Where to Stay in Santiago de Chile
Budget to Luxury

June 5, 2025
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Santiago de Chile is often the gateway to South America, with many international flights landing here. It is also a vibrant city with so many different things to do. If you are planning your Chile trip, this is the guide for you!

Santiago was the first stop of my South America trip and I remember being a little overwhelmed after a 13 hour flight. The city is super vibrant, busy and transport can feel a little chaotic (check out my guide on getting from the airport to the city centre here).

That being said, Santiago de Chile is a beautiful city with a backdrop of the Chilean Andes. Here you can enjoy everything from historical neighbourhoods to vibrant streets and even hiking within the city on Cerro San Cristóbal.

Here are all my favourite hostels and hotels in the city:

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Where to stay in Santiago de Chile for any traveller:

Santiago de Chile is a little different than many other cities as in you don’t want to stay in the centre, at least not the Old Centre (Anywhere near Plaza des Armas). Unfortunately, over the past few years this area has become very unsafe especially at night. Better areas to stay in are Providencia, Barrio Italia, Las Condes and Lastarria. AirBnB can also be a good, affordable choice for Santiago, but I would highly recommend sticking with the recommended areas and looking for female hosts if you are a solo, female traveller.

Affordable hostels in Santiago de Chile:

Merced 88 – Located on the edge of Providencia and right by the trendy district of Lastarria, this hostel is a great budget option. It is safe, very sociable and even has female dorms.

Hostal Forestal – This hostel is well-known in the traveller community. It is clean, central and offers free breakfast.

Hotels at different price points in Santiago de Chile:

$ Hostal Boutique Casa La Barca – while it is called hostel, this accommodation only offers private rooms at really affordable prices. It’s in a great area with outstanding reviews.

$ Almasur Providencia – Lovely hotel in a super safe and nice area of Santiago.

$ Hotel Los Españoles Plus– A beautiful hotel in a great location, right by the river and Centro Costanera, the biggest shopping mall in Santiago. Here, it is super safe and the rooms and amenities are great!

$$ Hotel Tinka – Big rooms in a central neighbourhood with lots of amenities.

$$ Hotel Bidasoa – Beautiful hotel and rooms in a super safe area with breakfast included.

$$$ The Singular Santiago, Lastarria Hotel – A luxury hotel with gorgeous rooms, a spa, fitness centre and more. Still way cheaper than similar hotels in other countries.

$$$ Mandarin Oriental, Santiago – If you want luxury in a super safe area of Santiago, this is the place for you! The view from this hotel over the Andes is unbeatable and they have a gorgeous pool.

How to get to Santiago de Chile?

The cheapest way to get to the city centre from Santiago de Chile Airport is by using public transport, specifically by bus and then the metro. It is extremely affordable and surprisingly quick and easy if you know where to go and what to take (which I didn’t, but even I figured it out).

Alternatively, you could get an Uber, which will cost about CLP$20,000 (~16GBP). They pick you up at the elevator exit in front of Door 5. Some sources say uber isn’t allowed to pick up at the airport, however, I saw plenty when I was there and my AirBnB host also recommended it. I think they aren’t allowed in the normal taxi pickup area, so your driver will let you know where to go for pick-up.

Another great alternative is getting a Transvip transfer that you can pre-book. Prices start at just CLP $9.400 (~7.50GBP) for a shared van which aims to take around 45 minutes to the city. This company is known for not always being super punctual, so I wouldn’t rely on it to get to the airport but for getting to the city centre, it’s fine.

How many days is enough in Santiago, Chile?

I would recommend 2-3 days to see Santiago itself and then another 1-2 days for daytrips to e.g. Valparaiso or Cajón del Maipo.

Is Santiago de Chile cheap?

Santiago is fairly cheap compared to most major Western cities and expensive compared to Southern American cities. Hotels are pretty affordable for the quality, but it’s hard to find a hostel under $20 a night. Food in restaurants is also not super cheap, though you can get some affordable street food.