Vina Del Mar holiday apartment

The apartment works in every way,. It's in an attractive, very well maintained luxury building in a pleasant neighborhood on the north end of of Vina del Mar. We particularly liked the plantings and water features out front. There is safe and free parking. We found the building staff friendly and helpful. It's a short walk from the beach and a huge mall, one part of which houses an enormous supermarket. There is great access to the microbuses and collective taxis, the major modes of public transport, that can get you all around Vina, Valpo. or the coast. They seem to go anywhere/everywhere but there are no route maps, so you'll need to ask a local for advice.

The apt. itself is attractively furnished and well laid out. The terrace runs the entire length of it, so it is bright and airy. The view is exactly as shown. (You'll hear traffic from the terrace, acceptable/expectable in a city.) The open plan of the kitchen, with it's huge island and living room,is great for entertaining with style or hanging out, and the kitchen is equipped with everything you need to cook or host a gathering We really enjoyed being able to have our daughter's college friends and Chilean family over, inconceivable had we stayed in a hotel. (As is customary in Chile, there is no TV in the living room) The beds and couch were quite comfortable, there was plenty of hot water, and the showers have better pressure than ours at home. The bathrooms are stunning. Overall, a very pleasant and relaxing place to be.
Last but not least, we had the pleasure of meeting Danilo and Eddie.
They are warm, open, and really want you to enjoy your experience in
Vina. You can't rent from better people.

Notes: We ran out of time to to take advantage of most of of Eddie and Danilo's dining suggestions (I regret missing the buffet at the casino), but we did find the Pica de Martin, a seafood restaurant in hills between Renaca and Concon. Unimpressive from the outside, but the fish and shellfish were quite fresh (they have their own pescaderia), well-prepared, and great value.
Coffee lovers: Bring your own brew. Chileans drink instant or tea at home. Selection of coffee for brewing is limited/expensive in stores. Apt. has an electric drip Hitachi.
Try the municipal markets in Valpo for food, especially produce. Hustle/bustle, colorful, good prices. EVERY Chilean warned us to beware of thieves, but we had no problems.
Try aceitunas naturales (alfonsos in the US)

For an awesome fully self contained (with some help if you ask for it) beachside condo experience look no further. Danilo and his crew have got everything covered. From the moment you arrive until the day it sadly comes to an end.

The condo is fully decked out on the 6 floor of a posh new building with great pacific ocean views from every room. A short stroll from the casino for the players, across the round from the mall for the shoppers and opposite the beach for the water babies. Does not get much better.

We have found a home away from home in Vina del Mar, can't wait to get back!

Thanks for everything Danilo!
Marcus

This was a great place to stay. We were able to cook, enjoy the balcony, walk to the beach, and use the pool. There is a grocery store in walking distance. Find it on a map and try the exotic local fruits. There are some interesting ones. Vina Del Mar and Valparaiso, also referred to as Valpo, are great places to visit in general. I recommend it to anyone visiting Chile. The sand dunes, ocean, and view of the Andes are all breathtaking!