South America Hotel Accommodation, Category Definitions
Introduction
For us, the type of accommodation that one chooses to stay at during a holiday can make or break the overall travel experience. There is nothing worse than sleeping in a hotel that is not comfortable, clean, safe and that does not generate a “good” feeling.
In today’s world of web site, and social media, a hotel will publish only what is positive about their own property, omitting to say if the location of the hotel is close to a busy road, or night club, or if the rooms are in need of decoration and so on.
Also, hotels will only publish glowing comments about their own accommodation.
Yes, there are sometimes negative comments about a particular place, however, one never really knows if such comments are published by a competitor, or a recently fired member of staff.
ExperienceChile.Org Hotel Inspections
For these reasons we, at ExperienceChile.Org, invest considerable time, money, and energy, in visiting as many accommodation options as humanly possible specifically with the aim to check up on what the quality of accommodation, and services are, and where these places are located.
Remember, a picture does NOT give you the whole story.
OUR OFFER
Today there are a number of “World Class”, top-end, luxury lodges, located in some of the most outstanding natural wildernesses on Earth, in Chile. Our offer to any of our clients is that should we included any of these lodges in your itinerary for a minimum of four nights, under an all-inclusive program, we will add in another service free of charge (min 2 people on the itinerary).
This free extra will depend on the requirements of your overall itinerary, but could be free return flights to Santiago (within Chile), a free private transfer and / or a free hotel night or more at another hotel in your itinerary.
Therefore, make sure you let US book these places for you and gain a benefit.
Accommodation Partners
Considering our ethos regarding selective accommodation we only work with “vetted” accommodation partners. These are companies and properties that we know we can trust and that offer good accommodation, at good level, in nice places, and such properties we show in our web site.
Endorsements
From our inspection process we have developed the following special categories under which we feel a particular hotel is suited, in order for you to better located the style of hotel that you prefer.
Endorsed Inspected
In order to highlight if we have inspected a hotel we have placed one of our inspection marks on the hotel presentation within our site.
Endorsed Approved
In the cases where we have inspected AND stayed overnight, and then found the particular hotel to be of good standing, we have placed an approved mark on the hotel in our site.
Not Inspected
If a hotel does not have an inspected “stamp”, it means just that. We have not yet inspected that property.
Not Approved
Should a hotel not have an “approved” stamp, it means one, or more of the following:
That, that particular property is not, in our view “supported” as one of our preferred partners, and / or
That we have not yet stayed over at that particular property in order to evaluate comfort, services, sound pollution and location.
If Your Hotel is Not in our Partner Hotel Selection
If YOU have a particular hotel that you want and it is not in our partner hotel selection, please DO let us know, and provided it is a decent place, we will include it in the itinerary we are handling for you.
Experience Chile Accommodation Category Definitions
All-Inclusive Programs
Our all-inclusive programs will take care of you from the moment you land at the airport. The service includes the transfer to, and back from, the hotel or lodge (in some cases you can even arrive by helicopter), and then you enjoy a 3, 4 or longer night stay that includes great food, wines and guided excursions.
Premium Accommodation
Our decision to include some hotels (or lodges) under our Premium definition is because in our view the hotel, or lodge, offers one, or more, of the following attributes: a unique view, a spectacular view, guest rooms are decorated and furnished to a high degree of comfort, and they emit a warm, clean, and cosy feeling.
Staff are professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. And, ultimately, that the overall hotel or lodge “end product” is markedly “superior” compared to other hotels in that destination.
Luxury Accommodation
Properties included under our luxury definition will be providing guest accommodation to an exceedingly high level with luxury elements such as quality beds, interior decoration, materials used in curtains and bed coverings, carpets, windows, use of natural wood and stone, warm lighting, quality bathrooms and space, among other characteristics. Usually, a luxury accommodation property will also be under the premium category too, but not always.
Featured Accommodation
Some accommodation options we have included in our featured category. This is because these places offer something special comprising one or more of these attributes: style, comfort, location, uniqueness, and general feeling. This does NOT mean that these hotels are ALL luxury, or premium level. Sometimes we may include a simple property in this category, but feel it merits being featured because it is good.
Unique Accommodation
This category is one we have “invented” to cover particular hotels that are not “typical”, and that possess something uniquely different when compared to a “normal” accommodation option.
Lodge Accommodation
Typically, a lodge is a property that has a slight, or significant rustic style to its construction and is typically located in a remote location (but not always). Usually, a lodge includes a lot of natural wood and stone in its appearance.
Top-Level Accommodation
We include here those hotels that are very good, but not necessarily luxury, or premium.
Good Level Accommodation
This is accommodation that we have determined as being better than mid-level, but not yet in the premium category, nor top level.
Refugio Accommodation
A refugio is a hostel. Rooms are dormitories shared with other guests and beds are bunk beds. Guests can book a bed only and bring their own sleeping bag, or book a “cama armada”, which means a bed with bedding. A “cama armada” is available in all the refugios or simple beds + kit, which means a camp/like bed also with bedding. The full board meal plan is also offered at all refugios meaning hot dinner, breakfast and a lunch box to go or lunch at the refugio if you stay in. Refugios are 100% on the W and Circuit trek trails in Torres del Paine National Park.
Glamping Accommodation
Glamping is a recent addition to the English language to describe high-end, luxury-level camping. Typically, a place that comes under the “Glamping” category will usually mean that the accommodation is within a Yurt, or metallic-framed structure. The interior of these will then comprise a comfortable bed, walls covered by material, nice lighting, and good shower or bathroom with WC. Usually, the interiors are of very high standard, better than some hotel rooms in fact.
