Hotel Boutique Casa Vander

The rooms have amazing views, and the staff are very friendly and speak English. We were also surprised by how good the coffee was. Hotels usually serve it from machines and it's not great, but here they made it properly with excellent beans from the nearby roastery.

Our room was clean and the location was great, but it lacked basics like air conditioning and a bin. We were above a little square where people gathered and played loud music late into the night. There was also a lot of noise from the lobby, including a receptionist on a speakerphone video call late at night. It made the stay really unpleasant. The rooms are described as “soundproof,” but they definitely aren't.

The old hotel has loads of charm and grace, and the view across Valparaiso is amazing. It's just steps from the cable car or funicular, close to everything, and felt safe. The staff are very friendly, attentive, and willing to help. There aren't many newer amenities, though the charm makes some of that easier to overlook. I did miss having coffee in the room, a trashcan outside the bathroom, and a fan to move the air during a few really warm days. Still, a great hotel.

Guests beware. The room shown on Expedia as “2 queen beds” did not exist, but management refused to take responsibility and would not refund me for the mistake. I booked a “2 queen bed, double room, for 2 people” (see attached photo), but when I arrived with my male friend, we were given one small double bed. They said the hotel had no rooms with two beds and wanted us to buy a separate room. Instead, they offered to split a king bed into two singles and called it an upgrade, for an extra $30 dollars. We reluctantly paid, even though this was the hotel's error and shouldn't have cost us anything. I ended up paying more for two single beds than for the room I had booked. They blamed me for the mistake, which wasn't right. Yes, I ate breakfast without complaining. Did they expect me to spend my whole vacation complaining about their error?