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Room Request! Hotel Magnolia

Every room is unique in this boutique hotel housed in a converted mansion

Thanks to Santiago’s ever-expanding food and wine scene, the Chilean capital is a rising star in luxury tourism. And with the Atacama Desert to the north and Patagonia to the south, the city is the perfect jumping off point for an outdoorsy excursion. But before you set off on your South American adventure, you’ll need a place to stay. Take a look at the Hotel Magnolia, which opened last October and was named Best Hotel in Latin America at the Prix Versailles awards earlier this year. Housed in a 1929 mansion in the heart of Santiago’s historic downtown, the boutique hotel was painstakingly restored by award-winning architect Cazú Zegers and interior decorator Carolina Delpiano to include an array of modern creature comforts. And with Magnolia Restaurant and Terraza Magnolia on the premises, you won’t have to go exploring to sample Santiago’s avant-garde restaurant scene.

Here, General Manager Andres Montenegro walks us through Hotel Magnolia’s most requested room. 

What is the most requested room?

Suite #52

Why is it the most requested room?

Because of the room’s spaciousness, and that the interiors are wrapped in soothing, light eucalyptus wood. Also, the room is very close to the rooftop terrace. 

Room #52 at the Hotel Magnolia

What makes it special?

All of the rooms at the Hotel Magnolia are slightly different given that the building is an old mansion​. This particular room is the largest and offers the best views.

What is the nightly rate?

Suites are $260 per night.

Room #52 at the Hotel Magnolia

Has the hotel hosted any celebrity guests?

Fashion designer Maria Cornejo and her husband photographer Mark Borthwick, and the Brazilian singer Paulinho Moska have all stayed there.

What makes the hotel such an iconic property?

Hotel Magnolia was originally built as a family home for Doña Ana Zegers García Huidobro, daughter of the Chilean politician Julio Zegers Samaniego, by the famous architect Eduardo Costabal Zegers. The home became a cradle of intellectual and political debates in the early and mid-20th century, until it was sold and divided into apartments. Coincidentally, architect Cazú Zegers accepted the project of renovating the hotel without realizing she was distantly related to its original owners. 

Guests love the feeling of being in a place with so much history, yet with such a modern, chic decor. Apart from comfort, stylishness, and our delicious cuisine, our guests absolutely adore our beds. When Paulinho Moska was here with his son, the son said, “Dad, can you buy me this bed?”

Room #52 at the Hotel Magnolia

Give us one fun fact about the property.

The hotel was originally only three stories tall, but when renovating the property the architects decided to build up an additional three floors, totaling six stories. In order to blend the addition in as if it were an original part original part of the structure, Architect Cazú Zegers affixed a glass wall on the façade of the top half of the building, and covered it with a photo imprint of a mirror image of the bottom three floors. It worked beautifully!

Photographic facade at the Hotel Magnolia

 

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