Welcome to Santiago and the luxurious Ritz Carlton.  This was our first stop and we stayed for four days.  The staff was excellent, always courteous, thoughtful, and helpful.  We loved the location of the hotel, as it was walking distance from great restaurants and shopping.  There was also public transportation (El Golf Metro) right outside, and taxis were plentiful, so the whole city was easily accessible.

The lobby is charming, decorated in rich, warm traditional wood tones and a lovely marble floor.

Adjacent to the lobby is a marvelous, sizable yet very cozy sitting room area lined with solid bookcases.  We arrived very early, so our room was not yet ready.  We decided to grab a quick bite to eat and then just relax in the beautiful sitting room area.  The couches were so comfortable, I was tempted to take a little nap after our all night flight.

Once our room was ready, we headed straight up to one of the higher floors.  We were pretty exhausted and needed a little time to rest.  Our room was so beautiful and spacious, with fantastic views of the city below and very comfortable bedding.  The chaise lounge situated in the corner of the room was my favorite.

We especially appreciated the congratulatory note, champagne, and fruit and chocolate topped cake celebrating our 20th anniversary!

And who wouldn’t appreciate soft bathrobes, elegant bathroom amenities, and roses/petals on the bed.

One of the highlights of this hotel was the rooftop jacuzzi, pool, and gym.  Wow!  The first time we went up there, the sun was setting, casting gorgeous shades of orange, purple, and red all around us.

We were able to enjoy the sunset from both the jacuzzi inside as well as from the outdoor patio/seating area they had.  So quiet, relaxing, and lovely!  The views were gorgeous.

Breakfast was included in our package.  We were able to enjoy a huge buffet spread that included both hot and cold items like bacon, sausage, eggs, as well as a huge selection of fresh fruit, pastries, bread, cereals, and so much more.  We were also allowed to order from the kitchen.  We didn’t use a menu; we just asked for what we were interested in and they usually made it work.

Once, we requested something more traditional.  Our server, Camila, who always went out of her way to make sure we were well taken care of, requested that the Chef make us sopapillas, a traditional fried pastry/bread usually eaten with honey or a syrupy sugar.  In our case, she served it with dulce de leche (she already knew how much I loved that!) as well as a ceviche/spicy salsa.  Delicious!  That white juice on the left is made out of a fruit called Chirimoya.  Yum!

I already mentioned how helpful and thoughtful the staff at the Ritz were?  Here’s one more example of their kindness.  While in conversation with our server Camila (on the right), she wanted to recommend a few places she thought we’d love.  When we weren’t understanding her directions, she left the dining room to search for a map, came back, and took time out of her day to go through it with us.  It was really important to her that we knew where we were going and felt comfortable with the directions.

We were so thankful for her and for all of the other staff at this resort!  They made an already good experience great because of their hearts. One last stop…and that’s dinner at the Ritz Carlton’s Estro Restaurant.  Excellent from service to food!  We would highly recommend this resort.