Mandarin Oriental, Santiago

Character and identity

The first Mandarin Oriental in South America, this 310-room circular tower sits slightly off Santiago's main thoroughfares while remaining central, an architectural curio surrounded by gardens that lend the property a resort feel rare for a capital city. The lobby is the design statement: a glass dome funnels daylight onto a multi-coloured glass centrepiece. Rooms have been recently refreshed in light woods, mossy greens and soft greys, with picture windows framing the city and the Andes from upper floors. The lagoon-style pool with its waterfall is the social heart, and Matsuri turns out Nikkei cooking from Juan Ozaki.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The draw here is the unusual resort-in-the-city setting: a lagoon pool, mature gardens and a sunlit circular tower that genuinely feel removed from Santiago's traffic. Book a higher floor for the Andes view, prioritise a dinner at Matsuri, and consider it most strongly if you value a calm retreat over a walk-everywhere downtown base. Shoulder-season rates offer the best value.