W Santiago [Master Thread]
 

well I just booked W for the weekend........ I hope its open they accepted my reservation. :)

It is open. I didn't stay there on my most recent trip, and I don't know if I ever will because I just like the San Cristobal Tower too much, and the W rates have been exorbitant. When I need a cheap night, I stay at the Four Points. I also like the location of the latter two better, but the W is in a very nice area.

W Santiago [Master Thread]
 

i didn't find any other trip reports... so i'll start this one... if it happens to be the first, i'm sure a Mod will add "Master Thread" to the Title or merge this with the Santiago Thread...

I also want to caveat; i'm in the Ambassador CEM program, so i'm going to try to point out what experiences were CEM and which were platinum.

Overall I'm still here.. but W Santiago is easily Top 3 W's i've been at... With Seoul and Mexico City as the other two contenders; and that's out of i think 12 or 13 that i've been too. Also...as a new property; i was ready for some "operational breakdowns" or "green staff members"... nothing crazy.. (e.g., W Miami where housekeeping knocked on doors at 8am)... and the staff are all very experienced.

Getting There After the reservation was made, i was contacted by my Ambassador about a car service... there were two options... mid priced sedan and a Mercedes Benz... the MB was $15 more... so i splurged. Total was $60.

Location Seems pretty central for business travelers, hopefully i will get to add one "leisure day"; will edit the post at that point.

Check In Front desk knew who i was b/c of the car service... everyone was super lovely. I arrived at 9AM from an international flight... the upgrade suite wasn't ready, so they let me check into another room for a few hours to take a shower... MAJOR POINTS

In the room was a continental breakfast, hot coffee, OJ -- i think this is CEM related

Living Room and Other Common Areas W Seoul is still may favorite for Living Rooms... but W Santiago is definitely a very close 2nd. So well laid out... lots of space for informal meetings... Macs with internet access... stretches out into the bar area but there is a clear distance so that you don't have to be "in the bar".

Another major plus... i spent a good part of time in the Living Room to do some work; staff was perfectly attentive... not to pushy... but definitely there.

Free INternet access in the Living Room (with a code from the front desk) $18USD in your room for 24 hrs.

Rooms the first room... which i think is a standard platinum upgrade room was extremely well appointed, classic W aesthetic... but clearly newly designed; with a balcony over looking the city (weather is crappy right now so i can't see anything)

The suite... is pretty freaking fantastic. living area has a great table that can be manipulated around the sectional couch. the deck is HUGE; and honestly bigger than a room at the W NYC. One bit of warning... i personally don't care about this but some might.... think of the suite as an "L" with the bed area in the corner... off one side is the living area... in the other direction it goes bed, night stand and then... tub shower, sink... with literally zero partition. you can literally throw your pillow from the bed... at the person in the shower... and there is no wall stopping you. (i can't think of any other way to describe it). The actual toilet is a separate room.

Wherever/Whatever has been great so far... helped me plan a great day of fun touristy things... staff is super knowledgeable

Eating No Sa -- Breakfast was a typical menu... food was very good... and perfectly priced IMO. Light Snacks at the Bar... again, Hamburgers Three Ways was delish... and again; not exorbitantly priced food or drinks... Martinis are around $10 USD.. .Food is normal bar prices (cheaper than usual W prices)

Anyone have specific requests for info... PM me and i will happily append.

Ok checked in got a great suite and i am using the FREE nights.^ Hotel is going to have an AMAZING pool area! not ready and its winter here. the place is not all open yet but wow... SO far the staff have ben amazing. Jut here for two days.

PS the rooms on the 10th floor have 12ft ceilings.. amazing and the deck is MASSIVE.

Thanks for the report - I've got a stay coming up here in November. I agree, Seoul is one of the best W's - Hong Kong is also right up there too. Haven't been to Mexico City yet.

Going to Santiago for 2 nights in January. Can someone comment on the location of the "W" in the city? How convinient is it? What is it close to? I have heard Four Points is in a very central location. Trying to figure out the best option. Please advise.

Thanks.

The W is on Isidora Goyenechea. It is a very nice area. I prefer the location(s) of the Sheraton/San Cristobal Tower and the Four Points. (I have yet to stay at the W). Isidora Goyenechea offers authentic chileno offerings, such as Starbucks, Hooters, Chilis (or similar, maybe a Ruby Tuesday) and other exciting options :rolleyes::rolleyes:. However, there is a really good wine store (Mundo del Vino) ^. You are also closer to the malls, if that matters to you.

