in Santiago
Santiago is no longer the ugly stepsister of Buenos Aires, lacking in artful charm. It’s taken a while, but we can now safely say that it’s revealing startling depths and becoming one of the coolest capitals, full of activities and culinary experiences worth the trip. Santiago is filled with landscaped gardens, new art galleries and cultural centres (such as GAM), museums (the Pre-Columbian Museum was just renovated after the 2010 earthquake), bike tours, and cooking lessons that start in the midst of La Vega Fruit Market. With all these reasons to stay a little longer, it’s a good thing the hotels are also getting more interesting.
The Singular Santiago is situated in the middle of Lastarria, the trendy culinary and bohemian barrio of Santiago. Full of fascinating details and decor, it’s a place to relax and enjoy all the amenities inside. Drink a zesty lemonade-water in the art-strewn lobby, and take in the view of the city from the rooftop terrace (opened just a few weeks ago). The corner pool at the summit is a great place to stay and enjoy the vistas of a chaotic and sometimes noisy Santiago from a calmer vantage point. As its predecessor, The Singular Patagonia, is already one of our favourites, it won’t be long until the Santiago outpost is topping travellers’ top ten lists.
If you’re not interested in spas or restaurants so much as a home-away-from-home, The Carmenere Hotel is where you want to be. This 5-room boutique hotel in one of the newly popular areas of Santiago (Barrio Italia) has an individualized point of view. From the manager to the cook, the entire staff is completely focused on you, and making sure you feel right at home. The rooms are not huge, but they are lovely and well-appointed, and I love that you can find a nice old antique in each of them. Common areas are comfortable and full of nice details like complimentary organic tea and coffee, and homemade sweet treats. For wine lovers, the hotel has its own cellar, stacked with organic Chilean wines for a free tasting whenever you wish.
Last but not least, you’ll find a true oasis in the middle of the Bellavista neighbourhood, the Tinto Boutique Hotel. This cool, black and white affair is owned by a Brazilian woman who fell in love with Santiago and decided to stay and begin a new adventure. The place has a great vibe, mixing modern architecture with old antiques. We recommend staying in the rooms with terraces connecting to the garden and pool; a beautiful setting for warm Santiago summers. Enjoy dinner or lunch at Uraqui, the main restaurant, with its delightful cuisine, based on Chilean seafood and mixing modern and ancestral techniques.
There’s a perfectly appointed hotel for everyone in Santiago, and Carola can help you find it. Get in touch with us if you’re planning a Chilean adventure.
