The city of Santiago is a place with good technology and infrastructure, but the local culture is still very slow and antiquated for the most part and the traveler needs LOTS of patience to navigate even simple tasks. It can be charming, if you're into that sort of thing, but if you're in town for business or urgent matters, the difficulties you encounter to complete simple errands can be very stressful. Having said that, if you have the time and energy for lots of runarounds, this apartment is a great choice for your travels. (I'm a native Chilean who lives abroad and can tell you from experience to be patient while traveling here)
Apartment Pros:
- Super clean and comfortable apartment with lots of natural light and big balcony.
- Well located in a safe neighborhood with access to public transportation, taxis, restaurants and stores.
- Washer in apartment that is very convenient.
-Access to parking in the building.
-Good kitchen appliances for cooking and preparing meals.
Apartment Cons:
-Host doesn't live in the city, so all communication was via WhatsApp, which requires internet connection. Very nice guy, but never met him in person.
-Broken kitchen sink that needs repair but still usable.
-Check in/out procedure not the best. It requires going to a 3rd location of a relative about a mile away. It can be a hassle to arrange logistics.
-Security guards in the lobby can sometimes ask questions when coming into the building. (I don't think Airbnb is allowed at this condo and you must tell them you're a relative of the unit's tenant visiting)
-No cable, just 1 TV in the main bedroom with antenna access to a few channels.
-No internet available, but host decided to invest and install it during my stay. (Very difficult to navigate logistics without it)
-No phone line otherwise.