No interest in those authentic Chileno offerings or the malls unfortunately :), but I am curious about the hotel. How hard would it be to get around if I were to stay at the W (by subway and/or taxi) -- and how expensive are the taxis in SCL?

While I'm only going by recollection, here. I don't believe the W Santiago is close to any subway line, although I can confirm that taxis are relatively inexpensive. If you want a definitive answer, you may either wish to call the hotel directly or Starwood who will either have the information or call the hotel for you. On the topic of taxis in Santiago, do not agree to pay a flat fare for any trip you may be taking. Rather insist on paying the metered fare. Flat fares will invariably be higher. This is a common trick used by drivers to maximize their fares from tourists.

The subway system in Santiago is great by the way. Although it doesn't encompass a huge number of lines, it covers most areas you want to see and is cheap (less than 90 cents a ticket) well run, clean and safe.

Although the W Santiago has received great reviews for its facilities and service, it does not appear to be strong on location. On the other hand the Four Points Santiago is just that, a Four Points, meaning your staying at a far more downscale category of property (although location-wise it is the best of the 3/4 Starwood properties) .

I personally prefer the Sheraton / San Cristobal Towers for a balance of location and facilities. The walk to the closest subway station (about 10 - 15 minutes) across the river in Provedencia doesn't bother me and I've found the Sheraton's room rates to often be very close to the rates being charged at the Four Points.

I think the W location is better than the Sheraton.... to each there own i guess.

We just checked out after 3 nights at W Santiago, and I have nothing but praise for the hotel and its people.

We arrived a little after 7:00 p.m. on December 28. We took Taxi Oficial from SCL (16,000 pesos to the hotel, 12,800 back with 20% discount). We were met by someone who took our bags up to reception on level 4. Natalia checked us in and acted as though she were generally happy to see us. She acknowledged my platinum status and told us that we had been upgraded to a Fantastic Suite. Then Humberto helped us with our bags to room 604 and showed us all of the features, including the living room

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/IMG_7589.jpg

and the bedroom which opened to the bath

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/IMG_7592.jpg

Having the shower and tub in the bedroom seemed weird at first, but it was a nice arrangement. (The toilet was in a separate room.) There was also a 1/2 bath between the entry door and living room. Also, the bedroom and living room each had a 42" flat screen TV.

Our suite did not have a patio or balcony. Also, our view was obstructed a little by the balcony on the floor above.

The living room was bright and cheerful

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/a...r/IMG_7679.jpg

and Manuela at the Whatever, Whenever desk is a gem! She helped us book a taxi back to SCL yesterday. The call from Nicolas last night, checking to make sure that everything had met our expectations during the stay, was a very nice touch.

There's more about the surrounding area in my trip report.

In conclusion, we found many things that we loved about Santiago, and the W is one of them!

(Edited to second IQQ's comments about the excellent array of restaurants in the area!)

W Location definitely superior to Sheraton. No contest.
 

W location is superior.

1) Subway system (El Golf station) is only 2 blocks away.

2) W has probably more than 20 places to eat within 3 blocks. While true that a FEW of these are US chains (Friday's, Starbucks etc) the majority are chilean places. These range from the very affordable Tiramisu, Domino (Chile's best sandwich place), or Tip Tap, to very old and traditional Santiago downtown restaurants that have moved to this area (Cafe Torres, Pinpilinpausha, Due Torri, Da Carla).

Any extras besides the upgrade offered to Plats? I guess W doesnt ever leave a welcome gift in the room as other properties do sometimes...at least, Ive never gotten one at the MSY, SAN, ICN hotels.

How come there is no C&P availability for the W? Was trying to decide between the W and the San Cristobal, but I think it'll have to be the San Cristobal. Love the C&P value at Cat 4s.

Just finished a stay here, and while I don't like the W concept (it always feels to me like the style is covering from a lack of substance), the people who work here are great. The front desk staff were able to correct a problem with my bill by exercising a bit of discretion, and while the concierge desk was pretty bad (not answering the phone most of the time, and telling several guests including me the wrong time to be waiting for a tour) oddly enough the great porters more than made up for it, arranging things that normally the concierge would handle (except they weren't there)
The breakfast was quite good, and priced acceptably. The wifi service was slow, but usable. The gym is great. The location is also pretty good, and only 2 blocks from the excellent subway.

