Our stay up in the Andes was incredible and much of it was thanks to the perfect stay at La…read moreCornisa. To get to the hotel, you have to travel about an hour outside of Santiago up to Farellones, a small village and ski resort that sits about 40 km from the city. If you're specifically going to Chile to enjoy the mountains for skiing or snowboarding, I recommending staying up here vs. trekking up from Santiago every day. We arrived at midnight and paid around $110 USD for a transfer (coordinated by the hotel) and showed up at the hotel about and hour and a half later. Claudio, our driver, was really excellent and stopped at an ATM for us to grab cash and later passed us by a 24 hour McDonald's for some much needed fries. Once morning broke, the beauty of area is something breath-taking. The hotel sits on the side of the mountain so the views are of snow-covered mountains. The sunsets we laid witness to (from the dining area or the outdoor jacuzzi) were rich and deep with a variety of orange hues. It's like nothing I'd ever seen before. While expensive, La Cornisa is definitely among the top tier in the Farellones area - I don't know that you'll find a more chicly rustic option. On the plus side, we never felt like the money spent wasn't worth it. The staff was really great in making us feel at home and the breakfast and dinner was included in the nightly fee. What's more, it's easy to make friends and we quickly hit it off with 2 other pairs staying at the hotel - every day after coming back around 5pm from the mountain, we'd enjoy happy hour (small platter and free wine) from the outdoor jacuzzi until dinner hit at 7pm. Then, we'd order bottle after bottle of Chilean wine. For those looking to venture out, there's a small area with bars and restaurants. We'd end up completely spent after a day on the mountain followed by nights with our new friends, so we never felt the need to leave the hotel once we arrived. Nevertheless, it's there for those wanting to stay out late. The only downside was the $80 USD we had to pay for transport to Valle Nevado (they offer complimentary rides to La Parva and El Cororado). I'd quickly stay here again.

Thank you Ikon pass for leading us here! The road up to the resort was an incredibly winding road…read morefor almost an hour. Hiring a driver familiar with this drive is a must. Once arriving, the small resort area with wide terrain (no trees), was very enjoyable. During our few days stay, the highest we could get on the mountain was via Andes Express. This was around half way to the top looking at the map. The runs were well maintained and the mountain was easy to navigate. This resort is a great way to enjoy the Andes Mountains. Mastercard gets 25% discount on rentals, food, etc so come with this card. We dined at a couple restaurants and although didn't think the buffet was all that good, the restaurant with a more chill vibe, almost sports bar like had wonderful food and service. Not the best snow coverage to start our stay, but decent conditions. Ended with almost being snowed in.

Will never step foot at Valle Nevado and will warn everyone I know not to. Started out with waiting…read moreover an hour just to try to rent ski equipment. Line was moving extremely slow due to an issue with their computer system. Since it was moving so slow, I told my wife to stay in line and I would go to purchase lift tickets. Purchased two, all day adult tickets. By the time we finally got in to get rental equipment, it was after 11am, arrived at 9:30am. They were out of ski boots in our sizes. I requested a refund of our lift tickets because we could not ski due to their lack of equipment. I was told no refunds on lift tickets. I was told I could use the tickets at a later date. I only had one day that I could ski. I reiterated that I couldn't not ski due to the fact that they ran out of equipment. I also would not have purchased the lift tickets before getting my equipment but only did so because of their system failure and I was trying to salvage as much of what was left of the day.... again because of THEIR problems. No, no refund. So, buyer beware. Not only did we lose approximately $175 usd on the lift ticket, we paid for a round trip shuttle from Santiago at approximately $80usd as well as a wasted day and a wasted trip as this was our main reason for coming to Santiago.

Stopped by Luna bar which is located in the top of the hotel for sunset overlooking Santiago and it…read moredidn't let me down! The views were so incredible! Note: you need a reservation in advance as this is a popular place. They also have food options but they are small and expensive. It's worth noting friends enjoyed the food though. The drinks were beautiful and affordable in comparison to U.S. prices. It was 8$ for a mojito at a rooftop bar which is a bargain! They also have mocktail options I tried one of them which was less than 6$ and I enjoyed it. I'd definitely recommend this for a special night out!

I stayed at the AC Hotel by Marriott in Costanera Center for two nights and had an absolutely…read moreamazing experience! I decided a pros and cons list was the best way to sum up my stay: PROs: - I visited in the fall and the USD seems to go a bit further in Chile than expected. That said, my room was a great deal! It was on the 19th floor and had amazing views of the city and the Andes in two separate directions. It also had a massive bathroom and in room tub. - I ordered room service one night when I decided it was too late to venture into the city and find a meal. Once again, very reasonably priced room service and a delicious selection. - The staff was very friendly. Almost everyone spoke English fluently but was more than willing to indulge my attempts at Spanish. CONs: - Unless you are big shopper (this hotel is literally in Costanera Center mall), you are pretty far from some of the main sights in Santiago. However, the metro is nearby and very easy to use. The surrounding area is also safe and easily navigable. - One thing that bugged me was how dirty the windows are. It was a small gripe and certainly cold whether for window cleaning but it would have been nice if they weren't so foggy. All in all, I would recommend a stay here. It was an American style hotel in the heart of a non-touristy part of Santiago. They also have plentiful amenities - rooftop bar, fitness center, parking, etc. Thanks for a great stay!

I never had a view like this for lunch. Simply stunning…read more Portillo sits right in front of Inca Lagoon and before walking down to the lake, we had lunch here. It was around 12pm and it didn't get busy until later. The staff were all professional and the place had the upscale feeling too. I had a chicken breast plate. It was good, but not mind blowing. Prices are definitely higher than the city, but considering the location I understand. Service was slightly slow. The gift shop was fun, it had a lot of things- tshirts, jackets, postcard, winter gear etc.

Is this the highest lunch stop in Chile? I think it probably is…read more The hotel has a bit of a 'The Shining' vibe about it, but I'm sure that it's a very cosy haven during the winter skiing season. We only stopped in for lunch, and we were so hungry that I forgot to take a picture of the yummy grilled salmon with shrimps and gnocchi that we both had. There was an interesting and very yellow sauce on the salmon that looked suspiciously cheesy to me, but it didn't taste like it. Not great for veggie choices, but there was a quinoa burger on the menu so not a total write-off. Great view of the Inca Lagoon from the dining room too. That's some legend about the name involving an Incan princess, but I'll leave you to look that up yourself.