Hotels – global hotel system

Settled comfortably at the base of Santiago’s Cerro San Cristóbal, and overseen by the giant Virgin Mary statue at the summit, the Aubrey embodies the contrast of old and new that the specialty-lodging aficionado lives for. In a past life the Aubrey was a stately home for a prominent political family. As a hotel, however, the scale is decidedly intimate. The combination of the tudor-revival style house and the tropical urban flora of Santiago is a delightfully odd one, and this unorthodoxy is embraced by the hotel’s interior design, fresh off a multi-year renovation.

The property is stepped into the topography, making for some surprising views, unexpected nooks, and a charming swimming pool terrace — the uphill Parque Metropolitano seems to devour the building with its palms and vines. Some rooms are borderline palatial with heavy and imposing wood detailing, others are tucked into the angles of the roof and finished with taut, contemporary refinement. Many of them come with private terraces, and all enjoy a unique vista upon the fanciful surroundings.

Beyond the Aubrey’s perimeter lies Santiago’s most verdant and aristocratic district of Providencia. The sub-neighborhood of Bellavista is a perfect fit for the Aubrey’s boho airs; for instance the Fundación Pablo Neruda is right around the corner, one of many institutes here upholding Chilean culture. There are plenty of bars and cafés to enjoy late into the night, although one might be just as happy to stay in, dining and imbibing at Aubrey’s own Restaurant Pasta e Vino, which adds Italian cuisine to the mélange of themes. Also very nearby is the Funicular Sociedad Anonima, which stands ready to whisk you up that Cerro, just in case you feel compelled to pay Mary an up-close visit, or just take in a view of the Aubrey from above.