Casa Arrayán, Hotel Boutique — Hotel in Las Condes

My husband and I stayed at Casa Arrayan as our entry and exit nights in Santiago, bracketing 2 weeks of backpacking in Patagonia. We flew into Santiago International Airport and hired a taxi to drive us to Casa Arrayan. The proprietors stayed up long into the night to let us up the steep, gated driveway and greet us upon our arrival. They speak not a lick of English, but with our rudimentary Spanish and a cell phone translator app, we were able to get on just fine. ||||The place has only a handful of rooms, which are simply lovely. Clean, spacious, with the most comfortable bed we've ever slept on (we were jokingly trying to figure out how to check the mattress at the airport on our way home). Beautiful pierced louvered wood shutters slide across the doorway leading to your private patio. A large armoire provided more than ample room for our two backpacks and all the sundries. There is mature landscaping in both ornamental and edible plants and fruits. Birds frolicked in the tree tops and sang well into the evening. Our room looked over the valley and the mountain foothills.||||There is a well-maintained and clean pool that the proprietors take obvious pride in, looking directly at the Andes (when the winds allow the Santiago smog to lift). There is a HUUUUGE living room with an entire wall of windows, a fireplace, and a nice selection of comfortable chairs/sofas/settees as well as a well-rounded array of reading materials in different languages. The whole property is perched on the hillside overlooking the foothills of the Andes. ||||Breakfast was included - fresh made daily by the owner's wife, it was comprised of "sloppy" eggs (due to not being commercial washed with chemicals as done in the US, eggs in developing countries are safe to store on the counter and safe from salmonella breaching the membranes separating the shell from the contents, so undercooked eggs are not a concern), homemade bread, homemade jam from fruit grown on the property, the richest butter I've ever eaten, and some sort of meat product that I don't know the name of, as well as Chilean coffee. Note to coffee drinkers - this is not your standard American coffee. This is dark and wicked strong, served in tiny cups, almost more akin to espresso than Folgers. If you want coffee like you get in the States you have to ask for 'cafe Americano'. It was all perfectly delicious.||||They had a nice selection of Chilean wines available (upon request, a la carte pricing), which we enjoyed immensely. We Uber'ed our way down the hill, down the narrow road flanked by hillside (and devoid of a shoulder to walk on) and spent many hours exploring the local neighborhoods. Many eateries and parks are within easy walking distance, and shopping is a quick...

The Santiago Hillside Hotel is situated only a few minutes outside of Santiago, on a country road that features hill with very nice views. The beds are extremely comfortable and the grounds are very well kept.||||Our experience, however, was very poor - and, depending upon the type of travel you have planned, you might want to heed the following warning.||||We arrived at the B&B at 8am on a Sunday morning after a very long flight, and managed to navigate our way to the residence using the GPS in the car. When we arrived, we found the outside gate closed. First we rang the doorbell several times. Then we knocked, called the hotel number, and finally used the car horn. No answer. It wasn't until 9am that we were able to get the owner's attention, and that was only when I was forced to climb the wall and knock on the door.||||The same scenario repeated itself later that afternoon at 4pm. No one answered the door bell. We had to again use the car horn to get attention - I can only imagine what would have happened if we arrived by taxi.||||Finally, on Monday night when we informed the owners we were going out at 10pm, we were told that we needed to be back by 1am. Why? Well because the owners go to sleep then and they do not share the key for the outside gate. As you probably know, nightlife in Chile starts late - with most Chileans eating dinner at 10pm and going out for drinks at midnight.||||Unlike just about every other B&B in which I've stayed, the owners do not provide you with an opener or keys for the grounds, and there is a strict warning to be back by 1am.||||If your plan is to stay on the grounds of the B&B, or perhaps just have light excursions, this is a nice place to stay. If you are like us - younger, interested in experiencing Chile's spectacular nightlife and restaurants (which often open at 10pm), you are going to have significant problems staying here that will adversely affect...

This small cozy hotel is nested against the first slopes of the Andes mountains which are touching the Santiago suburb of Las Condes. Taking the curvy road up to Farelones you find it just a kilometer on the way just on the right side. A steep cobblestone path finds its way to the entrance of the hotel which at the same time gives you the impression of what you will experience. The patio is covered with abundant plants and flowers leading to a spacious hall way where you are welcomed. The wide terrace holds a small blueish swimming pool and overlooks the mountain range of La Barnechea. ||||As we arrived early we had to wait a little but they offered us a good class of wine and some local Chilean food or mariscos - shellfish. With the friendly April sun, the view and the quietness, it perfectly describes the hotel and its atmosphere. The rooms are spacious and reflect a 1980's entourage and fitting.||||The staff is extremely friendly and service oriented but keep them informed about your whereabouts, as the place closes around eleven and you need them to get in. ||Some criticism is justified after the above positive experience, as points of improvement are always a part of my reviews. The present day visitor requires sufficient number of electricity sockets to charge its continuous growing number of wearables, tablets and phones, with only two in the room, the machines need to cue up during the day. As you are way out of the city center a car is strongly recommended. Get one at the airport with Chilean rental, we had a positive experience. ||||So if you favor a quiet place and some view of the mountains of the Santiago, this is a place to choose. The service is attentive and they offer some real local food. Bringing the place up to some 2016 standards was just a...