Andrew Loughlin ends his South American journey and squeezes in a short visit to Chile checking out some places to stay and enjoy the local cuisine...

SANTIAGO, with the backdrop of the Andes, constantly in your peripheral vision, has a good feel about the place. The people are friendly and the cost of living is certainly 30-40% less than the UK. The Hotel Atton Santiago, located off the Centre Santiago, is a 4* hotel and sets a nice tone to the start of any trip. It's close to many amenities, with great shops further on down on Av. Alonso de Cordova, and offers excellent food in the hotel. The only down side is that it is a bit removed from the main area for restaurants and nightlife, with El Bosque being the main area for restaurants with plenty to choose from.

Many visitors regard Santiago as little more than a convenient place to spend a night before heading either north or south in search of Chile's natural wonders. But Santiago is a unique city with 17th-century churches, lively markets and colourful street life, set against a dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

VINA DEL MAR is a wonderful city and with a distinctly easy going feel to it. The front is the place to hang out, and the beach is well used, even during August (winter in the southern hemisphere). The beach is clean, there are market stalls, artists, and the Enjoy Café is well worth a visit. There is also a good shopping mall, with prices a good 50% less than the UK . For a better class meal there is the Enjoy Del Mar restaurant beside the Hotel Del Mar, the main 5* hotel in the city, which is a wonderful spot to watch the sunset. Another fairly new restaurant is the Barlovento at 2 Norte 195 and well worth a try, with some excellent food and atmosphere. There are also several pubs around Norte 4, as well as restaurants on nearby 6 Poniente/ St Martin, which has something for everyone. I stayed at Hotel Monterilla, on 2 North 65, which has been described as an ‘appealing boutique hotel and one of the best in Chile', and is located next to the Hotel Del Mar.