Vik Chile Hotel — Hotel in San Vicente de Tagua Tagua

Stunning architecture and worthy wines. But the hotel has the worst people managing it. For starters I contacted them by email about a month before our stay to see if they could change the day from a sold out weekend to a weekday. Not a refund; just a change in the date. There was plenty of availability on those days. They absolutely ignored my emails and when I called no one would pick up the phone. When they finally did, it was only to say that they are in a remote location and if the internet is down so are the phone lines. And the lady said this with the most arrogant tone one could ever imagine. We spent a couple thousand dollars only to accommodate their stubbornness as our flight got changed and it was practically impossible to get to the property at the original date. Anyways, made it there. Only to be met with more of this absurd, uppity treatment from the ladies at the reception. As noted by others, the food is very limited depending on who serves you or their mood. They would run out of food at the very limited buffet and they would not replenish it. I do not eat meat and noticed that the salmon would run out almost as soon as it hit the display. They were happy to tell me it was all gone only to see other people receiving some from the kitchen. We booked through Expedia and received a confirmation that said that we were entitled to a 20% discount on Spa and food, a room upgrade (we had booked the best most expensive room in the hotel, so not applicable) a late checkout (if available) and early check in (also if available). Again, the receptionist was just saying “no” to all of it and demanding proof of it. All in a snippy and arrogant tone. I guess she thought I didn’t speak Spanish because she was implying to someone over the phone that I was making it all up and that I couldn’t find “proof”. I tried to keep a “poker face” and pretend I didn’t understand her double talk in Spanish. Very rude! Finally when I showed her the written confirmation of the extra perks she told the person on the phone (always in Spanish) “well, she has it in writing but I am not giving her a late check out anyways”. The room was nice although I found some of the decor tacky and not high end (who wants pictures of Devon Aoki plastered on furniture? Or Sofia Loren’s posters? I thought I had booked a room with real art!). And the carbon fiber tub is beautiful but totally uncomfortable and not practical. The gym has a Peloton bike rendered useless as it doesn’t have the SPD but Delta pedals and the seat couldn’t be adjusted either. Last day of our stay we had paid for breakfast and lunch which I didn’t eat as I wanted to leave the hotel early. I asked if I could get a salad to go and one of the nice servers said “of course”. I asked for a boring, not complicated green salad. She said to come around noon. We headed to the restaurant which was still closed. My husband explained I had inquired earlier about the salad and a server came out of the kitchen and informed my husband that the restaurant opened at 1pm and “not earlier”. And that they don’t make food to go. When we checked out we were asked if we were happy with our stay and we kept it short and said that we’ve been to better places but the views from the room were amazing and the wine tour was nice. And they asked if we were going to stay for lunch as we had paid for it and said no, that we were trying to take a salad to go. And they said, “of course. We will make sure you get something for the road”. Well, I was handed a round tiny box with some green leaves and two cherry tomatoes and no dressing. No cover either. They said they don’t do “to go” so they don’t have a way to give me dressing. 😳 And the girl gave me A BILL before giving me the salad saying that I had to pay before. My husband got very mad and told her to keep a $20 bill for tip. And told me “let’s get out of here”. The receptionist apologized but the attitude here is that they do not care. They care about your money and that you buy wine and good bye, amigos! Zero customer service. Awful. Not...

