One of the best luxury hotels & 3 restaurants featured on 50 Best Discovery in Chile’s capital:

The Chile trip my husband and I did – here is the itinerary – took us also to its capital of Santiago. Of course it did, you cannot fly directly from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia, for example. So, we happened to stay here three times, twice in the city center, once at the airport. Never mind, although it was not love at first sight, we grew to like this city. It is laid out like a chessboard in a Spanish colonial style. However, only a few remains of the historical building structure remain. Find here a suggestion for a Santiago city tour in key words (under activities on My Google Map). When it comes to where to stay and dine in style in Santiago de Chile, I can advise on one of the best high-end hotels plus three great fine-dining restaurants, featured on the 50 Best Discovery list by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

I start with laying out where to opt for a hotel in Santiago de Chile best for exploring and dining options.

Where to stay in style in Santiago de Chile 

When heading to Santiago de Chile you have to decide whether you want to stay in the old town or in the new town. These two parts are separated by the Almeda Bernardo O’Higgins Avenue. It is named after the Chilean freedom fighter, who liberated the country from the Spanish. This avenue runs through almost the entire city from southwest to northeast. North from it is the old town, south from it the new town.

If you want to be near the main sights, I suggest that you opt for staying in the city’s old part, which is at the same time Santiago Downtown.

Lastarria neighborhood in Santiago’s old town

The best place to stay in Santiago’s old town is probably Barrio Lastarria. This rejuvenated historic neighborhood with cobblestone alleys and stately Belle Époque buildings has fast become one of the hippest areas in town. This is due to its wealth of museums, art centers, trendy shops and cool cafés. And it is also favorably located as to the historic Barrio Centro (Plaza de Armas) and the bohemian neighborhood of Bellavista.

The best luxury hotel in the vibrant Lastarria neighborhood is The Singular Santiago, belonging to the prestigious hotel collection of the Leading Hotels of the World. Before coming to how it is lodging here, some information on a possible alternative of staying in style in Santiago de Chile.

Trendy neighborhoods in Santiago’s new town

While Lastarria is the ideal base for sightseeing, most upscale restaurants are further away from downtown. You find them predominantly in the Las Condes District and also in the Vitacura one. Both are in the city’s northwest, maybe 15 to 30 minutes by car from the historic Barrio Centro.

This is also the place where most high-end hotels are. Think in this context of The Ritz-Carlton, W Santiago or Mandarin Oriental. Apart from upscale lodging and a thriving restaurant scene, you encounter here also some nightlife. A few theaters are located in “Sanhattan”, as this area is also called.

After going into our stay at one of the best luxury hotels in Santiago, the Lastarria hotel The Singular Santiago, I will let you know more about three great fine-dining restaurants in Santiago’s Las Condes and Vitacura Districts.

Staying in style at The Singular Hotel Santiago

I have mentioned The Singular Hotel already in another post about our Chile trip. And this was on the occasion of our Patagonian stay. Before opening their Santiago property in 2014, the owners have already established The Singular Patagonia in the Puerto Natales area.

Location

I already went into The Singular’s location above, Barrio Lastarria. This neighborhood, which is at The Singular’s doorstep, came back to life with the opening of the nearby Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center. And it did so after being the place to be in the first half of the 20th century. At this time, everything that had rank and name built here, adopting Europe’s architectural influences. Sadly, Lastarria became neglected later on when many families moved to more modern suburbs. Yet fortunately, the neighborhood’s infrastructure stayed whole, ready to be relived in the current time!

Ambiance/Staff

Although The Singular Santiago is a new hotel, it stands out from other such ones in town. It is for sure not comparable to the interchangeable chain accommodations in Santiago’s new town. Instead it is full of character, linked to the history and culture of Chile. It is designed in a neo-classical architectural style, as a tribute to its surroundings. With its dark front and two brickwork volumes it perfectly blends into the area.

As to The Singular’s interiors, it combines modernity with gone-by times. When entering the premises, you encounter a lobby/bar area that reminds you of a gentleman’s club from the Belle Époque. Dark brown armchairs, bronze salon tables and olive green sofas go hand in hand.

And the clubby ambiance extends to the ground-floor restaurant clad in checkerboard marble floors and dark-wood paneling.

The staff in the reception area, stylishly in dark suits, completes the scenario. And also their attitude fits. Service was excellent from start to finish on our stays, nothing was too much trouble. Of all the employees we encountered, the concierge, an Englishman, stood out as the most welcoming and engaging person. Yet all the others were up to the level too. And it was so nice to be remembered when returning two weeks after the first stay!

Rooms

You can make your choice out of 62 rooms in eight categories with rates starting at about 200 US$ in the low season (The Lastarria Room 25 sqm).

My husband and I went for The Singular Twin category. On our two stays, we had both times a room with the same layout however on different floors. While I found the accommodation good enough, it was not the thing I liked most at this hotel. It was spacious (36 sqm), yet a bit on the dark side. This because the room was long and narrow with only one window. Plus, it was located at the middle wing of the building, a bit set back.

