Planning a Trip to the Ritz-Carlton, Santiago

Indoor pool with lounge seating and glass ceiling looking out to the city

Planning Your Trip

Culture and history abound in Santiago. The surrounding Andes Mountains offer endless opportunities for outdoor adventures, and the nearby wine regions are a must-visit for any oenophile — there is something for every type of traveler in Santiago. Here are a few tips for how to pack for every kind of visit.

What to Pack

The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago

While many people come to Santiago for outdoor adventures and pack hiking gear primarily for those excursions, it is wise to bring one or two more refined outfits for exploring the city.

Outdoor Adventures

Surrounded by the Andes, Santiago is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Just a short trip from the resort just about any sort of adventure awaits, from skiing and trekking to surfing and beachcombing. Be sure to pack appropriately for your excursions.

Bring a lightweight bag or backpack to tote your sunscreen, water and snacks. It is also recommended to bring a cellphone with international service in case of emergency.
Temperatures and weather can change quickly, particularly at higher elevations, so pack multiple, lightweight layers that can easily be carried along on a trek.
Surfers would be wise to bring their boards. Santiago is two hours away from several beaches with world-class waves.

Business Travel

Though it has a deep history and stunning historic monuments seemingly at every turn, Santiago is a thoroughly modern city where any global business traveler will feel right at home.

The professional dress code in Santiago is rather formal. For men, a navy-blue suit and tie is the norm rather than slacks and a shirt.
For women, a modest business suit, with a skirt or pants, is the most common mode of dress.
Be sure to bring business cards to meetings. Chileans generally begin business meetings with a handshake and then the exchange of cards.

Golf Getaway

Santiago has several golf courses, and The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago is well situated for guests looking to enjoy a game while on vacation or to hit the links for a business meeting. Don’t forget the essentials.

Classic golf attire — a golf shirt and shorts or slacks depending on the season — is the standard.
Temperatures can be high during summer days but can quickly dip into the 50s once the sun begins to set. Bring a lightweight jacket to ward off any chill.
Bring sunscreen, especially during summer.

What To Reserve

The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago

There are ample activities to keep a visitor — be it for business or pleasure — happily occupied in Santiago. From exquisite dining and spa appointments at the resort to rigorous outdoor adventures, there’s something for everyone and every type of traveler. Here’s what to consider booking before your visit.

Afternoon Tea

The perfect way to pause and unwind is by taking a moment to savor the tea time served in the Lobby Lounge from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Enjoy a pot of tea in the sumptuous lounge while a pianist plays classic tunes on a stunningly restored Pleyel piano. Guests can either enjoy an a la carte tea with French pastries or Chilean recipes, or indulge in the full buffet, offered every Sunday, which includes a spectacular chocolate cascade.

Dining Reservations

For a truly memorable dining experience, arrange for a table at Estró, a relaxed fine-dining restaurant with a focus on fresh, local ingredients. The reliance on artisanal producers, organic products and responsibly sourced seafood culminates in exquisite dishes like abalone salad from Valdivia with avocado, yuzu and green chili mayonnaise, or organic duck confit salad with orange, arugula and cranberry vinaigrette, and various fresh ceviches, each artfully plated.

Spa Appointments

Enter the hotel’s spa and feel the hustle and bustle of the city melt away. On the roof of the property and encased in a glass cupola, the spa affords uninterrupted views of the cityscape and surrounding Andes. Arrange for an hour, or an afternoon, of relaxing and rejuvenation at the spa with treatments like traditional reflexology, a revitalizing and hydrating chocolate wrap, or a gentle lymphatic massage to stimulate the body’s metabolism and immune system.

Outdoor Excursions

There is much to do just beyond the property. Make arrangements to explore the surrounding area. Visit vineyards along the “wine route” such as Concha y Toro and Undurraga; tour the Andes Mountains to hike surrounded by peaks of more than 9,000 feet; explore Valparaiso, one of South America’s most charming and historic areas known for its colorful hillside towns; ski at one of three amazing locations: El Colorado, Portillo or Valle Nevado; or explore the Cajón del Maipo — a glacial valley with opportunities for rafting, hiking, horseback riding and more.

Itineraries

The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago

Nestled at the base of the snow-capped Andes mountains, Chile’s capital Santiago is a modern, sophisticated destination that offers something for all kinds of travelers. The art scene thrives with contrasts — find everything from pre-Columbian sculptures to radical contemporary works. Experience traditional Chilean cuisine and modern takes on regional classics made by thoughtful, inventive chefs. And take advantage of the spoils of the region, which are a short detour from The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago: incredible skiing, breathtaking beaches and award-winning vineyards.

