Corrugated City

Tuesday 31 March 2009

Where To Stay In Santa Cruz, Colchagua Valley

I've just returned from another trip to Santa Cruz in the Colchagua Valley. I love this part of Chile. I love the countryside. I could quite happily live on a mini-farm in the middle of nowhere in the Chilean countryside. I spent most of my childhood running around in the country and the older I get, the more I miss the greenery and the less the city appeals to me.

I was down on business and pleasure on this trip, catching up with some friends who will be involved in my re-vamped consulting agency. If you are interested in investing in a vineyard in Chile, please visit Chile Investments. In the meantime, here's a run down of places to stay in Santa Cruz.

Mid-Range

I'd suggest one of two options here. The first would be Hotel Entre Viñas (the website isn't really finished yet) in Nancagua-about a 10 minute drive from Santa Cruz. Although I haven't actually stayed in the hotel, I went to visit on my last trip to Santa Cruz as the place is owned and run by a friend's father. There are photos below. For the price, this is a really fantastic option. Rooms go for around 50,000-70,000 Pesos for a double. The house itself is really nice with lots of old family heirlooms dotted around the place (the family has lived in the area for a couple of hundred years so they've collected quite a lot over the years). The rooms are spacious and well-designed and there's a garden with a pool for the summer. Very good value.







The second option would be where I just stayed (I chose this place as it's just a couple of minutes drive from my friends). Hotel Casa de Campo is a little more expensive, ranging from 70,000-85,000 but it's definitely worth it. The rooms are beautifully designed in a new two storey construction that looks like it was built 100 years ago. The rooms are gorgeous and look out over fields towards the mountains. Hot water is provided by solar panels and the central heating system (for winter) is run from a huge wood burner (definitely more efficient and less polluting than gas of which Chile has none). The owners are also incredibly friendly and ensured we had everything we needed at all times. (Not very good) photos below.

Highly recommended.






High-End

I guess the first place that should be looked at would be the Hotel Santa Cruz. Personally I wouldn't want to stay there as it's a little too large and impersonal but it's definitely a good option. Rooms start at around 140,000 Pesos. There are a couple of good restaurants in the hotel and you can arrange all your wine tours from the reception desk. It's convenient and the hotel is really well designed.

Viña La Playa is about a 25 minute drive outside of Santa Cruz and set in the middle of the vineyard's land, surrounded by vines. A client stayed there last year and it's definitely a good place to stay. The grounds are beautiful and there's a pretty decent restaurant there as well. It's a little far away from everything for my tastes but if you want total peace and quiet then it's a good option.

3 comments:

Mamacita Chilena said...

Man, I wasn't expecting to see such high prices. All the places look beautiful but sometimes I forget just how expensive this country can be, especially for tourists.

Matt said...

It depends how you look at it. If you're a budget backpacker then yes, the hotels are definitely expensive. But most tourists who pass through Santa Cruz tend to be older and with a little more cash to spend on hotels. For that market, the places are really pretty good value.

There's definitely a lack of decent lower mid-range options all over Chile. Price-quality is not very good here but I think Santa Cruz is getting it about right...

Anonymous said...

I second the recommendation for the Hotel Vina la Playa. We did not get a room there but returned for lunch the next day and spent the day at the pool. The price is around USD 100 per room which for the quality is good. You do not want to stay there if you don't visit by car though ;)