Overrated Even For A W--Platinums Treated Poorly
 

Just checked in, I am writing this from the lobby. I am paying for two rooms at $300+ USD/night for three nights (my family is traveling with me). Called SPG Platinum Concierge after landing at SCL. Was told there are suites available. Check in, no suite. My "upgrade" is a balcony. They won't even give me their nicest room that isn't a suite. Absolutely no appreciation for a Platinum member. I am most likely going to switch over to the InterContinental unless they recifty this. I booked these rooms in August, it's not full right now, and they think I will just rollover and let them be cheap. The only reason I am paying a premium is to be treated well, it's also why I frequent SPG hotels and have earned platinum status. I have literally stayed at SPG Properties in 45+ countries in the past two years, and this is the worst upgrade I have ever received. Absolutely bad value for the money they want you to pay to stay here. Front desk is indifferent. Management is nowhere to be found. Well at least I found the one SPG hotel with worse service than the Hotel National in Moscow!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Update: Only after I threatened to check out and head to the Intercontinental, with my luggage out of my room and in the lobby, did they miraculously have a suite available and poof! I was upgraded.

The situation now seems to be reversed. C&P at the W but not at the San Cristobal. Any more opinions on location of this vs. the San Cristobal's?

After a recent 2-weeks stay at the W Santiago, I realize I've never had such a frustrating experience with a Starwood hotel. The whenever/wherever desk is inept-- simple queries like a late checkout ended up requiring six calls back and forth. The issue was as trivial as trying to make the W honor a 4 PM late checkout for a SPG Gold member. The W/W also refused to place a room service order with the hotel restaurant, citing "sanitary concerns". Sanitary concerns over a bowl of chicken curry.

Add to this waiting 10+ minutes for check-in/out, room key that couldn't keep its activation, small room service menu with bad cooking, and this hotel is just not a compelling alternative to the Hyatt or Ritz there.

Aside from these and other instances of badly managed service, the building and rooms are well-designed---however a lot of the stylistic bits are showing wear after just a year being open, throwing into question how much longer it'll retain its beauty.

Here now, upgraded to cool corner before arrival. Problem is the 30 degree (Celsius) temp in room. Guy came, muttered in Spanish about how hot it is, so I called to ask for new room. That was 20 minutes ago. Stay tuned...

Please keep us informed.I stayed here earlier this year and whilst my stay was fine...you will have a number of "Lost in Translation" issues.
Ask for eggs over easy on toast and you get two upside down fried eggs on one plate and toast on another:D:D

Spectacular, so technically a downgrade from Cool Corner. And despite Marvelous suites for sale. Grrrrr....

Also, hotel would likely sell more beer if they remember a bottle opener in the room.

W santiago
 

Will be flying out with the family tomorrow and will provide an update. Not looking that optimistic based on the latest reviews.. oh well.

Weather Is gorgeous and hotel design is quite nice. Safe travels - Jamie

Recent Stay over Christmas
 

Just completed a stay over the Christmas holiday. Booked the W using C+P. Checked in and was upgraded to a marvelous suite. The photos in earlier posts accurately reflect the room.

The suite had a large balcony which overlooked the park across the street. It was quite nice to enjoy a drink on the balcony as the end of the day.

Our family quite enjoyed the stay at the hotel. There were, as others have reported, a few "lost in translation" issues, but I found the staff to be friendly and quite helpful.

I quite enjoyed the area, and it was very convenient when travelling with a 5 year old child.

Most of the restaurants shut down over christmas eve and on Christmas, so we did have a few meals at the hotel, and we found the food to be very good, and surprisingly, reasonably priced. The pool area at the top of the W hotel was also quite nice.

If I can, I will try to post photos of some of the areas of the hotel that have not been posted before.

I stayed at the W for a few days spanning NYE and then again after a few days hiatus spent in Vina del Mar. The Cash and Points deal (4k points + $60USD) is a killer deal IMO. I was very satisfied with the rooms, food and service. The pool on the roof is nice for sunbathing and the food served up there was pretty good. The hotel operates a Mercedes Benz car service which is convenient and reasonably priced. I also attended the NYE party up on the roof of the hotel, which was a bit overpriced and the food disappointing (my buddy and I both got sick from the sushi!). The area surrounding the hotel is very modern and clean and has many US chain restaurants (Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday, Starbucks all within one block).

Just got done with a multi-night stay and agree with those who like the property and find C&P there to be a good deal. In fact it's near the top of the 8 or so W's I've stayed at

I thought the location was very good, and used the nearby subway station several times as well as restaurants, bars/cafes and shopping in the neighborhood. I thought the pool and roof bar were nice, even if the service at both was spotty. Had a few minor issues with the room, which were eventually resolved. The concierges were very helpful with several asks I made of them.