Our The Singular Twin room was kept in warm, dark colors as the rest of the hotel. It came with a large table plus chairs and two sofa chairs with a small salon table. The luxurious bathroom, of which I was fond, was sizable and clad in marble. It was split into three areas with a large sink and tub in one, then a shower and a toilet each separated by individual glass doors.

Restaurants

For a hotel of this size there is quite a number of restaurants, four in total. The flagship spot is The Singular Restaurant with a French inspired locally sourced cuisine. Then there are two bars, on the one hand the Rooftop Bar

with a great view of the San Cristobal hill,

on the other hand Bar Merced on the ground floor. Finally, you find here also Café 294, a place for business or social meetings.

While my husband and I did not have dinner at The Singular Restaurant, we had breakfast here four times, which was good. We also had drinks at both bars on several occasions and enjoyed it. Among other things, we were served the best pisco sour of our whole Chile trip at the Rooftop Bar, which says a lot.

Other facilities

The Singular Santiago’s amenities include a spa with hydrotherapy room, sauna and steam bath plus a gym. And there is also a small rooftop pool.

Overall The Singular Santiago

We had two great stays here at this fabulous Lastarria property, with all the major sights close by. While The Singular Santiago is a new hotel, it pays tribute to the old-school glamour of this historic neighborhood, which was rejuvenated not long ago. The hotel is kept in a neo-classical architectural style to blend into its surroundings. Yet it is not afraid to be modern too. Rooms are affordable yet luxurious – especially the bathrooms – , and the two bars are a huge asset. The staff knows their job well, and they deliver an excellent service to their guests. My husband and I would return here in a heartbeat!

After these details to one of the best luxury hotels in Santiago, now the same as to the restaurant scene.

Dining in style in Santiago de Chile

I mentioned it above, the best restaurants in Santiago de Chile are not in the old town respectively in downtown, but in the new town. And you can find them in the Las Condes and Vitacura Districts in particular. This means that you cannot walk to them if you happen to stay in the old town. You even have to take into account a 30-minute drive to reach them as the traffic might be bad. While this is not exactly favorable, it is doable.

There is no Michelin Guide for Santiago de Chile to consult as to best gourmet spots in town. Alternatively, I relied on the 50 Best Discovery list by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. As we did not want to eat 10 or more courses – we dined out every day of our 20-night vacation – , we did not consider for instance the famous Boragó. Instead we rather opted for establishments with a “three- to four-course approach.” By chance, we happened to eat at two restaurants with Nikkei cuisine (combination of Japanese and Peruvian elements). I start with those before coming to one specializing in fish and seafood.

1. Restaurant Karai by Mitsuharu Santiago de Chile

Some background & setting

Restaurant Karai by Mitsuharu is chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumara’s outpost in town, opened in 2017. He is considered Latin America’s best chef according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and this at Restaurant Maido in Lima. The Santiago branch is located at the fancy W Santiago Hotel in the Las Condes District. It is helmed by chef Gerson Céspedes.

If you wonder about the name of Karai, it has a double meaning. It means “together” in the Quetchua language and “spicy” in Japanese. Not only the W Santiago Hotel’s appearance is striking, but this is also true for Restaurant Karai by Mitsuharu. Zen decor awaits you here with lots of wood and natural light. And we were exceptionally warmly welcomed.

Food, overall & price

As to food offerings, there is an extensive menu of Sashimi, Tiraditos, Ceviche, Nigiris, Pa’picar-Otsumami, Los Fuertes and Desserts. Instead of going for the “experience” – the chef sends dishes of the day – , my husband and I chose ourselves (I had prepared for it beforehand).

We shared a Tiradito (de Orilla), catch of the day with yellow chili sauce, ponzu, cilantro, scallops tartar and shari cracker.

And the same is true for the classic Gyoza, stuffed with pork and shrimp with spicy ponzu sauce. Then we had individual mains, Kansai Yakimeshi from the Los Fuertes section for me, Japanese styled fried rice with seafood, salmon, shrimp omelette, ankake sauce and chilli oil. My husband had a dish from the Pa’picar-Otsumami part, Yakiniku de Cordero, a rack of lamb with yakiniku sauce, chimichurri nikkei, chickpea cream and olluco pickle. For dessert we shared Ice Tea and Yuzu, a pistachio and matcha tea biscuit with papaya sorbet and yuzu-chocolate cream.

And what can I say – I am no expert in Nikkei cuisine – , yet dining at Karai by Mitsuharu opened up new worlds of taste for us. What we got was creative, expertly done and nicely arranged. And everything was extremely delicious! We enjoyed the dinner very much. Also the serving sizes seemed adequate to us. Service was professional and did not interfere when it turned out that we already had made our choice on ordering. Price wise, the check (about 150 US$ with a bottle of wine) was reasonable, no complaints.

