You guys will love Easter Island. For what it's worth, I flew to Santiago about 4 years ago on that Miami-Santiago flight that gets in very early in the morning. Crowne Plaza Hotel checked me in to my room right away. Hotel is a bit dated, but location is good, walking distance to some bars and to the subway.
On Easter Island, the Hotel Gomero was perfectly fine. I almost never drive in foreign countries, but I highly recommend renting a car/small SUV on Easter Island. There are only a few roads, virtually no traffic, and the coastal drive to see the Moai is absolutely beautiful.
I rented a Gran Vitara from Insular car rental (just walked in, it's on the main road), did the coastal drive, and the next day I went back and did it again. This map is worth the $5 on amazon, as it shows some lesser known moai:
http://www.amazon.com/Easter-Island-.../dp/1553419278