When you are in Chile, you can’t miss a visit to the wine region. But what if I told you that the world’s best wine resort is less than a 2.5-hour drive from Santiago? Viña Vik is located in Millahue in the Cachapoal Valley, at the foot of the Andes Mountains. It was founded, after years of research, by a Norwegian American couple with the aim of producing world-class wines. And they succeeded! Vik Chile belongs to the top wines in Chile and consists of 4,400 hectares of nature, including vineyards, a winery and an exclusive hotel, located on a mountain, overlooking the beautiful surroundings. It is a place where time seems to stand still and you can completely unwind. Curious? In this article I will tell you everything about a visit and stay at Vik Chile Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in Chile.
Welcome at Vik Chile and Viña Vik
As soon as you drive through the gate of Vik Chile and enter the complex, you are going to be amazed. A rolling landscape, with green valleys, kilometers of vineyards and the white peaks of the Andes mountains in the distance, will be waiting for you awaits you. Vik Chile is an area of 4,400 hectares of fertile land, including twelve valleys, each with its own microclimate. Since 2006, there are 350 hectares of vineyards here in the Millahue Valley, producing more than 1.2 million bottles of wine annually. Five red grape varieties are used, and a white variant is in development. In addition, Vik Chile consists of a stylish winery, a restaurant and an exclusive hotel with a great eye for art, architecture and comfort. People from all over the world travel to Viña Vik to taste exclusive wines and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Millahue Valley means “Golden Place” in the indigenous Mapuche language.
Millahue Valley betekent in de inheemse Mapuche taal, named “Lugar de Oro” of “Gouden Plaats” plaats.
Vik Chile Hotel
In the distance you can see Viña Vik Chile Hotel beautifully situated on a hill. And when the sun shines on it, it shines perfectly through the greenery. Vik Chile Hotel is a modern futuristic building that looks natural due to the colors and use of light. The architect took the surrounding mountains as an inspiration and wanted to integrate the hotel into the landscape as best as possible.
Vik Chile Hotel consists of two floors with suites, a restaurant, an infinity pool, spa, gym, bar, lounge areas and reception, where space has been carefully considered. There is a stylish courtyard with flowers, the corridors are open on all sides and there is a large terrace with a view over the infinity pool and a small lake. A place where you can stare into space for hours and take in the lovely surroundings.
In the welcome area there are works by Anslem Kiefer and Roberto Matta on the walls, one of Chile’s most renowned artists.
Do you want to stay at Viña Vik Chile Hotel? Check the latest prices and availability here. Do you want to visit Viña Vik for a tour, lunch and wine tasting? You can book a day tour from Santiago de Chile here.
The rooms in Vik Chile Hotel
Vik Chile Hotel includes 22 luxury suites, four of which are master suites. There are also 7 glass bungalows. All rooms are spacious, furnished with luxurious materials, and high windows with views of the surroundings. The beds are so comfortable that you want to disappear into them. Believe me, every bed that follows during your further journey is going to be disappointing. In addition, most bathrooms have a large bathtub.
Each room is dedicated to an artist or theme and is therefore unique in color, design, use of materials and art. Chilean artists were recruited by Vik Chile to design the rooms. I myself stayed in Gablers, a suite with minimalist decoration and original works by the artist himself on the walls. The host told us that the artist lived in the hotel complex for six months to work on the designs.
Gonzalo Cienfuegos is another artist who not only designed a room, but also created two bottles from the La Piu Belle collection. And there are many more rooms each with its own story. Every room counts with a QR code that provides more information on the artist.
Restaurant Vik Chile
Vik Chile Hotel has one restaurant Milla Milla, which is exclusively for guests. And this is not just any restaurant. This place is about a culinary experience, where the chefs play with flavors and textures and make you want to take a photo of every dish. In the afternoon you put together your own three-course menu based on the menu and the setting is informal. In the evening, a multi-course tasting menu awaits you and you will be taken on a journey that the chef has in mind during that night.
Of course, all dishes are paired with Vik wines such as the La Piu Belle rosé, which is already my new favorite, and red wines such as Milla Cala and Vik. And I don’t think I need to tell you that these wines are just delicious. The dishes and service are of an unprecedented high level and ensure that you look forward to these culinary moments every time again and again. In the morning you wake up with an extensive breakfast buffet and order additional dishes a la carte.
It is also recommended to have lunch in the Pavillion restaurant of Viña Vik. This restaurant is located next to the winery, in the middle of the vineyards and serves fresh lunch dishes. Here too, you put together your own three-course menu and take a seat on the terrace with a view of the vineyard.
Activities Vik Chile Hotel
At Viña Vik you can relax, enjoy your room and the convenient hotel facilities. But it is even better to participate in the tours that are offered daily, exclusively for hotel guests. Here is an overview of activities you can do.
A Vik wine tour and tasting
One of the reasons to stay at Vik Chile Hotel is of course because of the wines. A wine tour should therefore not be missed. The winery is located among the vineyards and, like the Vik Chile hotel, it is modern and a bit futuristic. A special competition was organized for the architecture of the winery, which resulted in a state of the art and sustainable design, by the Chilean architect Smiljan Radic. Inside there are more than 150 tanks of wine.
