Santiago transfers and hotel

[Pooky11]

Hi

We are due to sail with HAL on the Feb 16th cruise of South America. I have just booked transfers with Worldwide Shore Services who are recommended by HAL from Santiago to Valparaiso - has anyone ever used them? Is it a direct trip to Valparaiso or is there a guide making it more of a tour? I've paid $77pp - would it be better to cancel and book one of the other tourist tranfers people have mentioned?

I also wondered if anyone had stayed in the Sheraton in Santiago and if it was a good location etc. Also are there any other hotels nearby that people think are better?

thanks!
Pooky

[dakrewser]

The Sheraton Santiago is given a so-so rating bt Trip Advisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294305-d304503-Reviews-Sheraton_Santiago_Hotel_and_Convention_Center-Santiago.html) while the Four Points by Sheraton (a less expensive hotel) is rated somewhat higher. I do tend to trust Trip Advisor's rankings.

I've no experience with the transfers, best to ask this on the Ports of Call forums...

[crazy4cruisn]

Go to Destinations on this boad then go to South America. Great info there. We booked a private transfer and are staying at the Hotel Kennedy in a residential neighborhood. We leave one week from today!!!

[Bill S]

We stayed at the Santiago Hyatt Regency. It was excellent! But, it is sort of out the way, in an upscale residential/commercial area of Santiago. The accomodations were superb and we had a great view of the Andes in the distance.

We used Port Compass for our transfer to Valparaiso--I am not sure that they are still in business, but we shared a van with another couple who were on the same cruise. Our transfer did include a brief stop at a winery, a scenic tour of Vina del Mar and a tour around Valparaiso, including lunch at a quaint restaurant in Valparaiso.