The Singular Santiago review: a five-star treat in Lastarria

I swapped a well-priced four-star for a five-star for my last two nights in Chile, and I’m glad I did: this is my honest review of The Singular Santiago, with what I paid, what the rooms, spa and rooftop are like and who the hotel suits best.

I’d been to Chile three times before I spent any real time in Santiago. On my fourth trip, a month of travelling solo in July, I started in the capital at Hotel Cumbres Lastarria, headed north to the Atacama and the Elqui Valley, and then came back to Santiago for two final nights before flying home.

For those, I moved to The Singular, a five-star a few steps from my first hotel in Lastarria, the neighbourhood I’d point any first-timer towards. It cost me about US$140 a night, which was excellent value for a true five-star, and it was the perfect place to wind down at the end of a long trip: uber-comfortable beds, a spa I’d happily go back for and a restaurant and rooftop bar on site. Here’s the full picture, including what’s changed since.

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At a glance

• Where: Merced 294, Lastarria, Santiago
• What it is: a five-star hotel with 62 rooms and one Michelin Key
• What I paid: about US$140 a night; expect upwards of US$300 now
• My stay: two nights in July, at the end of my trip
• Best for: a treat at the start or end of a trip, couples, and solo travellers who want a walkable base with everything on site
• Not for: anyone on a tight budget, who wants the rooftop pool in winter, or who needs a bright room (ask for one that doesn’t face the courtyard)
• My rating: 4/5
• My verdict: a comfortable, stylish five-star in Santiago’s best neighbourhood, with a spa worth booking even if you’re not staying

The location

Lastarria is the area I’d choose to stay in Santiago, and The Singular is right in the middle of it. You can walk out of the door to some of the best restaurants and bars in the city.

The hotel is on Merced, a few doors from Liguria, on the corner with Calle José Victorino Lastarria, where I had my first dinner in Santiago. Bocanáriz, the wine bar I’d recommend to anyone, and the pisco bar Chipe Libre are a short walk along Lastarria, and the Gabriela Mistral cultural centre (GAM) and Universidad Católica metro station, on Line 1, are both a few minutes away. Hotel Cumbres Lastarria, where I spent my first four nights, is practically next door.

For sightseeing, Cerro Santa Lucía is about a ten-minute walk away, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is a little closer, and the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, my favourite museum in Santiago, is around 15 minutes on foot. Bellavista and La Chascona, Pablo Neruda’s house, are 15 to 20 minutes’ walk.

Like every hotel I stayed at in Santiago, the team told me to use Uber rather than taxis to get around outside the metro. I’d add that at night, it’s worth taking one rather than walking back through the Centro. It’s also how I got to my farewell dinner at Boragó, which is well worth the ride.

The rooms

What I remember most about my room is the bed: ridiculously comfy and fluffy, and very welcome after two weeks of early starts, altitude and one of the coldest nights of my life on the Bolivian salt flats.

The one real downside was the light. My room looked onto a central courtyard, and it was very dark, even in the middle of the day. If natural light matters to you, ask for a room that doesn’t face the courtyard when you book.

My room had a wooden writing desk and an armchair, which made a nice change after my first hotel, where there wasn’t a chair to relax in. It’s a small thing, but if you like to curl up with a book at the end of a day’s sightseeing, it matters.

The bathroom was all marble, with the hotel’s own toiletries in apothecary-style bottles by the basin.

The spa

I booked a massage in the spa on my last day in Chile, before the long flight home, and the spa was excellent, one of the highlights of my stay. An hour cost me about £50, which is good value for a five-star spa.

The spa is open to non-guests, too. If you’re staying elsewhere in Lastarria, or you’ve checked out and have a late flight, it’s a great place for a spot of downtime.

The restaurant and rooftop bar

The Singular has a restaurant and a rooftop bar, and both are great for a quiet meal or cocktails with a view, whether or not you’re staying.

The restaurant is a handsome room of leather chairs, wood panelling and framed prints. I had dinner there with a glass of red, and it was excellent: I’d happily eat there again even if I were staying elsewhere. Its executive chef, Hernán Basso, applies French techniques to Chilean produce. The Rooftop Bar opens from 4pm for signature cocktails, and you can book either by emailing the hotel.

The rooftop terrace was closed when I visited, as it shuts in the winter months. The rooftop pool opens from November to April, and in summer, I can imagine it being a great place to hang out.

What I loved

• The bed. Ridiculously comfy and fluffy, and just what I needed at the end of a long trip.
• The spa. An excellent one-hour massage for about £50, and open to non-guests.
• The location. In the heart of Lastarria, with the city’s best restaurants, bars and museums within walking distance.
• The restaurant. Excellent food in a handsome dining room, open to non-guests.
• A room to relax in. A writing desk, an armchair and a marble bathroom.
• The value, when I stayed. A true five-star for only about US$10 a night more than my four-star down the road.

Honest caveats

My room was very dark. It looked onto a central courtyard and got little natural light. Ask for a room that doesn’t face the courtyard.

The rooftop shuts in winter. If you’re visiting between May and October, don’t book for the rooftop terrace or the pool: the terrace was closed when I stayed in July, and the pool only opens from November to April.

It’s no longer the bargain it was. I paid about US$140 a night, but rates have risen sharply since, and you should expect to pay upwards of US$300 now. It’s still good value for a five-star in this location, but it’s a different decision at that price.

Price and value

When I booked, The Singular cost only about US$10 a night more than Hotel Cumbres Lastarria, a few steps away, which made the choice easy. Today the gap is much wider: expect upwards of US$300 a night at The Singular, against closer to US$220 at Cumbres. Prices move around with the season, so check both for your dates on Booking.com.

If it’s out of budget for your whole trip, do what I did and save it for the end: a couple of nights of five-star comfort and a massage before a long-haul flight home are hard to beat.

Who should stay here

Book The Singular if you want a five-star base in Santiago’s most walkable neighbourhood, a really comfortable bed and a spa, restaurant and rooftop bar under the same roof. It’s a great choice for the first or last nights of a trip around Chile, whether you’re heading to the Maipo Valley, the Atacama or Patagonia.

Look elsewhere if you’re on a tight budget, or if you’re visiting in winter and the rooftop pool is the main draw.

My verdict

The Singular gets the things that matter at the end of a long trip exactly right: a superb bed, an excellent spa and restaurant, and a location that puts the best of Santiago on your doorstep. I’d give it 4/5: my courtyard room was very dark, the rooftop is a summer pleasure, and it’s no longer the steal it was when I stayed. But if your budget stretches, and you ask for a brighter room, it’s the hotel I recommend in Santiago.

For more places to stay in the city, see my Santiago travel guides.

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Map

Practical info

Getting there from the airport

Santiago’s airport is about 20km from Lastarria. Take an Uber or a pre-booked transfer, and allow around 30 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic.

Paying for your room

Foreign tourists don’t pay Chile’s 19% VAT on hotel stays if they pay in foreign currency, for example in US dollars or on a foreign card, and show their passport and entry record at check-in. Check whether the rate you’re quoted includes VAT before you book.

More places to stay

If The Singular is full or out of budget, my guide to the best places to stay in Santiago covers the best areas and hotels, and my Hotel Cumbres Lastarria review covers the well-priced four-star a few doors away.

Read next

• Where to stay in Santiago, Chile: best areas and hotels
• Hotel Cumbres Lastarria review: a well-placed four-star in Santiago
• The best restaurants in Santiago, Chile: where I ate on my trip
• Boragó review: 14 courses at Chile’s top-ranked restaurant
• How to plan a solo trip to Chile: route, stays, tours and safety
• Read all my Santiago guides

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