Valparaíso Boutique Hotels: Casa Higueras, Palacio Astoreca and the Design Stays of Cerro Alegre

Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); destination context image.

Jet Set LatAM · Designer Stays

Valparaíso is Chile’s most bohemian city: a jumble of colorful houses tumbling down hills to the Pacific, connected by century-old funiculars and covered in some of the best street art in the Americas. Its UNESCO-listed historic quarter is full of turn-of-the-century mansions now reborn as boutique hotels, almost all of them on two neighboring hills, Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción.

The grand dames

Casa Higueras (Calle Higuera 133, Cerro Alegre) is widely considered the city’s most luxurious stay: a 1920s mansion stepping down the hillside, with an excellent restaurant, a spa and the only outdoor pool in town, looking out over the bay. It accepts children from 12. Palacio Astoreca (Montealegre 149), a Victorian mansion built in 1923 for a mine owner and reopened as a hotel in 2012, is a Relais & Châteaux member with 23 rooms, contemporary design and an indoor pool for misty days.

Intimate design hotels

Zero Hotel (Lautaro Rosas 343) occupies an 1880 townhouse with just nine rooms, high ceilings, French windows and breakfast in a sunny conservatory overlooking the city. Casa Galos has what may be the best views in Valparaíso from its 360-degree roof terrace, and Gran Hotel Gervasoni sits on the Paseo Gervasoni viewpoint on Cerro Concepción.

Art, ascensores and Neruda

Ride the Ascensor Reina Victoria or El Peral funiculars, walk the street-art lanes of Cerro Alegre, and visit the Palacio Baburizza, the city’s fine arts museum. Pablo Neruda’s house, La Sebastiana, is a short taxi ride away, with sweeping views of the bay.

Practical tips

• Getting there. Valparaíso is about 90 minutes by road from Santiago’s airport.
• Hills. Streets are steep; pack flat shoes and use the ascensores.
• Wine country. The Casablanca Valley wineries are on the way from Santiago.

What to pack

• Cashmere travel wrap — for cool evenings and long dinners
• Leather loafers — polished and cobblestone-proof
• Packing cubes — room for what you bring home
• Our full ShopMy travel collection ↗

Where to stay

Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción put you within walking distance of the best restaurants, galleries and viewpoints. The flight search and live accommodation map below help you plan the rest of the trip.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best boutique hotel in Valparaíso?

Casa Higueras and Palacio Astoreca are the city’s most luxurious boutique hotels.

Which hotel in Valparaíso has a pool?

Casa Higueras has the only outdoor pool; Palacio Astoreca has an indoor pool.

Where should I stay in Valparaíso?

On Cerro Alegre or Cerro Concepción, the historic hills with the best restaurants and views.

How far is Valparaíso from Santiago?

About an hour and a half by road.

Keep reading

• Boutique Hotels hub
• Luxury Shopping in Latin America by Neighborhood

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