Antay Casino Hotel

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what caught me off guard about the Antay Casino Hotel? Walking into that lobby, I honestly wasn’t expecting something so polished in Copiapó – I mean, this isn’t Santiago we’re talking about. But there it was, this genuinely impressive five-star setup right on Los Carrera, and suddenly the mining executives I’d been seeing around town made a lot more sense. The whole place has this understated elegance that feels appropriate for the desert – not trying too hard to be flashy, but clearly expensive in that quiet way that actually costs more.

The location is pretty smart when you think about it. You’re close enough to the Plaza de Armas that you can walk there in maybe ten minutes (though honestly, in Copiapó’s heat, you’ll probably want to drive), but far enough out on Los Carrera that you’re not dealing with the evening crowd noise. The casino downstairs gives the place a certain energy – there’s always something happening, people coming and going, but it’s not rowdy or anything. Actually, I found it kind of nice having that low hum of activity; made the place feel alive rather than like one of those sterile business hotels. Parking was never an issue, which anyone who’s driven around Chilean city centers will appreciate.

What really impressed me was how the staff seemed to actually know the area – not just the tourist stuff, but practical things. When I mentioned wanting to head out to the Atacama early one morning, the front desk guy immediately started talking about which routes to avoid and where to grab supplies, like he’d done the drive himself. The rooms are legitimately nice too, with these thick walls that keep things quiet and cool even when it’s blazing outside. The AC actually works properly (not always a given in smaller Chilean cities), and the beds are that perfect firmness where you don’t wake up feeling like you slept on concrete. I will say the Wi-Fi can be a bit spotty in some rooms – nothing terrible, but if you’re trying to upload photos or do video calls, you might want to work from the lobby. Small thing, but worth knowing. The whole experience just feels more thoughtful than most places in this part of Chile, like someone actually considered what travelers need rather than just checking boxes on a luxury hotel list.