After we returned from Isla Negra and exploring Viña del Mar on Sunday, we stayed at the hotel. After some relaxing and checking football scores, we went downstairs for pisco sours and a view of the Pacific. Other than the two kids whose parents let them run wild on the terrace facing the ocean, the only annoyance was the smoke from the fires around Viña. The steady breeze kept the smoke from being unbearable, but it was something we could have done without. It did make the sunset more spectacular, though.
The smoke cleared a bit after sunset, giving us a nice view of the lights in Valparaiso.
(Note the left side of the photo.)
The air was almost free of smoke, so we decided sleep with the door to the balcony open. Even though the crazy seagull was stationed outside, squawking any time it sensed real or imagined threats, we wanted to hear the sounds of waves crashing as we went to sleep. It lulled me right to sleep, and every time I awoke I was reluctant to get out of bed.
Around 9:00 a.m., we finally went downstairs to breakfast. The choices were the same as they had been the past couple of days, but the pan au chocolat had been replaced with lemon meringue pie. Hey, we’re on vacation! Before heading back to the room, I asked the concierge if he could contact Viña Veramonte regarding a tour at 12:30 p.m. I had emailed them twice but never received a response. He called and never got an answer. He suggested we tour Casas del Bosque and made reservations for us at 3:00 p.m.
Back in our room, we packed and enjoyed the view one last time. A little before noon, we said our farewells to the psycho gull and went downstairs to check out. We had to straighten out an error in the bill, but that was done smoothly. Everyone had been so welcoming and accommodating at the Sheraton Miramar that it was tough to leave, but it was time to move on.
The drive to Casablanca was easy, and we still had over two hours before our tour. We decided to visit Viña Veramonte, just to see if anyone was there. We exited Ruta 68, and approached the gate. The guard let us in, and we drove to the main building.
We went into the shop and decided to try the Primus, which is a mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Carmenere. We both liked it so much that we bought three bottles to bring back to the US. After looking around, taking pictures, and tasting wine, we were hungry and asked the woman at the shop if she could recommend a place for lunch. She was so enthusiastic in her recommendation for a place called Botha that we looked forward to visiting it. Unfortunately, we missed the exit and could not figure out how to get back, so we ended up eating at a Bariloche Restaurant just off Ruta 68.
We hurried through lunch so that we would make it to Casas del Bosque by 3:00 p.m. We need not have rushed. We had to wait until 3:25 p.m. for the tour to begin, but our guide did an outstanding job. The tour started with a film about the history of wine-making in Chile and the Casablanca Valley, some background on Casas del Bosque, and a description of the process. Our guide then showed us the Pinot Noir vines:
and then explained the wine-making process and showed us where the wines ferment and age. Then we went for a tasting of five wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and a Pinot Noir/Syrah/Carmenere/Merlot blend. We bought a bottle of the Sauvignon Blanc, paid for the tour, and made our way to the car for the drive to SCL.
We made it to the airport at 5:30 p.m. and returned the car, pausing to take a picture:
and lugging our bags to the Alamo counter. The process of turning in the car was just a little easier than renting it. Done with that, we arranged for a taxi to take us to the W.
We are probably not the W’s target market, but we have had some wonderful experiences at W Hotels, especially the one in Istanbul last December. Therefore, we were excited about staying at the one in Santiago. After a surprisingly quick taxi ride to the hotel, we were greeted and helped with our bags. At check in, the agent informed me that we had been upgraded to a Fantastic Suite. It certainly is fantastic! The entrance is through a hallway that passes a ½ bath on its way to the living area. This part of the suite has a comfortable sectional sofa and two bright mustard-color chairs as well as a table, mini-bar, and flat screen TV:
The bedroom has a king bed, another flat screen TV, a desk, a walk-in closet, and it shares space with a double sink, tub, and open shower:
We figured we should explore the neighborhood before getting too comfortable, so we took a walk along Isidora Goyenechea. After a snack, we returned to the room for the evening. Around 9:45 p.m., we received a call that there was an amenity to be delivered to our room if we wanted it. I said, “Send it up,” and it was a couple of trays of fruit (raspberries, kiwi, and pineapple) and a couple of bottles of water. It was a nice way to end the evening.
Our first impressions of Santiago are positive, and we are looking forward to exploring the city over the next two days.