If you are going to Valparaiso and are looking for a boutique hotel with great views of the city and the ocean, check out the Robinson Crusoe Inn, an intimate place to stay high up in the hills overlooking the city. We stayed in Robinson Crusoe for two days last March 2011 and enjoyed it very much. The hotel’s rooms and lounge areas are divided over several levels, giving guests the feeling of lodging in a private residence. Decorated in a rustic style with artwork, furniture and decorative items from Valparaiso, the inn has a cozy, relaxed atmosphere.
The highlight of our stay at Robinson Crusoe is the covered terrace with 360 degree views of the city. This terrace also functions as a dining room and sitting room for guests. Next to the terrace is the Sky Loft, a large room with amazing views of the city. This is the room I would recommend. Although the bathroom is very small, the Sky Loft and its balconies provide unparalleled views across the bay, the city and the surrounding hills. The hotel has other rooms with marvelous views and the average rate for a double room is $140.
Its location on Hector Calvo street on a hill called Bellavista is only a few steps away from Valparaiso’s famous Museo a Cielo Abierto (Open Sky Museum) whose streets and steps are lined with stunning murals painted by artists from Valparaiso and elsewhere. Make sure you bring a camera when you wander through this neighborhood.
Restaurant recommendations in Valparaiso, Chile
If you do decide to stay at the Robinson Crusoe and are looking for a good restaurant in the neighborhood, just go down the street (downhill) a few doors to the Corazon Contento restaurant at Hector Calvo 198. The restaurant/cafe serves very delicious and inexpensive seafood in addition to other wonderful dishes. Run by a local chef and his partner, it’s a cozy, intimate neighborhood spot. On the evening that we went to Corazon Contento, they were serving giant bowls of ceviche for an amazing price. The fish was very fresh and the mix of lime juice and spices was well balanced.
Other restaurants that reportedly serve excellent food in Valparaiso are: Pasta e Vino (which is also in Santiago, Chile); Restaurant La Conception; Resto Belga, Art Deco Hotel (Almirante Montt 217); and Montealegre Restaurant, Calle Higuera 115, Cerro Alegre (Ascensor El Peral) +56 32 236 5350.
Robinson Crusoe Inn
Hector Calvo 380
Cerro Bellavista
Valparaiso, Chile
+56 32 249 5499
Email the hotel to inquire about a booking.
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