And it's WAAAY nicer than the Sheraton SCL, fwiw

Observations from a recent stay:
booked spectacular since as SPG Gold had no expectation of receiving anything beyond what I booked; received balcony room on the 10th floor. street noise (was on side facing Isidora) was an issue but balcony spacious. overcast outside made room positively gloomy inside- one pot light over the desk does not a productive work space make. housekeeping is hit or miss- no face cloths one day; no towels the next. breakfast buffet is worth the price- a great start to long days in Chile. my main peeve- smokers everywhere- outside air blows into the lounge, polluting the air everywhere in the hotel. conclusion- even with the minor inconveniences, would stay again.

this hotel used to have a lot of cash and pts availability. now it has none for any dates in nov dec jan feb mar apr or may...

any idea whats going on...glitch?

Trying to decide whether to book the W on points or the San Cristobal. They are both 10k *wood points while the W is more than $100 more expensive!

Starwood Gold, family w/ 2 kids 14 and 9. The pool looks amazing here I must admit!

How is the location and proximity to the airport vs. the San Cristobal?

Should I bother looking into the Four Points and Sheraton

I stayed at the 4points one night, visited the W for drinks (stayed at the Ritz my other nights). The W is in another league compared to the 4Points. If you're even considering the W, don't even bother looking at the 4points.

Decided to burn 20k on the W for two nights. Suite upgrades were not available online. I think I need to call in to find out? Wonder how many points and if it's a good value to blow more points for a suite upgrade (which look fantastic!).

Any recent stays here? Will be going down there in September for 5 nights. Heard good things from someone else who stayed there but wanted to get some more opinions. Any idea how well they treat Golds for upgrades? I don't expect a suite but a room with a balcony would be nice.

I stayed here two months ago as a Platinum guest.

-Suite upgrade
-breakfast as my Plat amenity
-free internet
-4pm late checkout granted

I wrote a full review with a video & pictures on my blog: http://first2board.com/pointssummary...-hotel-review/

Security of rooms with patios
 

I'm currently staying here in a "Spectacular room" with a private patio. The trouble is, the patio isn't that private. There's another outside area beyond the patio that is accessible to other guests and the only barrier is a short planter. I just had someone climb over the planter, walk up the sliding glass doors, look inside (he couldn't see me from where I was) and then forcefully opened the door from the outside - there's no handle on the outside so it took some effort. He tried to enter the room by I shouted as he opened the door. He tried to say he'd made a mistake and he ran off. From the outside it's clearly a guest room - he could have seen the desk, personal objects and bags, so I think his only mistake was being caught in the act. I called hotel security, they took a while to arrive and looked around, but of course he'd disappeared by that point. They took a description, but I doubt anything will happen.

If you're staying in one of these rooms, make sure the doors are locked securely. The locking mechanism is quite poor and the door can seem locked when it isn't. The hotel has add an additional locking mechanism on the doors which is also tricky to engage. Once you think you've locked the doors, be quite forceful in trying to open them to ensure they are locked securely.

Any recent reviews on this property? I'd like to use points at either the:

• San Cristobal Tower, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Santiago = $217 or 12k Starpoints - 84% on TripAdvisor
• W Santiago = $378 or 12k Starpoints - 77% on TripAdvisor

It is my understanding that the W Santiago is in a better location but has worse marks on TripAdvisor? Any first hand insight? My 3rd option would be the Grand Hyatt Santiago.

I suggest the W. It's in a newer less Chilean part of Santiago but it's very comfortable and SPG recognition is very good. There is even a heli pad if you want to take a tour of the mountains (24 hour notice is required :)

After a bit of deliberation between the San Cristobal Tower Luxury Collection, Grand Hyatt Santiago and W Santagio, my wife and I were very pleased to have chosen the W on a recent visit to Santiago.

I booked the a Wonderful Room (441 sq ft) using Cash + Points for 6,000 Starpoints + $110 about 1 month before check in and applied 2 Suite Night Award requests. Exactly 5 days prior to check-in I received an email that my SNA request had cleared and that we had been upgraded to a Marvelous Suite (1,076 sq ft).

I hope that some find the below review helpful in choosing where to stay in Santiago. Full post with proper formatting and full photo gallery can be found here: Weekend Blitz - W Santiago Hotel Review – Santiago, Chile.

