HOTEL REVIEW: The Aubrey, Santiago

WRITTEN BY Mark Chesnut

I recently stayed for four nights as a guest at Santiago’s hottest new boutique hotel: The Aubrey.
Set in a mansion built in the 1920s in Santiago’s now Bohemian Bellavista district, the Aubrey (which just made Conde Nast Traveler’s 2010 “Hot List”) sits at the foot of the Parque Metropolitano’s funicular railway and just around the corner from La Chascona, Nobel prize-winning writer Pablo Neruda’s home, which is now a museum. It’s also steps away from the lively outdoor dining and nightlife that has made Bellavista a popular place for locals and foreigners alike.
The hotel — once home to one of the nation’s leading political families — manages to provide a contemporary update on traditional luxury without feeling antiseptic. Each room is different, so it’s a good idea to check out the hotel’s Website when reserving.
I spent the first night in a large, single-room suite; a wide-open space with hard-wood floor, a large balcony (where I had my first breakfast) facing the pool, and a bathtub strategically placed in the middle; the shower and toilet stall are essentially two glass boxes in separate corners of the room (a sheer curtain provides some privacy in the stall, but this is not a room to share with someone you don’t know very well already).
My next guest room was a smaller room but equally clean and pleasant in design, with yet another gloriously large bed (with 300 thread-count bedding) and a lovely balcony that faces the entrance to the park. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, cable TV, minibar and feather beds.
The public areas of the main building are wonderful; a heavy wood staircase is the dominant feature, complemented by interesting sitting areas graced with eclectically stylish furnishings and random photobooks — the sitting room on my floor has books by photographers David LaChappelle and Herb Ritts.
With just 15 rooms, it’s no surprise that the service here is quite personalized. The receptionist even called me every evening, to ask what time I’d like my breakfast delivered the following morning. Construction is underway on four more guest rooms, but surely this attention to detail will be maintained.
$240 and up.
The Aubrey: http://www.theaubrey.com
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