Can anyone advise on the best situated hotels in Santiago in or near the entertainment, shopping, culture, nightlife areas. Thanks.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Alinlondon:
Can anyone advise on the best situated hotels in Santiago in or near the entertainment, shopping, culture, nightlife areas. Thanks. </font>

alinlondon There is an excellent recent thread re: Hotels in Santiago on the Luxury Hotels forum on FT Travel. Although, a search on the South America Forum will give you some information, I think that a search over on luxury hotels will bear even more fruit.
Good luck

I have stayed at the Sheraton (and San Cristobal Tower) 5 times. While there's nothing right "out the door", its a short walk to Providencia, and a cheap cab ride (US$2 to 3) to most areas you might want to go, including Bellavista for fun at night (right up the hill from there). While Las Condes has lots of nice hotels, I just think that I'd wonder why I went to Santiago if I stayed up there.

Crowne Plaza is the closest you'll get http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif Las Condes area has Marriott & Hyatt, which ofcourse are off the city centre.

akhullar, I know of the Crown Plaza though I really never like the area that much at night and even though it was right in the centre I personally don't think it's the best. (though tour groups love this hotel).

The Radisson in Providence (5 - 10 minute walk to the main streets of the business, restaurants, pubs, life of Santiago at the WTC would probably still be a better bet.

Please don't get me wrong the quality of the Crown Plaza.

What do others think?

The Crowne Plaza is in sort of a seedy area of downtown.

The Hyatt and Marriott are a little out of the way in upper Las Condes.

My home in Santiago is the recently renovated and expanded Inter-Continental. A new tower was added in the last year and it is spectacular.

If you're a SCC member, you will always get upgraded to Exec Floor: free breakfast in the AM, free cocktails and canapés in the PM. They have a Butler Service for the Exec Floors. These guys take very good care of you with reservations, advice and knowledge of where to go to buy great wines for great prices.

The hotel is within walking distance to a lot of restaurants, wine stores and other shops on Avenida Del Bosque and Isidora Goyenechea.

A PLUS: CORPORATE RATES AT THIS IC ARE BETTER THAN MARRIOTT, HYATT AND THE SHERATON

Tips on restaurants:

Personal Favorite: PINPILINPAUSHA on Isidora Goyenechea

LE DUE TORRI on Isidora
GERNIKA on Avenida Del Bosque
PUERTO RENATO on Isidora
ENTRE RIOS is very sophistiticated, for a formal business dinner. It is on Ave. Kennedy on the way to Alto Las Condes.

Don't miss EL MUNDO DEL VINO on Isidora for great Chilean wines at great prices.

Enjoy Santiago.

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Do not sit in the back.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LatAmCommuter:

Don't miss EL MUNDO DEL VINO on Isidora for great Chilean wines at great prices.

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You aren't kidding. I thought I was going to have an unspeakable "event" in that store. It was really hard to limit my purchasing, especially because a wine I had been hunting high and low for was sold there - I have one bottle left at home. (Anakena viognier, reservado).

You can literally spend HOURS at that store!

I love the Rapel Valley Merlots, Cono Sur 20 Barrels, to be exact.

Also Misiones de Rengo has great Carmenères.

This thread is a little old so I'm wondering if the rave for the InterContinental in Santiago still stands? I am at the Ambassador Level in Priority Club rewards, but had planned to stay at the Hyatt, since the guidebooks all seem to indicate that's the better choice? Thoughts?

OP asked, "Can anyone advise on the best situated hotels in Santiago in or near the entertainment, shopping, culture, nightlife areas. Thanks."

When we visted Santiago 2 years ago we stayed in a quaint hostel that was located right next door to an upscale brothel, complete with the blue heavy vinal curtains that cover the entrance to the establishment and virtually hide the automobiles of its patrons. That hostel definately was located "near an entertainment...nightlife area." :)

I haven't stayed at the Intercontinental - but we were extremely pleased with our stay at the Hyatt in November. We are diamond, and were on the executive floor. The rooms are great, very spacious, with a seating area sited so that you look out the window onto a great city/mountain view. The lounge was very professionally run, with superb afternoon appetizers.

The Crowne Plaza is in sort of a seedy area of downtown.....Don't miss EL MUNDO DEL VINO on Isidora for great Chilean wines at great prices.



Is the area of Crowne Plaza really bad? I have booked there :(
Last time I stayed at the San Cristobal Tower, which was great .. but expensive. And I believe that I passed CP when driving from the downtown to the hotel!?!

Is this the wine shop? http://www.elmundodelvino.cl/nuestras_Tiendas/default.asp?id=2

I liked this seafood restaurant > http://www.aquiestacoco.cl/home_ing.htm

Is this the wine shop? http://www.elmundodelvino.cl/nuestras_Tiendas/default.asp?id=2


Sipo!

By the way, I don't think the CP area is seedy. It isn't Las Condes, but then, it isn't Las Condes (which is too far out to go do anything on a multi-times-a-day basis).

...By the way, I don't think the CP area is seedy. It isn't Las Condes, but then, it isn't Las Condes (which is too far out to go do anything on a multi-times-a-day basis).

Thanks! Las Condes is nice ... nice restaurants, hotels, shopping ... but it's not my preferred location. I actually liked San Cristobal Tower and walking to Providencia ... but it is a little expensive. We may stay one or two extra days in the Sheraton (next to it) or at Four Points.

For wine don't forget La Vinoteca, in El Bosque Norte not far from Mundo del Vino. Not as big and splashy as MdV but an excellent selection of upscale wines.

Hotel: nothing beats the Hyatt.

Restaurants: not much to choose from considering Santiago's size. Good food is just not a very Chilean thing. But here are four suggestions: (a) Rivoli, good Italian food just off Ricardo Lyon in Providencia, between Av. Providencia / 11 de Septiembre and the river; (b) Happening, good Argentine steakhouse on Apoquindo in El Bosque Norte; (c) Emilio's, a Peruvian-run restaurant by the river in Vitacura; (d) El Mesón, specializing in Patagonian lamb and southern Chilean seafood, way out of town on the old main street of Lo Barnechea. Best in summer to eat outside.

I would also recommend La Vaca Gorda in Santiago Centro. It's a wonderful steak house with very reasonable prices. I unfortunately do not remember the street address. I would ask the concierge once you get there.