Santiago

Santiago is a city defined as much by its setting as its architecture. The Andes rise dramatically along its eastern edge, creating an extraordinary backdrop to a metropolis that layers colonial buildings, grand 19th-century avenues, post-war Modernism and increasingly ambitious contemporary architecture. Neighbourhoods such as Lastarria and Bellavista retain a more intimate urban scale, while areas farther east reveal Santiago’s modern, international face. Chile’s exceptional architectural culture is visible throughout the city, from rigorous concrete buildings to contemporary projects that use light, courtyards and landscape to respond to the country’s distinctive geography.

Food and drink benefit from Santiago’s position between the Pacific, the Andes and some of South America’s greatest agricultural regions. Exceptional seafood arrives from Chile’s immense coastline, while the central valleys provide fruit, vegetables and an extraordinary diversity of wine. Traditional markets and neighbourhood restaurants coexist with ambitious contemporary kitchens exploring Chilean ingredients from the Atacama to Patagonia. Wine is naturally part of everyday life, with historic vineyards virtually on the city’s doorstep and a younger generation of producers bringing País, Cinsault, Carignan and low-intervention wines alongside the country’s better-known Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère.

Santiago’s most interesting hotels increasingly look beyond generic international luxury. Restored historic buildings, intimate independent properties and contemporary design hotels combine Chilean art, architecture and food with a more personal approach to hospitality. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where design, food, wine and Santiago’s remarkable setting come together—hotels that reveal a city whose sophistication is most compelling when it feels distinctly Chilean rather than like another international capital.