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Once we arrived in Santiago, we took a cab from the airport straight to our hotel — the W Santiago in the Las Condes area. Like all W hotels, the best word to describe the hotel was “glamorous.” Like, it seems like Kim K is going to be staying in the suite next door to yours. All W’s, although decorated differently with their own motif, all share the same party atmosphere and glam decor. The W even has a signature scent… to go along with their signature house music. When you’re at the W, you know you’re not going to sleep before 4am.


CHECK-IN

We arrived at the hotel after one 10-hour, nearly sleepless flight (Delta Flight 147 – Atlanta-ATL to Santiago-SCL – B767-300ER) and one van ride from the airport– looking pretty rough around 10am, I’m sure. Thankfully, the front desk agent confirmed that our room was, in fact, ready for us immediately, giving us a chance to take some much needed showers.


THE ROOM

Jeffrey booked the room with Cash + Points for 6,000 Starpoints + $110 per night and, on top of that, applied two SPG Platinum Suite Night Awards to the reservation. The SNAs cleared exactly 5 days out and we received a confirmation that we had been booked into a Marvelous Suite.


The room was, well, Marvelous. It was extremely “W-esque,” with tall ceilings, very modern decor and the signature W soundtrack. The Marvelous Suite had a nice, big balcony with a table and chairs and a breathtaking view of the Andes Mountains (who knew they were so close to the city?!). Truly, the view of the city and the majestic mountains just a stone’s throw away is the best part of this hotel (and city, for that matter).


THE BATHROOM

The bathroom — for all of the strides toward modernity, was completely open to the bedroom. Fortunately, the toilet (but not the shower or bathtub) had a separating door, but it would still make for quite an awkward experience if traveling with a friend or family member.

The bathroom off of the living room — in case we have guests…

After checking out our freakin’ awesome room (and taking a small nap), we checked out the rest of the hotel. One of the staff members made sure to tell us about the nightclub that the W houses: Whiskey Blue. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Whiskey Blue for ourselves, since he told us that it doesn’t really get crowded until 4am… what?!


THE LOBBY


NOSA RESTAURANT

We did get plenty of chances to experience the restaurant and lobby bar. Being an SPG Platinum Member, Jeffrey always chooses the free breakfast option when traveling with me. We’re never big breakfast eaters, but make it a point to eat late in the morning and essentially turn it into a significant head start on lunch. Breakfast for SPG Platinums at the W Santiago gets you the breakfast buffet at NoSa, the in-house restaurant. Typically, the breakfast amenity will only get you a continental breakfast at most properties, but there’s only one choice at NoSa: the sprawling buffet. I’m not quite sure how much it normally costs for breakfast, but they had a sign advertising a Sunday afternoon brunch for 23,000 CP (~$41 USD each) and the offerings sounded identical to the morning breakfast.


The buffet selections were varied and fresh — exactly what you’d wish for — with a chef to specially make omlettes with your choice of toppings. And, best of all, we were there over the weekend and had access to their self-serve, bottomless mimosa and Bloody Mary bar. Not bad at all for a free breakfast at the W.

BOTTOM LINE: There’s never a bad stay at any W Hotel, but this W Santiago is especially glamorous– boasting A+ views of the Andes Mountains and free, bottomless Bloodys for breakfast on the weekends. What more could a traveler looking for a little glamor want?
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Full post with proper formatting and full photo gallery can be found here: Weekend Blitz - W Santiago Hotel Review – Santiago, Chile

:td:
 

Stayed there earlier this week and what really ticked me off was that during a check-in as my amenity I was offered either free in-room internet or points.

When I pointed out that the internet is free anyway (SPG booking obviously) instead of some sort of apology I heard "so I guess points it is".

Well, this sort of attitude and bad first impression is what puts me off for good.

This is your average W. Rooms show too much wear and tear for property this new. Location is very good, breakfast just OK - definitely nothing near what you'd get at W Hong Kong for example.

We have stayed at the San Cristobal Tower three times now, and two times at the W. We prefer the W by far, as one can walk to restaurants and other nearby attractions. When one leaves the San Cristobal, one needs a cab from its remote location.
Some have commented that the W is "worn" or an "average W". In our experience, we did not find it worn. We were treated to 2 rooms on our last stay, as after the second night we were moved to a large suite across the hall that did not have the city view that the room we had the first night. We agree that the breakfast is not as good as what we recently experienced at the Hong Kong W, but it still was superior. We could not been treated better as a Life Platinum. Our special thanks to the front desk staff, some who just came over to the W from the Sheraton and the San Cristobal for their caring hospitality.
We were looking forward to the Japanese Restaurant, but the hotel had to cancel us on two consecutive nights as the air handling system broke and required a couple of weeks to repair.