After checking out of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, my sons and I took a cab back to the Galeão International Airport to continue onto the second leg of our South American adventure. We were headed to Santiago Chile, via LATAM Airlines. At check-in, we discovered the carrier doesn’t operate any lounges at that airport but I had a complimentary Priority Pass membership as an American Express Platinum cardholder and we were able to relax before our flight at the GOL Premium Lounge in Terminal 2 (International). It's located past security, after immigration on the second floor, beyond the Duty Free shops opposite Gates B36 and B37. This lounge offered a modern and relaxing environment with comfortable armchairs, sofas, a business center and a full bar and buffet. Shower facilities stocked with toiletry kits were also on hand and earphones were made available for use with the flat-screen TVs. Unfortunately, our flight was delayed over three hours for a mechanical issue. We weren’t too worried as we could see our LATAM aircraft through the lounge windows. When it was finally time to board however, we noticed the gate had changed and our departing flight was now leaving from a different gate clear across the terminal. After racing from one end of the building to the other, we breathlessly boarded the aircraft with just a few minutes to spare.
Our flight that day was on an A320 aircraft. LATAM didn’t offer Business Class on those planes so we booked in Premium Economy, which did come with its own set of “perks.” We were seated in the first three rows of the aircraft, separated from the rest of the plane by a curtain. This section was configured in a 3x3 layout but the middle seats in each row were thankfully blocked for greater space and privacy. A differentiated onboard service from economy was offered. This included complimentary drinks and a nice meal, which we certainly appreciated as we didn’t take off until about 5:40 in the evening after spending over five hours at the airport waiting for our plane to depart! The roughly three-hour flight was relatively smooth and we touched down in Santiago much later than we’d originally planned at 9:20 PM. Chilean Customs and Immigration procedures were quick and efficient and we soon headed out to the taxi stand. Even though cabs are considered safe in Santiago, some are unlicensed, so I was advised to make sure the side door of the taxi featured a company name. We didn't have too long to wait and it took just under a half hour to make the fifteen-mile journey to the Renaissance Santiago Hotel at a cost of some 8,000 Chilean Pesos (about $9.60 US).
The hotel is located in the affluent Vitacura neighborhood. This premier, suburban area is anchored by Bicentenario Park, featuring lush lawns for picnickers and a koi pond with flamingos. It’s also next to the Parque Arauco Mall with high-end boutiques, art galleries, gourmet food shops and upscale restaurants. The boys checked into a standard but stylish twin-bedded room with a nice city view, free Wi-fi, a flat-screen TV and an iPod docking station. I was surprised to get upgraded to one of their Governor Suites located on the twelfth floor. The 689 square-foot suite had floor-to-ceiling windows, along with dining and sitting areas separated from the king-bedded room by privacy walls. This suite also featured access to the Club Lounge, offering continental breakfast, midday snacks and afternoon tea, as well as complimentary evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. This full-service hotel also has a lounge, a rooftop bar with views of the distant Andes Mountains, an outdoor pool, a spa, a gym and event space. It had it all and we were certainly well taken care of at this luxury hotel in the country’s capital city.
The following morning we embarked on a guided city tour with Felipe Bravo, whose services were recommended by the hotel concierge. Felipe proved to be a friendly and knowledgeable guide who had worked in the States as a snowboard instructor at Shawnee Peak Ski Resort in Maine. His knowledge of Chilean history and culture though was evident as we drove through different sections of Santiago. Our first stop was at the very heart of the city, the Plaza de Armas. Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia (who founded Santiago) established this historic square back in 1541, creating a religious and political hub teeming with architectural treasures. Amid the many sights on display in this square, was the Baroque Metropolitan Cathedral set along its western border. We also had a look at the former Governor's Palace, which has been converted into the city's main post office as well as the Historical Museum (Museo Histórico Nacional), which houses fascinating exhibits cataloguing Chile's history from the pre-Conquest period to the Twentieth Century. Meanwhile, the plaza filled with comedians, artists, photographers, performers and street vendors, making this the best spot for us to relax and soak up this city's distinctive culture.
Felipe inquired if we were interested in visiting wineries and, upon hearing our positive responses, drove us out to the Santa Rita Winery. It’s one of the most prestigious and traditional wineries in Chile with a storied history dating back over a century. They’ve claimed the highly regarded “Winery of the Year” Award from the distinguished Wine & Spirits Magazine for ten consecutive years. Santa Rita’s also been awarded four Gold Medals in this year’s Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters Competition. During our visit, we took a group Classic Tour and learned about the winemaking process with a vineyard and cellar tour before enjoying a fine wine tasting of Reserve and Gran Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon wines. The highlight of the day, however, was our delicious luncheon in the beautiful Doña Paula Restaurant. It’s located in the winery’s manor house, a gorgeous sixteen-room building built over two hundred years ago that’s been fully restored and since converted into a hotel with five suites and eleven standard rooms.
We booked another excursion with Felipe on the following day, this time to the charming Pacific coastal city of Valparaíso, some seventy-five miles northwest of the capital. Exploding with color along labyrinths of narrow, hilly and twisting streets, Valparaiso is known as “The Jewel of the Pacific.” It’s easy to see why as many streets are bursting with color and life, thanks to an endless variety of vibrant murals. Valparaiso was founded in 1536 by Spanish conquistador Juan de Saavedra who named the city after his birthplace. We saw a multitude of colonial buildings which have survived wind, rain, fire, and several earthquakes. In fact, in 1906, much of Valparaíso was rebuilt after a devastating earthquake nearly leveled the city. Before the Panama Canal was built in 1914, Valparaíso was also a major port of call for commercial freighters. Nowadays, it mainly caters to vessels that are too big to pass through the canal and any number of cruise ships that traverse the Chilean coast. In a city built on steep terrain, it’s wonderful to have the option of riding up and down the hillsides rather than walking. In 1883, Valparaíso's first funicular (ascensor), the hydraulic Ascensor Concepción, made it unnecessary for locals to climb hundreds of stairs every day. Today, about fifteen of these little vehicles, most using electric power, are in operation. We appreciated hearing Felipe’s historical stories (like that one) and anecdotes while touring the town and headed back to Santiago after luncheon at a hillside café in the Casablanca region.
On our final night in Santiago, we walked across the street to Bicentenario Park in order to dine at Mestizo’s, one of the most famous and popular restaurants in all of Chile! Sporting views over the park, I can recall our enjoying a leisurely dinner as the sun set between the hills in the late South American spring. And the eclectic menu brought together some of the best of Chilean and Peruvian cuisine, including my order of plateada, a slow-cooked cut of beef on a bed of mashed potatoes with basil. Now, I must also mention the building itself. It was designed by Smiljan Radic, the internationally recognized Chilean architect. The open-air atmosphere merged so beautifully with the nearby landscaped gardens and, coupled with the delicious food, made dining at Mestizo’s a wonderfully fitting end to our fun-filed Chilean visit.
We departed Santiago for Buenos Aires on the following afternoon. I’ll tell you all about our visit to the Argentine capital in a future post.
Until next time…safe travels.
Great storytelling, with historical information. I remember my father telling me of Valparaiso where he visited as a merchant seaman - sounds wonderful!
Again, wonderful memories shared with us all!
Thank you George.