Itinerary

Cultural Treasures

Wander through Santiago and you’ll find old Spanish colonial palaces side by side with modern skyscrapers. It’s a city filled with a wealth of history and tradition, as well as 21st-century advancements. No visit is complete without immersing yourself in the booming art scene. Sample Chilean cuisine made from the region’s exceptional produce and spend afternoons browsing the shops of local artisans who craft excellent souvenirs.

Octopus, greens, tomatoes and fish drizzled in olive oil atop slices of purple potato

Day 1

Morning

The big picture. Take a ride on the old funicular train, which glides up 2,500 feet into the sky to the highest point in the city, st. Christopher’s hill. From there, you’re rewarded with sweeping views of Santiago and the beautiful sanctuary of the virgin of immaculate conception, a national icon in Chile.

Midday

Fill up on a Chilean staple. A favorite lunchtime sandwich among locals, el lomito consists of a generous pile of marinated pork that’s been shaved and placed between slices of bread with avocado. The best el lomito in the city is arguably served at the counters of the old Fuente Alemana café.

Afternoon

Explore the arts center of Parque Forest. This urban park contains some of the most eclectic art in Santiago and is also a hangout for artists in the city. Begin at the museum of contemporary art, which is housed next to a beaux-arts-style complex that is a stunning architectural feat. Nearby, you’ll find mavi (museum of visual arts), a hub for diverse expressions of visual art.

Evening

Experience some of Chile’s best farm-to-table dining. Estro at the Ritz-Carlton, Santiago partners with local artisans, anglers and organic producers to source top-notch seasonal ingredients. The menu is a gesture of appreciation to Chilean cuisine: risotto with regional chilies, pan-fried, sustainable fish, and a daily tiradito, a spicy Chilean tradition similar to Japanese Crudo.

Sip Chile’s variation of the pisco sour. While chile’s neighbors in Peru lend tang to their pisco sours with lime, Chilean bars, such as the lively, frozen-in-time Liguria, mix the grape brandy-based cocktail with a generous amount of puckery, freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Day 2

Morning

Experience rare Latin American art. The museum of pre-Columbian art has gathered a collection of art from the peoples of South America: sculptures from Mesoamerica, geometric pottery from the southern Andes, and wood carvings from the taíno.

Wander the plaza de armes. A historic landmark and main square in Santiago, the Plaza de Armas is named for the weapons that once were stored here in the 1500s by Pedro de Valdivia to protect the settlers. Today, it’s home to music pavilions and green areas for lounging.

Midday

Have Chilean comfort food in a home. Located in a former residence, ambrosía highlights unusual ingredients from the waters around chile. Local shellfish are smoked, conger eel is prepared in an orange carrot minestrone, and exceptional local sea urchin is baked into savory tarts.

Afternoon

Soothe your nerves. You don’t have to drink wine to experience its benefits. For the 60-minute wine grape wrap treatment at the Ritz-Carlton spa, Santiago, a mixture of french clay and crushed grape seeds is applied to the bond to pull out toxins and lend your skin extra vitamins C and E.

Evening

Enjoy a night at Santiago's most prestigious theater. A neoclassical masterpiece, Santiago's Opera House is worth a visit just for the building. But check out what performances are running while you’re in town. In addition to operas, the venue is a performance space for the Santiago ballet and Santiago Philharmonic.

Day 3

Morning

Visit a famous poet’s hideaway. Nobel prize-winning poet and Chilean icon Pablo Neruda once lived in the quirky residence of La Chascona with a secret lover. The home is now open for tours and offers intimate insights into his personal obsessions and enigmatic life.

Midday

Visit a bustling local market. While it looks like an elegant old train station from Spain, Mercado Central de Santiago is ground zero for the city’s freshest seafood. Watch fishmongers handle enormous mollusks and visit the vendors for dishes like classic Chilean fish stews and steamed crab legs.

Afternoon

Wander the vibrant barrio Italia neighborhood. The Italian quarter has been home to artsy residents since the 1800s when local artisans moved in. Have a coffee in one of the eclectic cafés. Then browse handmade boots at Blasko, hand-woven blankets at Emporio de Domingo, and antique furniture at a number of vintage stores.

Evening

Experience the future of Chilean food at Boragó. Santiago is not only home to restaurants that celebrate chile’s traditional cuisine. At boragó, a team of imaginative chefs transforms local seaweed into umami-rich broths and turns underrated, often discarded cuts of meat into works of art. Trust whatever pairing the outstanding sommelier recommends.