During a tour you will learn more about the origins of Viña Vik, the vision of the founders, and the unique winemaking process. Our expert and enthusiastic guide Camila explains us about how much research had been done before the start of Viña Vik and what influence the location, soil, altitude and wind in this area have on the development of the grapes. We also learn more about the five types of grapes of Viña Vik such as Syrah, Merlot, Carmenere, Cabaret Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and how blends are created.
We also take a look at the wine barrels, a special project in which Vik produces its own products. And of course, we end the afternoon with a special wine tasting in the cellar. Here the best Vik wines are on the table to be tasted, while we learn about the varieties and how to best define the flavors. A bottle of La Piu Belle Champagne will also be opened especially for the occasion. We couldn’t be more happy.
Do you want to stay at Viña Vik Chile Hotel? Check the latest prices and availability here. Do you want to visit Viña Vik for a tour, lunch and wine tasting? You can book a day tour from Santiago de Chile here.
Cooking class in the vegetable garden
On the grounds of Viña Vik you will find one of the most idyllic vegetable gardens, which is managed by Camilo and team. There are vegetables, edible flowers and countless herbs. It is clearly visible that people work here with love and passion. Not only will these products end up fresh on your plate during your visit. As a visitor you can also experience a cooking course where you get the ingredients directly from the garden together with Camilo. Depending on the season, you can make a fresh gazpacho from strawberries, cucumber, tomato, a little onion, pepper, prepared with salt, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and pepper. A rich salad can also not be missed.
The typical Chilean empanadas are easier to make than you think. Of course with the helpful preparatory work by Camilo. After preparing and kneading the dough, you just fill the dough with ingredients of your choice (types of cheese, vegetables, meat and fresh herbs from the garden and put it in the oven for 20 minutes. While cooking you will of course drink Vik Chile wine and afterwards take a seat at a set table to enjoy your homemade dishes. Whether you like cooking or not, this is an experience you won’t want to miss.
Pisco tasting
Not only wine is made from grapes. These fruits also play an important role in the preparation of pisco. For as long as I have been traveling in South America, there has been a battle between Peru and Chile over pisco and where it comes from. In Peru you will hear that Pisco is the country’s national drink, but the same goes for Chile. In fact, in Chile a drink can only be called pisco if it is made in region 3 or 4 of the country. No matter who’s right, pisco tastes good and it’s always interesting to learn more about it.
At Vik Chile Hotel you can take a mixology class where mixologist Luciano opens his bar for a pisco tasting. While you sip your glass of pisco, you listen to an explanation about the varieties, their origins and the associated flavors. The explanation ends with the preparation of two pisco sour cocktails where you again look for the different types of piscos.
A wine spa
What awaits you when you head to a spa at one of the best wine resorts in the world? I expected a wonderful massage, but I didn’t think it would be introduced by a wine bath. During the Vik Chile Signature treatment you take a warm bath for 25 minutes, with lots of red wine mixed with water. You will look out the window at the green surroundings, while enjoying a glass of rosé, fresh fruits and a cup of herbal tea. The treatment is followed by an hour-long massage and you will walk out completely zen.
Horse riding
One of the most beautiful ways to discover Viña Vik and Vik Chile is through a horseback riding tour. Less than a 10-minute drive from the hotel on the hotel grounds is a small ranch, with numerous horses, managed by Jorge. You’ll bump past and through the vineyards for an hour and get a good impression of the Viña Vik complex. Highly recommended!
How to reach Vik Chile Hotel and Viña Vik
Vik Chile is located in Millahue, in the Cachapoal Valley, a half-hour drive from the town of San Vicente de Taguatagua and a 2.5-hour drive from Santiago de Chile. It is best to rent a car in Santiago and drive there yourself.
Do you want to take a day trip from Santiago de Chile to Vik Chile? Then it is also possible to book a tour, including a tour on the VIK property and wine tasting. It is especially nice that your transportation is included. Meaning you don’t have to worry about drinking a glass of extra wine. You can book a tour here. Do you also want to enjoy a delicious lunch? Here you can book a tour and tasting including a lunch in the Pavillion restaurant.
Car rental
Looking for a rental car for your trip through Chile? Use Rental Cars to search and compare your car rental options. A quick and easy tool and no need to have up multiple tabs trying to figure out which company is the most affordable. They also have great discounts and cancellation policies.
About Viña Vik
Viña Vik was founded in 2005 by Alexander Vik and his wife Carrie, with the aim of making a top South American wine. After years of research, the mountainous part of the Cachapoal Valley, the Millahue Valley, turned out to be the most suitable. The best wine consultants and makers were recruited to make Vik a success. And now Viña Vik belongs to the top iconic wines from Chile. It was even voted the best wine resort in the world.
Sustainability also plays an important role. Examples of this are planting different types of ground cover and a special system that uses water efficiently. Also, the design of the winery includes a transparent roof, made of a special stretch fabric, providing natural light. In addition, the entrance offers a view of a mirror of water, which provides an extra cooling element. Apart from Vik Chile, Vik owns boutique hotels and retreats in Uruguay and Italy.
Do you want to stay at Viña Vik Chile Hotel? Check the latest prices and availability here. More information about Viña Vik and Vik Chile Hotel can be found on the website and instagram. Curious about Vik wines? Have a look here.
Meer over Chili
Did you enjoy reading this article? Let me take you on a journey along the most beautiful destinations in Chile. In the next articles you will find my Chile travel guides with lots of inspiration and tips.
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