Know Before You Go: Mandarin Oriental, Santiago
Our Chile adventure began with a two-night stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Santiago, a peaceful hotel perfect for relaxing after the long flight before heading to Patagonia. We enjoyed sunny days by the oasis-style pool and exploring the nearby park. The hotel’s generous breakfast buffet maintained the brand’s reputation for quality food and beverage. Although the hotel building was a bit shabby, the rooms were modern and well-equipped, and we found the service to be excellent. This unexpectedly delightful stay left us eager to return.
OVERALL RATING
💛💛💛+
Standard, approaching Notable
Overview
At-a-Glance
Date of stay: March 2025
Length of stay: 2 nights / 3 days
Trip type: Family city stopover on our way to Patagonia
Property type: Family-friendly city hotel
Tailor-made for: Business travelers, couples, but also especially family-friendly
Highlights
Oasis-style hotel pool with waterfall and luxurious poolside service for drinks and bites throughout the day — loved the Pisco Sours and Aperol Spritzes here
Nearby Parque Araucano with expansive playgrounds and shade structures for children of all ages as well as an aviary, just a few minutes walk from the hotel
Delicious and ample breakfast buffet spread
The kids loved riding up and down the hotel’s two glass elevators
Patisserie counter with house-made Madelines and other confections
Generous welcome amenities for adults (a bottle of sparkling wine in each room) and children
Complimentary soft drinks and juices in the minibar
Good to Know
The hotel guest mix is primarily business travelers and couples, though there were some other families with young children staying here
Santiago international airport is easy to navigate and only a 15-20 minute drive to/from the hotel
The hotel building is a bit shabby and dated (it used to be a Sheraton before being taken over by MO) — the exterior still shows visible damage from the 2010 earthquake
The surrounding area is a business district and we felt safe walking around outside the hotel; security guards are posted at the entrance and throughout the hotel
Rating Detail
OVERALL RATING 💛💛💛💛
LOCATION & SETTING 💛💛💛💛
ROOM 💛💛💛💛
SERVICE 💛💛💛💛
DINING 💛💛💛💛💛
ACTIVITIES 💛💛💛
FAMILY SERVICES & AMENITIES 💛💛💛💛💛
WELLNESS 💛💛💛💛💛
WOW FACTOR 💛💛💛
VALUE 💛💛💛💛💛
Rating Legend*
💛💛💛💛💛 Exceptional
💛💛💛💛 Notable
💛💛💛 Standard
💛💛 Substandard
💛 Unsatisfactory
*All ratings are relative to similar-class properties
