In the Maipo Wine Valley, close to Santiago, is the Santa Rita winery and here is one of Chile’s oldest, traditional 19th century “land owner” houses, converted into a hotel in the mid 1990’s.
Designated a Chilean National monument, it sits within a 40-hectare park, which was landscaped by Frenchman Guillaume Renner.
Today there are 16 guest rooms in the main building, as well as Neo-Gothic chapel, built in 1880, and designed by the German architect Theodor Burchard.
In Chile, there are very few “older” buildings that are still standing, let alone useable, and so Casa Real is a rare opportunity to experience some real Chilean nostalgia, as well as enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings.
About
The Casa Real was originally the summer house for the Santa Rita winery founder Domingo Fernández Concha. The building is located amid a park of 40 hectares which was designed in the style of large gardens or parks that usually accompanied large European estate houses. For example, ornamental fountains, box hedge mazes, avenues with walking paths and large lawns.
Then there is the chapel. This is a fine building that has a Gothic style exterior, but the interior show cases Norman arches and Roman style vaulted domes. The renown Chilean artist of the day, in 1885, Alfredo Valenzuela Puelma, painted the saints on the chapel walls. Once completed, the chapel was the principal Catholic place of worship for everyone on the Santa Rita estate.
The hotel offers 16 guest rooms plus a terrace, from where there is a fine view of the park and lake, a tranquil inner courtyard, a pergola, outdoor swimming pool and indoor gym.
The hotel still has large, high-ceilinged salons that have not changed since the late 19th century. These nostalgic spaces, that ooze tradition and elegance, can be used by hotel guests and include the entry hall, dining room, billiard room and inner colonnade.
The Santa Rita vineyard and Casa Real hotel are located south of Santiago city in an area called Pirque, but within the Maipo Wine Valley.
To get here one should drive down the main Ruta 5, south, from Santiago and at Buin (36km south from Santiago) turn off right where it indicates to Buin (there is a tall McDonalds sign visible), but follow the sign to Huelquen, which means that you then drive back over the top of the main Ruta 5 that you were just on. The road goes through a block or two of a built-up area where you turn right at the first junction, then left at the next, following this road until the next junction (about 5km) where you turn left.
The Santa Rita entrance will be on the right after about 8km or so.
There are 16 rooms at Santa Rita, each one spacious and in the classical, traditional style of the period the house was built ie the mid 1800’s.
The rooms have been renovated, but the interior design retains the elegance and tradition from the time of its “hey day”.
The room categories are:
Casa Real Suite
These rooms have a view to the inner courtyard or the exterior park, each room is spacious, with 70m2, and an en-suite, modern-equipped bathroom.
Casa Real Room
With an area of between 30 to 50m2 of space and views to the inner courtyard.
We will include this hotel as part of your itinerary if requested to do so or if required for a logistical reason, or if it suits your itinerary budget.
What we can offer always depends on the content of your itinerary, so please, get in touch.
If you're interested in this hotel, please don't hesitate contacting us or fill out our enquiry form below.
