The taxi let us off beside the stone wall and was gone before we even found the buzzer beside the thick blue door.  We hoped we had the address right, because the home behind/above the door and wall looked very intriguing!

Our host Jose, answered our buzz quickly and with a click the blue door unlocked. We fumbled our baggage up the cement stairs and found ourselves face to face with a bold white house, trimmed in blue.

The wonderful old home, which had been an admiral's house, felt like a welcoming little fortress high on the hill.  We were greeted by a sweet kitty in the garden...

And once inside we were greeted by Jose!  What a treat to have a host who spoke English.  We had been in Chile a week and had learned to expect no help with communication!  Jose, along with the fresh colors and decor of the inn, couldn't have been more welcoming!

The living area was spotless, with strong beams of wood and walls covered in bright paint and bold patterns.  I peeked in the kitchen and could see a few reminders that this was not just a hotel, this was a home.  Jose's wife and daughter weren't home, but there were crayon drawings and a few kiddie dishes.  I hoped we would meet his family.

Our room was clean and spacious.  I would have loved a comfy chair or sofa, but we hardly spent time in the room anyway. 
View

On Monday morning we woke to the giggles and chatter of school children, traveling nearby in groups.  Sure, we could have closed the windows, but I felt like we were getting a secret glimpse into another world!

There were a few other guest rooms with attached baths, but our bathroom was across the hall.  The slight inconvenience of having to cross the hall was outweighed by having the best bath and shower.  I loved the blue tub, the large windows and clean wood and tile.  I can't say enough how clean everything was!

This is the table where breakfast was served in the morning. I so wish I'd been brave enough to snap a photo with our fellow guests.  At first, we were a quiet group around the table, nibbling homemade pastries, hardboiled eggs, meats and cheese. But when the coffee finally kicked in, the 6 of us were all talking at once. Something about the accents and the sophistication (of the others!) reminded me of a scene from "Room With a View".  I loved hearing about our fellow travelers from Quebec and Brazil, while tiny Laura, who spoke no English, served us.  After a long breakfast we all hugged good-bye.  Funny to hug people you just met.nearby

In March of 2013, Don and I had one of our most memorable overnights at this odd hotel beside the Pacific, in Central Chile. 

This art deco structure has been entertaining travelers and locals for a long time. Don and I heard about the hotel from a few people we met in Santiago before coming to Vina.  One said she remembered coming as a child to the hotel, for grand puppet shows. Another said the the hotel's restaurant was the best in Vina Del Mar.

We had heard the hotel was booked, but stopped in one evening for a drink.  Max the bartender treated us well. (Maybe because we were the only ones there) He served our drinks and supplied us with tasty spread of olives, cheese and bits of beef on toothpicks.  While chatting, we determined there had been some miscommunication about the "booked" hotel.  We ended up making reservations for the next night.

I was pretty delighted when we checked in the next day.  The whole place just made me laugh with the retro, nautical feel!  Rounded woodwork and brass railings everywhere!  Even thought the building is not a boat, everything felt a bit tilted, as if you might need to grab the railing at any moment to keep from sliding across the floor!

Both options for reaching the second floor, were tricky. Don and I couldn't fit ourselves and all our bags into the cage-like elevator, so Raul said he would bring up the rest.  By the time we reached the second floor, Raul had already dashed up the spiral staircase with our gigantic load and was standing at our elevator door!

I've always been amused by the term junior suite.  Does that mean it's a "little bit" luxurious. Or does it mean it's a glam suite for tots.  Who knows, but our junior suite was amusing. And we loved it!  Yes it was oddly worn with faded spreads and drapes with many patterns.  But it was grandly spacious and the open windows let in the sea breeze and sounds of waves and seagulls!

 It sort of reminded me of a Greenwich Village apartment in the 1960's, with book shelves and cafe tables.  I could have enjoyed lounging with a book or just staring out the window at the waves crashing up against the hotel, built out over the water.

The restaurant didn't open until 8pm.  So we made reservations and arrived early so we could enjoy some Pisco Sours and a little of the bar's ambiance in the daylight.  Reviews for the restaurant all raved about the food, but some picky people  suggested coming after dark, to avoid seeing the worn appearance.  I don't agree.  I was happily amused by the faded patchwork fabric that covered our bar table. (Do I recognize that material from my grandmother's apron?) I just don't like to miss a thing!

We were able to reserve the best dinner table at the very bow of the boat, overlooking the water... and the curious Wulff Castle. 

The food, the service and the view could not have been better!  The candles in their iron stands, seemed to be the only light in the dining room.  That meant we could see out over the water, long after sunset.  
We enjoyed razor clams with cream sauce, then sea bass and conger eel.  There was a zippy flavored chocolate cake with surprising slivers of orange peel.  All was perfect!

Our team of servers brought us very curious complimentary shots of some kind of Chilean drink.  Raul did his best to translate for Max.  Evidently, there were some herbs involved, that would help with gastronomical problems!  Hmm? Did we look like we had issues?  My grin is ridiculously large, so the photo must have been taken before I took a sip.  It was nearly impossible to swallow, as I recall!  

We fell asleep quickly with the open windows and waves pounding.  And the Chilean drink must have worked, since we woke feeling fine!  A spread of complimentary breakfast foods awaited in the dining room.  Don posed nicely between the buffet and the sea maiden, hovering above his shoulder!