Ismael Hotel

Ismael Valdes Vergara 312, Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan, 8320089, Chile, Santiago, Chile
www.facebook.com/IsmaelHotel

Why We Like It

As a design-forward hotel, this is one of few with quite so many artistic touches. Good service coupled with a great location make this an easy choice, and the harmoniousness of the hotel with the surrounding area is a relief from some of the larger, more daunting hotels in Santiago. They also have a great buffet breakfast, and coming soon, a new café on the first floor (under construction as of July 2018).

Fodor's Expert Review

You couldn't pick a better place to put a design hotel in downtown Santiago, with expansive views over Parque Forestal and a rooftop pool from which to enjoy it. Ismael Hotel runs like a well-oiled machine, with a personal touch. The walls are adorned in native materials such as wood and textiles, including a 3D map of the city's comunas (districts), which you might mistake for abstract art. Valdes chairs are parked at the desks in the minimalist but comfortable rooms with high-end furnishings. It's worth the extra expenditure to get a park view. The one suite on hand makes you want to move in forever, if you could afford the rates long-term.

Recommended Fodor’s Video

Room

Minimalist but not austere, ultra comfortable, with accent lamps and contrasting walls, some wood. Cozy beds with superbly soft sheets. Capsule coffee maker in room. A few rooms have balconies.

Bathroom

Square sinks, large mirrors, lots of vanity space, high-quality amenities, mostly stall showers. Rain shower heads throughout.

Tip The suite has a bathtub mid-room (next to the bed), in case you are traveling alone or with a partner.

Lobby

Lovely, artistic, with a wall of books and knickknacks representing the best of Chile, original art, sunken living room feel, entrances both on Ismael Valdes Vergara (thus the hotel's name) and Monjitas.

Pool

Small plunge pool (ok, you could do a few strokes in it) on the rooftop with enviable views over Parque Forestal and Cerro San Cristobal and some comfy lounge chairs for getting some sun, or relaxing after a long day.

Tip The pool deck has a glass surround, which can get in the way of photos, but also protects you from chilly evening breezes.

What's Nearby

Getting Around

This hotel is close to two different metro lines, at Bellas Artes (green, line 5) and Baquedano (green and also red, line 1), which makes getting in and out a snap. It is also within walking distance of many attractions. For late nights or when you've had enough walking, most guests take either a taxi or a service like Uber/Cabify.

Restaurants

Very close to the hotel is Castillo Forestal, (4-minute walk), a converted old castle with French food from Chilean ingredients, which also has a lovely patio. Also nearby is Sarita Colonia, (7-minute walk) a mostly Peruvian restaurant with eclectic furnishings, good food, and an extensive drinks menu. In nearby Lastarria (5-minute walk) choose from restaurants like the newest location of Liguria (3-minute walk) for Chilean food in a bistro atmosphere, Bocanáriz (5-minute walk) the country's first wine bar, Chipe Libre, (5-minute walk) a restaurant focused on Pisco and food from the north of Chile and the south of Peru, or Quitral, (7-minute walk) another quality restaurant at the end of the plaza, closest to the Alameda. Or head into Bellavista (11-minute walk) and try your luck there. We especially like Peumayén, (13-minute walk) serving ancestral Chilean food from the length of the country.

Bars

There are lots of options for an evening drink here, including at the Singular Hotel's (3-minute walk) rooftop bar (or their lobby, if you prefer). Bocanáriz (5-minute walk) has good wine offerings, and in Bellavista (11-minute walk), we recommend Azotea Matilde (15-minute walk or 7-minute drive) or Siete Negronis (16-minute walk or 7 minute drive). If you want to check out uptown and a spectacular view, the W Hotel has a rooftop bar on the 21st floor called Red2One (13-minute drive) or for sheer uptown class and a Chilean/French winelist, head to La Misión (14-minute drive).

Quick Facts

HOTEL INFO

Phones: 2-2616–7600