2. Restaurant Osaka Cocina Nikkei Santiago de Chile

Some background & setting

Restaurant Osaka Cocina Nikkei in Santiago de Chile is not a standalone restaurant, but part of a Lima based collection. The Osaka brand currently operates nine restaurants in seven South American cities and an outpost in Miami. And it has existed for over 20 years. As to its Santiago branch, it used to be at the W Santiago Hotel before it moved to its current location in Vitacura in 2017. The chef here is Ciro Watanabe.

The restaurant is situated in an affluent neighborhood – we almost felt like we were in a North American city. And there are other similar – upscale – dining spots nearby. Osaka Santiago encompasses two floors. There is a dining room plus an outdoor area on the ground floor. In the basement you find the sushi counter plus another dining room. The décor is feng shui-like with lots of wood. As to the staff, they needed some time to get going. Yet with time, the service became better.

Food, overall & price

The menu here is divided in two parts. On the one hand, there is the Nikkei Bar with Sashimi, classic Nigiris, Ceviches, Tiraditos, OSK Style Nigiris and Makimono. On the other hand, you find here also Peruvian Izakaya with Zensai and Tokusen dishes.

My husband and I shared first Tiradito Perú (white fish, Nikkei uchucuta, pickled onions, sweet potato)

and an Izakaya from the Zensai section. It was Chirashi Causa (yellow potato, salmon tataki, crab salad, ikura, acevichada sauce). Then we did the same for two items from the Izakaya Tokusen part. These were Shiromi Brasa (roasted white fish, almond chimichurri and Peruvian peppers) and Kuroi Ramen (charred seafood, ramen noodles, curry squid ink cream, cherry tomato, spicy mayo). We ended the meal with sharing an Amai Toast, which was a caramelized brioche with yuzu curd, cheese ice cream and miso butterscotch.

Again, we had the same feelings as at Restaurant Karai by Mitsuharu. Each dish provided plenty excitement to our tastebuds. Everything was skillfully crafted, refined and attractively served. Also the size of portions was good. Service became better the longer we were here. The ambiance was pleasant, although for me personally it was a bit too much on the dark side (we were seated near the window). As to the prices, we found them okay for what you get. Just as with its mentioned competitor, we paid around 150 US$ for the two of us (with a bottle of wine).

3. Restaurant Olam Santiago de Chile

Some background & setting

Olam ranks 68th on the extended Latin America’s 50 Restaurants 2023 list. It is the only one of the three mentioned Santiago restaurants that was voted into it. Sergio Barroso is at the helm at this dining spot on the second floor of the 45 By Director Hotel in the Las Condes District. The property has been open since 2019. Before, he was at Restaurant 040 in the nearby Providencia District. Originally from Madrid, Barroso worked with Ferran Adrìa at El Bulli and Denis Martin in Vevey/Switzerland.

The restaurant’s design is rather special, some may say a bit peculiar. The dining room is kept in high gloss white and poison green. Huge white columns are combined with green chairs featuring a net-like pattern. Another eye catcher are the curvaceous chandeliers. The whole thing appears quite futuristic. The staff was relaxed and composed throughout the evening.

Food, overall & price

The chef has an innovative take on fish and seafood. And the dishes are ideal for sharing, what my husband and I did. We ordered 5 savory and 2 sweet dishes.

The savory ones were the following: Tina and Miso (bonito tartare & rice with ginger, ponzu oil, miso mayonnaise & wasabi),

grilled wild green asparagus (in two cooking methods, tempura & grilled with chili-zumac mayonnaise foam), smoked wagyu tartare (in oak wood with lacquered Chinese bread, red curry teriyaki & sichimi togarashi), blue crab Txangurro with cognac & yuzu hollandaise (flamed crab stew in cognac, typical of the Basque Country, gratin with hollandaise) and ravioli of smoked trout from Patagonia (with white vermouth & mascarpone cream). The sweet ones consisted of: white chocolate, peanut praline and rose (creamy white chocolate, savarin sponge cake with peanut praline & pear granita) and roasted manchego cheese (manchego cake filled with blackberry jam & cassis liqueur cream).

And the food was superb! I very much liked the chef’s eclectic creations influenced by Asian, Western & South American cuisines. Each dish was well composed, with unexpected elements in each that made it a truly memorable dining experience. As to the ambiance, on arrival I found it a bit cold, but later on when the lamps were lit it became more pleasant. When it comes to pricing, I found the check (about 150 US$ for the two of us with a bottle of wine) reasonable enough. Said that, we did not choose one of the more expensive items on the menu, for instance the langoustines.

My mini-series about a Chile & Buenos Aires trip

I mentioned our Chile itinerary at the beginning, of course we visited not only Santiago but other places in Chile (plus Buenos Aires) too. If you should be interested, we went to Patagonia and the Atacama Desert where I go into the luxury hotels we stayed (and their onsite restaurants). And there will be more posts about our city stays in Valparaiso and Buenos Aires, comparable to this one about Santiago. It is always about best luxury hotels and fine-dining restaurants worth the money spent on at the respective places.

Date of stay: November 2023

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