Although the Providencia Hostal in Santiago, Chile is fairly close to the area where many demonstrations have been going on, I felt safe there. The hostel had a gated card entry door for guests only. Hostel staff advised guests about areas to stay away from and they suggest that you do not go out after dark. Although dark at this time of the year isn’t until about 9pm, so there is lots of evening. During the day I didn’t experience any problems near the hostel and I enjoyed a couple of meals at the numerous restaurants nearby.
I took a city tour with Viator tours, it was reasonably priced ($40 Canadian) and a great way to see the sites with a local who knew how to avoid problem areas. They picked me up and dropped me back at the hostel. The hostel also provided tour options. In the evening the hostel had a bar so you could stay in, enjoy a drink and socialize with others.
Hostal Providencia was huge with many quiet nooks where you could find a comfy couch or chair to relax on. Breakfast was provided and I loved that they had laundry facilities since I really needed to wash clothes. The staff were friendly and helpful and they reserved taxis ahead of time for trips to bus station or airport, even negotiating a good rate. I definitely recommend that you don’t skip Santiago because of concerns about protests.
Pucon, Chile was my next destination and I highly recommend it. The scenery is spectacular with it’s volcano, black sand beaches, national parks, waterfalls, hot springs and many hiking trails. The town has many hostels, restaurants, shops and all amenities needed for a pleasant stay. The overnight bus from Santiago took almost 10 hours on a comfortable sleeper style bus and in Pucon there were local buses that had regular service to the sites in the area.