We have a mixed review- we paid for the Pur Vik total experience- my husband and I in one room, a friend in another. The rooms-separate cabins- were enchanting- peaceful 5 stars as was our delightful tour of the vineyard- also 5 star- extremely interesting and professional. Unfortunately, the ambitions of the resort are not met by the staff who are poorly trained. The dining staff was pleasant but disorganized. The chef was charming and gave us a lovely tour of the vegetable garden but unfortunately, his meals were beyond his capacity- for example, meat, while well prepared, was served extremely tough because it was carved on the grain- several of the sauces were tasteless or had foam which we understand is a fad at the moment but served no purpose. The food was overly fussy and would have been better if simpler. More robust portions of vegetables would be nice. The meals were better during the week than the weekend because the kitchen is overwhelmed. We arrived and received our orientation almost immediately which consisted of being thrown multiple options simultaneously and being told to decide there and then. After several hours in the car getting there we would have appreciated a more relaxed and less frenetic entry into multiple choices for our 3 night stay. We were told all about the 2 additional off site restaurants and how great they were. These were were offered at a 50% discount (which seems inhospitable given our meals in the main dining room were included full board). Nonetheless, we agreed to try them only to be told at that point they were not available during our stay. Why talk us into booking? Similarly, our options for horseback riding and other activities were only available during limited times. I had emailed several weeks in advance to inquire whether we needed to reserve wine tour, horses etc in advance and was assured it was not necessary. Other guests were unable to ride horses because there were no times available so would suggest you insist on advance bookings. The spa treatments were mediocre- my friend has a facial during which the technician did not wash her face- I had a hot stone massage which was so so relative to many others. In addition, we were told we needed to book the sauna in advance -which we did- but no one was in the treatment rooms and by the time we phoned and they showed up it was time for our treatments. Similarly it was emphasized during the orientation that you are only allowed 1/2 hour in the jacuzzi per day booked in advance although scarcely anyone was using it during the days we were there. You are allotted one horseback ride per stay- or you have to pay. All this feels extraordinarily stingy and rule bound given the costs of a stay- and these rules are directed at you on arrival. Be sure to read the multi page guest instructions in your room for further details of what you are forbidden to do on the grounds and is written in legalese. We had come from the Awasi Lodge in Torre del Paine about which stay we cannot say enough. We suggest the management of Vik visit this resort to review how the staff of an excellent 5 star resort approaches and treats its guests particularly the...

Conclusion: While this place has a lot of potential, after visiting, I would suggest taking your money elsewhere.

The Good: The transfer from the airport was relatively easy, the surroundings are absolutely gorgeous, and the rooms are spacious. Though the winery is relatively young, the wine has enough complexity to be worth a try.

The Bad: The price and value don't align. They charge a premium by US and European standards with mixed results. For me, there were more misses than hits. It felt strange not to be greeted with at least a glass of wine, considering it's a vineyard. At nearly $600.00 USD per night, a complimentary glass of bubbles or rosé would have been a classy touch. We came with a child and were charged $150.00 per night for linens for a convertible bed. The staff acted like we were at a theme park, constantly pushing extras, which became annoying.

The wine spa was super short, and we were frequently reminded that time was running out, which ruined the mood. The chocolate pairing was conducted in an outside restaurant with temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius. We were surrounded by heaters, none of which were on, so we were cold and couldn't wait for it to be over. The presentation was poor, the chocolates looked cheap, and there was a minimal amount of wine. For the price, we could have bought two bottles of wine and local chocolates ourselves. The wine tasting was the only good experience. Our group was smaller, and we were placed in what was called the "family" or owner's room, which had a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of wines to try. However, I still prefer Mendoza wines overall.

The Ugly: The restaurant offers a nice view and attempts to create masterpieces "a la Michelin" style. While the food was generally good and delicious, it was always served cold. Even a simple microwave could keep the plates hot. As a result, meat, fish, and soups were cold. Breakfast was the only hot meal, but the plates were cold, so halfway through, the food was cold too.

One day, we stopped by during lunch and asked for a glass of wine while heading to the lounge area. The waiter told us he was very busy and walked away, despite the bottles and glasses being right there. This lack of service and terrible attitude ruined the experience, though not all staff were like this.

The smell of chemicals in the water was disastrous. It was impossible to brush teeth, wash your face, or take a shower without being surrounded by the terrible smell.

We visited Vik in May (late fall/early winter), and while the place has multiple gas heaters for outside areas, none of them were working. The outdoor furniture was there, but using it required heavy jackets or blankets, which most travelers don't carry. This was another miss, considering how beautiful the surroundings are.

Tea time was a joke. Sticky buns and lack of tea cups was a trademark. Considering the breakfast was offering much better selection of pastries and sweets, this was really poorly done.

I can continue with more misses. We came to celebrate the birthday and I was making every effort not to go to the management and complain about it. Again, there are better places and I suggest trying those...