Dont be misguided by how this awesome B&B looks like from the outside.... as it has over 1000 sq meters of private gardens inside!!! Also has a great view of the bay and it is in a quiet neighborhood (close to La Sebastiana). Big and beautiful rooms, great spa, abundant breakfast, and the owners really go out of their way to make feel comfortable. But the best part is the surprise garden... sorry to spoil it ;). Highly recommended.

Valpa (as it's called) in general is not a good town for wandering tourists looking for quiet relaxation. There is no beach (there are beaches nearby), no waterfront park, no single tourist district. The streets are very narrow and climb up and down the hills that give the town its charm, with story-book houses in every color on every possible square foot of land. We only spent a day there but did a lot of walking with a sampling of the artsy, free spirit that seems to define the town.

Our daughter, studying in Santiago, found and booked Puerto Natura for us on the fly after discovering that our first booking was on an industrial street and unacceptable. We were literally walking through town at 6pm with no hotel. The owners were extremely accomodating, spoke reasonably good English and gave us great service with an appropriate amount of space.

This is as much a spa resort as a B&B, with full facilities for sauna, mud bath, aromatherapy, massage, etc., though we never felt the least pressure to add any of these services. Breakfast was simple but adequate and delicious - not a place for gourmet cooking, but the orange juice was fresh-squeezed and, like much of the food, from their gardens on site.

The gardens are a key attraction - be sure to ask for a tour if there is time. Incredible to find this in the middle of the city. Location is also very good, with several options for restaurants within easy walking distance (just be very careful on the steep sidewalks with unmarked steps and curbs!). Key attraction for Valpa is Pablo Veruda's house, almost next door to Puerto Natura and built by the same architect.

First, the positives. This facility is well maintained, the rooms are clean, cheerfully colored, with good furniture, bathrooms are nice with plush towels, sheets are clean. All the creature comforts I would need to spend the night are in place (ok, the toiletries provided are minimal - soap and a little packet of shampoo). Not upscale, but also not a hostel. Overall, a very nice and comfortable facility.

Second the issues. If you are driving, beware: the place is very difficult to find. Valparaiso has very poor road signage, and the map on the website is only adequate if you know the town. We had to call the hotel for someone to come out to the main road and guide us to the place, after driving in circles for 3 hours.

Breakfast is small - you get to pick among a list of (very small) options and eat at a communal table.

Also, we had decided to change our itinerary and cut our trip short for some reasons - and encountered very chilly and unpleasant response from the owner.

To sum it up - if you don´t plan running into travel and itinerary issues, and know where you are going, the place will work out. And I am sure the owner will be nicer to you. Beware, though, if you do have issues - service changes dramatically.

We found this place in the Footprint guide, which referred to it as a "former mansion set in spacious grounds with fruit trees." So we were surprised when the cab dropped us off and the B&B was right on the street (no sweeping driveway?) but if you've been to Valparaiso, you know there's not enough flat land anywhere for the picture I had in my mind. We were then delighted to be led to a beautiful room with views of the city and bay. We saw other rooms, too, and all were well-appointed. There's a little game/sunroom inside, a comfy and elegant living room with fireplace (and some of the beautiful tile that's everywhere inside and out), a formal dining room, and... yes... out the back door, a sun deck, swimming pool, and, winding down the hill (with views uphill to Pablo Neruda's house, a block away by street), extensive grounds with flowers, fruit trees, grape arbors, and a hammock.

The owners have created a holistic center with lovely baths, massage and skin care facilities, steam baths, and a wonderful yoga/meditation room that looks out over the gardens.

Puerta Natura is clearly a labor of love, and after 3 weeks of fast-pace travel, it was a great place for us to restore ourselves.

Very well-situated, near the top of Bellavista, for walking to and from the Plan/city center and other Cerros. We hope to be able to stay there again one day, and definitely recommend it.