Viña La Playa Winery & Hotel

Those dinners are what I keep thinking about. My friends and I have eaten our way through several countries, tried restaurants listed in the Michelin guide, and the meals at Hotel Viña La Playa still stood out. Pablo, the chef, and Johnathan, the sommelier, put together a different four-course fixed menu each night, with every course paired carefully with a wine from the vineyard. We tried a couple of other vineyards within driving distance, but the food there didn't come close. Maybe the whole experience made it even better, but it was some of the best food we've had on any trip, and we'll remember it fondly and come back. We'd planned this as a few quiet days after hiking through Chile, a chance to relax with good wine and food. Viña La Playa delivered. The hotel is gorgeous, with beautiful open grounds running right up to row after row of grapes. It's laid out like a real hacienda, with stone tile floors and wooden furniture. It feels classic rather than old, and is clearly well maintained. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Macarena even joined our facilities tour to translate for the guide as we went along. We never felt like a bother.

Breakfast was excellent, with plenty of eggs cooked how you like them, salmon, avocado, different cheeses, fruit, meat, tea, coffee, and oatmeal. As a vineyard, the place was terrific for peace, scenery, nature, and wine. The hotel itself was just so-so: an old building, WiFi that varied depending on where you were, poor sound insulation, and some appliances that didn't work or worked badly. Most of the staff were friendly, cordial, and helpful, and we were very satisfied with them. One daytime receptionist, a man in his 30s or 40s wearing glasses, came across as a bit arrogant and odd. When I was carrying two suitcases and two backpacks, he didn't offer help or even open the door, while other staff who saw me struggling offered help right away. One thing outside the hotel itself: some routes have rough stretches with gravel roads and big potholes, which aren't ideal for driving, especially at night.

We came back for a second visit, ten years after the first. It's a well-designed, well-managed place, but pretty far off the beaten path. The food is quite acceptable, though not spectacular. The pool and tennis are nice when the weather cooperates, although the tennis court looks like it was last resurfaced in Jimmy Connors' time. Small kids may not have much to do here unless they drink red wine. On this recent stay, screaming, crying ninos disrupted the hygge at every possible moment while their parents sheepishly pretended not to notice. We drowned our sorrows in wine and gin. Go without the kiddos.

We're from Sweden, and the staff spoke great English and made us feel really welcome. We came with almost no information about the hotel or area. I heard of it through the ministry of travel in Chile, and I'm really glad we chose it. We're no wine experts, but if you want a package with lots of wine and lovely food, this is the place. They offer complete packages with meals, wine tasting, and other things included. The hotel is great, and the surroundings are amazing, with lovely nature, bikes to hire, and beautiful scenery. The wines make it even better. We spent two lovely nights here, and we'd highly recommend it and make sure to return if we're in the area.