Le Méridien Santiago

The restaurant was a highlight for us. The food was freshly made, tasty, generous enough, and very reasonably priced. Staff were friendly and helpful, and the hotel is handy for exploring Santiago: the HOHO bus picks up and drops off in the parking area outside the main entrance. We stayed one night before flying back to the UK after a South America cruise, in a refurbished, airy, very spacious room on the sixth floor. It was clean and comfortable, but the AC didn’t work and the windows were so dirty we could barely see out. Many buildings on the hotel’s street were derelict, so the area felt neglected. Locals advised us not to go out at night because dubious individuals were around.

The people here made the stay for us. So many staff have been here for over 10 years, and they feel like a family. I even wandered into their costume-themed Christmas party. We loved staying here over Christmas 2025. The hotel’s location is unique: it’s the safest part of downtown, with buses and the metro across the street, a two-minute walk to the cultural center and La Starria neighborhood, and about five minutes by bus or rideshare to Barrio Italia. The breakfast buffet lives up to its five-star billing, and the lunch and dinner choices were outstanding, some of the best food we had in Chile. Room service and daily cleaning were exceptional. The hotel has a famous place in the city’s history and was bought by Marriott several years ago. Some floors still haven’t been upgraded, so ask for a refurbished floor when booking. It needs important aesthetic upgrades to compete, but that doesn’t take away from the staff. The sauna feels like new and is wonderful, the workout room is huge, and the pool is dated and could use a shade structure since the Chilean sun is brutal.

The staff were super friendly and helpful, and the pool and gym were great. Our deluxe room had no issues, and we couldn’t hear other guests. I’m not sure what to make of some earlier reviews. We stayed a couple of nights during a Santiago stopover. At first the hotel may seem a little away from the center, but Lastarria is an easy walk, with bars, restaurants and artisanal markets in a great, safe area for tourists to explore. From there you can continue on foot into the center. Would recommend.

Good value for the price, and the location makes it easy to walk to Lastarria and other areas. My refurbished room was spacious and comfortable, though the windows were so dirty that it was hard to enjoy the view. Breakfast was average.