Sip some of the country’s best wines. In a cozy, café like setting, bocanáriz serves an adventurous list of charismatic wines from throughout chile. For those who want to sample a bit of everything, they offer 10 different flights of three wines, themed around things like biodynamic farming and region.

Itinerary

Day Trips

Santiago is just about the best jumping-off place to South American adventures that you could ask for. The city sits at the foot of the Andes Mountains, which offers an impressive backdrop. A short drive away and you’re transported to magnificent skiing, world-class vineyards that sommeliers around the world admire, and plenty of opportunities to engage with the natural beauty of Chile. The concierge at The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago can assist you in arranging a tour and guided activities.

A cocktail in a martini glass topped with two olives on a toothpick

Day 1

Morning

Drive to the coastal city of valparaíso. An hour-and-a-half drive from Santiago, the city is renowned for its kaleidoscopic architecture, stunning coastline and free-spirited residents. Valparaíso has also been recognized as a Unesco world heritage site.

Midday

Browse a public art museum. Museo a Cielo Abierto, as it is known, is actually a row of about 40 enormous, color-drenched murals painted on the sides of buildings. Street art is the collaboration of a group of locals who wanted to revitalize the neighborhood of san Miguel.

See Valparaíso from the seat of the Ascensores. Also called the elevators, these brightly painted funicular cars used to be the primary way of quickly connecting locals from one neighborhood to another in a city that is known for its winding streets and steep inclines. Only eight cars are still active today and offer the best view of valparaíso there is.

Afternoon

Wander the elevated neighborhood of Alegre. Once you’ve ridden the elevators, you’ll land in a cobblestoned corner of town Alegre, which has family-run bakeries, colorful art galleries, and bohemian boutiques.

Evening

Dine on local meats with a view. The couple who run la Concepcion do their best to use Chilean products whenever possible, including Chilean ostrich, which is crusted in walnuts. From their patio perched on a hill, you can watch cargo ships roll by while you enjoy your meal.

Day 2

Morning

Drive to an outdoor wonderland. In less than two hours of driving through rich green fields and mountainous walls, you can be at Cajón del Maipo, a beautiful Andean canyon in central chile that boasts many seasonal adventures and a celebrated vineyard.

Midday

Hike along pristine waters. While Embalse del Yeso is a man-made, freshwater reservoir, created to curb the Yeso river, it’s still a stunning natural beauty. The glassy waters are bright turquoise and ideal for activities like windsurfing or fishing for rainbow trout. Bring a picnic or stop at one of the vendors along the way for empanadas.

Bathe in a thermal pool. Located in a tiny village at the confluence of the volcán and morales rivers, baños morales has steamy geothermal baths that are open year-round. Soak in the mineral-rich waters while staring at a backdrop of snowy mountains and trees.

Afternoon

Take a break for a glass (or two) of wine. Founded in 1883, concha y toro is one of the most established and important vineyards in chile. The vineyard runs two tours a day through its vines. Afterward, sample full-bodied cabernets with tons of character and elegant, creamy chardonnays.

Evening

Dine at the foot of the mountains. The perfect end to a day in the Andes, la vaquita echá serves traditional Chilean food in the fresh mountain air. Enjoy simply prepared beef tenderloin, grilled salmon or pastel de choclo, a sweet, spicy, savory pie of corn, onions and olives.

Day 3

Morning

Follow the Aconcagua valley’s wine trail. Northeast of Santiago lies the sleepy Aconcagua valley, home to many dreamy, high-quality vineyards of all sizes, which grow their grapes in a cool, dry climate with the ocean breeze. The hour-and-a-half drive there passes through fragrant patches of apples and peaches.

Midday

Begin with pinots and a view. The 345-acre viña errázuriz has been run by descendants of the same family since 1870. Their core belief: great land equals great wine. The property’s soil doesn’t just grow exceptional pinot grapes. The grounds are covered in gardens and, in the distance, you can see ochre mountains.

Afternoon

Sip wine in the country. Started a couple of decades ago by a swiss wine obsessive, viña von Siebenthal now lays claims to several award-winning vintages. The location is quaint — quince trees bloom, and the building looks like a barn in the countryside. Don’t miss the impressively floral Carabantes.

Experience a small vineyard run by a couple. In 1993, Americans Jen Hoover and Ed Flaherty came to Chile to work a single harvest. They never went home, instead opening the independent winery Flaherty, where they harvest their grapes by hand. Their specialty: a silky, lavender-noted syrah blend that has been aged for 18 months.

Evening

Pull over for an oceanside seafood feast. In the small coastal town of Zapallar, Los Coirones serves scallops, razor clams, and local bivalves that were still in the water a day before. Enjoy them raw, with a little lemon, and a glass of local sauvignon blanc.

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