It’s time to take a food tour and cooking class in Santiago, Chile with Uncorked Chile!
Crates of fresh strawberries, seven varieties of perfectly ripe avocados, and enormous sea creatures with tentacles reaching out towards me. Welcome to my first day in Santiago, Chile!
Fresh Strawberries in La Vega Market, Santiago
I’m a strong believer that the best way to get to know a new place is to get stuck into the cuisine. I’ve said this several times now. My love of food (and in particular food tours) has taken me from hidden tapas bars in Barcelona, to street vendors in Istanbul and pasta makers in Milan.
Testing out my sushi making skills at Buddha-Bar Marrakech.
They say it takes years of training to become a sushi master. I had only a few hours, but I was determined not to make a fool of myself. The setting? Buddha-Bar Marrakech – the city’s hottest new bar and restaurant.
My Buddha-Bar experience started here, with a delicious dinner of Asian fusion dishes. After enjoying it so much, I was invited back the following day to don an apron, and spend some time learning from the masters. It wasn’t just about sushi, I also had the chance to test out my pastry skills too!
Check out the video of my luxury weekend in Marrakech and scroll down to read all about it!
I love the buzz of a professional kitchen. Considering the high level of stress, I’m always amazed at how tidy they are. Between 4-7pm, the stark white polished kitchens of Buddha-Bar were a hive of activity, with sushi rice being prepped, ice cream being churned and pastry being baked. Piles of sliced spring onion and strips of avocado lay ready to be rolled into sushi, while across the room the deep fat fryer was crisping up some spring rolls. The air was rich with the scent of ginger, garlic and chilli, and several sous-chefs were busy on prep duty. It’s easy to lose sight of how much labour goes into creating one gourmet dish, but as I stood there, I appreciated the previous night’s meal even more.
From the incredible rooftop pool, to chic rooms and top restaurants, it’s time for my review of the W Hotel Santiago!
Santiago is a city packed full of hotels perfect for the most extravagant of breaks. After an enjoyable stay at the 5-star Noi in the Vitacura neighbourhood, I popped over to the W Santiago to experience a different style of luxury.
I’ll admit I’ve been longing to stay at a W hotel for a while. I’ve lusted after their hotels ever since I spent hours sipping on beautifully made cocktails in their Central London hotel, and enjoying the best view in Barcelona in their epic Dubai style skybar. With over 40 hotels in 20+ countries, I was excited to receive an invite to stay overnight in Santiago.
W do luxury differently. They’re not old-fashioned, they’re cool. They’re not stuffy, they’re playful. They rewrite the rulebook on 5-star, with their tongue in cheek signage and über fashionable décor. The W? Oh, it stands for whatever.
W Hotel Santiago
With 196 rooms, the W Santiago’s tower sits in El Golf, a region of Las Condes. It’s a desirable neighbourhood quite different from Vitacura, but still home to plenty of Santiago’s mid-to-upper class residents. Within walking distance of South America’s largest shopping mall, the Costanera Center, it’s the ideal location for those looking for a stylish break, close to the action, with great dining options. With hotel amenities including a top gourmet restaurant (Osaka) and one of the city’s best rooftop pools, if you have the budget, this is a hotel you won’t want to miss.
W Hotel Santiago
W Hotel Santiago
After navigating our way through a lift from the carpark, we made it to reception where a helpful member of staff took control of the check in. It was still early, but our room was ready so we opted to head straight up to the seventh floor. Unlike many 5-star hotels, we were not accompanied by a member of staff, and we took care of our own luggage. Service felt pretty relaxed.
As I entered the room, I was struck by two things. Firstly what a huge room it was – the king size bed looked small with so much space around it! Secondly – the incredible floor to ceiling windows looking out over Santiago. One of those moments that makes you go ‘wow’!
Considering booking L’Ecrin Du Val Claret in Tignes for your ski holiday? From more about the rooms, food quality and the spa in this detailed review.
As outlined in my Wanderlust Bambi post I wasn’t a natural skier… but after a few days in ski school, I started to get the hang of it! Thankfully, when I wasn’t on the slopes I had a cosy mountain hideaway to warm up in – the Mark WarnerHotel L’Ecrin in the village of Tignes Val Claret in the French Alps.
Covered in a snowy cotton-wool blanket, the chalet style hotel had a spacious reception area, a comfortable lounge with a fireplace, bar, restaurant, a luxurious spa, and 52 bedrooms.
Lounge area at Hotel L’Ecrin Du Val Claret
Hotel L’Ecrin Du Val Claret
Spa area at Hotel L’Ecrin Du Val Claret
Lounge area at Hotel L’Ecrin Du Val Claret
The Mark Warner experience is all about warm service, comfort and convenience. Over the course of a few days I got to know the hotel staff – from the front desk team to the spa girls and the barmen. Everyone was friendly, full of info and brought a really lovely social vibe to the hotel. For families, they offer childcare – a great option when the grown ups fancy a day on the slopes.
