Casona Loreto

For the price, this place has a lot going for it. Our room was bright and beautiful, with huge windows and a fantastic city view. It had hot water, working AC, and a mini fridge, and they made the beds every day. The staff were kind and helpful, always coming to the front door when we rang the bell. We felt safe walking around the neighbourhood to patio Bellavista and parque central. There’s also a rooftop patio and a nice outdoor area on the ground floor.

The rooms were nice, the beds comfortable, and restaurants, bars, and tourist areas were conveniently close. On my first stay, the heat in my room didn't work. Other people in my group had heat, and although I reported the problem several times and a handyman looked at it, it was never fixed. When our group came back the following week, I got a different room that was nice and warm. The roof deck is pretty nice too, and there are a couple of sociable cats roaming around the property.

Being allowed to check in at 10am for free was a nice start, and I did have hot water, clean towels, and clean sheets. But the heater still didn't work in my room even after I was told it had been fixed. The air conditioning was completely out and wasn't repaired, and I couldn't use the safe either. I was given conflicting explanations about whether the safes or locked boxes in the building worked. There was no WiFi in the room, only in common areas. You also need someone at the front desk to let you in and out, but the attendant isn't always there. I tried three times to get out to go for drinks, but the door was locked and nobody was at reception, so I ended up staying in my cold room. I strongly discourage people from staying here. Being unable to leave a locked hotel is unacceptable and unsafe, and this place is a fire and safety hazard.

We had huge common areas where we could eat and relax, and there were plenty of places to eat or go out nearby. Our room was very clean and the beds comfortable, which helped us recover from the long flights and jet lag during our first nights in Chile. Victoria deserves special mention: she patiently answered all our questions about Santiago and the district, helped arrange transport and translations, and assisted with plenty more. She was always cheerful, kind, respectful, and gave us personal help with our questions and problems. She made our stay much easier and better. Thank you so much, Victoria! :)