Casa Chueca - DiVino

Franz, the owner, was the best part for us. He knows so much about travel in Latam, especially Chile, and gave us loads of ideas for destinations and activities. It seems he knows everyone in Chilean tourism, so this is a great place to stay if you haven't planned your whole trip yet. He can help book activities too. Casa Chueca has a huge, lovely garden, and the lodge itself is quiet and super nice. The rooms are clean, pretty, and comfortable, with fair prices. You can also join dinner in the evening, which was great. We went hiking with a local guide named Cristobal, who spoke flawless English and knew a lot about flora, fauna, and Chile in general. The next day we went horseback riding with Pancho to Piedras Blancas and Pantano de Majadillas. Neither of us had ridden before, but we always felt safe. We'd happily do both trips again.

We had car trouble just outside Talca, and they managed to fit us in at the last minute. The grounds were unbelievably beautiful, with a garden, pool, and riverfront access. We had a delicious dinner and complimentary breakfast. Our room was lovely too, with a private balcony overlooking the garden.

The day Franz Schubert took us into the mountains was the highlight of our Chile trip. Shelley and I were asked what we liked best after our two-week stay in October 2022. We had visited Chiloe Island off southern Chile, spent two and a half days in the Maule Valley south of Santiago, and four days in the high desert at San Pedro de Atacama. Each area was beautiful in its own way, but Casa Chueca and that mountain trip stood out. Franz is President of the Trekkingchile Foundation. We arrived at Casa Chueca at 9 p.m., much later than planned, and Franz greeted us warmly. He asked if we had plans for the next day and invited us to join him and his newly arrived landscape architecture intern on a drive east into the mountains. He was scouting for condors, trekking and mountain climbing opportunities, snow, road conditions, and signs of spring. We couldn't say no. It was a long drive, but the conversation about Chile and the changing scenery kept us from noticing. We passed vegetation, lakes, towns, and then the mountains, still partly covered in gleaming snow. Franz knew special places to stop, and we took time to enjoy and photograph them. We saw passes, geological formations, waterfalls, lakes, condors, mountain goats, a grey fox, and colorful spring flowers and bushes. Franz added stories and explanations about his adventures in the area. It was a wonderful day, and we couldn't have asked for a better guide. Franz loves the area and sharing its beauty, whether as a guide, educator, or environmentalist.

I arrived at casa chueca expecting an old building in a dry, cement-filled, ugly place near Talca. I was so wrong. Kathrein and Franz have made an oasis, surrounded by trees and green. The food is gourmet, and breakfast is big and tasty. There's a swimming pool, a BBQ place, and a very good gym. Even all that is overshadowed by the owners. After just a day or two, I felt like I'd known them for years. They treated me like a guest who'd been coming for 20 years and made me feel included in their family. They're super helpful, and the staff are great and friendly, full of advice and ready to help. I absolutely recommend this place. Thank you very much, Kathrein, Franz and Freddi.