Intimate Interconnection at VIK Chile

The World's Most Luxurious Vineyard Hotel

Amidst the foothills of the Andes mountains, lies VIK Chile, a captivating, and wholly unique hotel cradled within the Millahue Valley. This incredible retreat embodies the harmonious fusion between humans, experience, land, climate and high technology.

VIK Chilie began in 2004 when Alex and Carrie VIK set out with the ambitious goal of making one of the best wines in the world. After a 2-year scientific search they found terroir in South America, in Millahue of Chile, a beautiful country dedicated to producing world-class wines, and soon after, VIK Vineyard was born.

An architectural competition was held in 2007, inviting architects from around the world to submit their design ideas for the winery, and in the end, Chilean architect Smiljan Radic, a celebrated Pritzker Prize candidate, created the stunning design for VIK’s winery. Set amongst the mountains and sweeping valleys, the winery is thoughtfully designed to have minimal impact upon the natural landscape.

Upon arrival, visitors are immediately immersed in the VIK experience, and will be guided through the internal workings of the winery and hotel where they will discover the 22 uniquely themed rooms, along with 7 private glass-walled bungalows.

With holism as an engine and guide, VIK Chilie honour the idea of intimate interconnection within every aspect of the vineyard and hotel. Not only does this culminate in a truly exceptional stay for visitors, but also continually inspires VIK team members to move forward in their work with care and compassion.

VIK’s premium wines are sourced from Millahue, which is located in the Cachapoal Valley. Each year, the valley shares the richness of its terroir and its different microclimates. Since arriving in 2004, VIK Chilie have contributed to the progress and development of the land, enhancing its natural beauty and becoming part of the environment and a community that they greatly respect and care for.

Aware of the responsibility they have taken on by inhabiting this space, VIK Chilie seek to protect its environmental and social ecosystem through their agricultural and winemaking practices, while also striving to highlight the local communities, creating quality jobs and to give their employees opportunities.

Through their sustainability efforts, VIK has accredited, through final certification under the IREC standard, that 100% of the electricity it uses comes from renewable energy through non-polluting clean sources.?

The hotel promotes products made by local suppliers and SMEs. They also encourage local producers to recover endangered endemic products such as the pink tomato, which VIK is working to help save, along with other plant species by propagating them and harvesting, sharing their seeds with other local producers and people who are interested in their conservation.

The winery has an organic garden that occupies over two hectares of fertile soil. It produces approximately 250 varieties of fruit, vegetables, edible flowers and herbs, as well as blue eggs from Coyonka chickens, which are raised by the local Mapuche people. Adopting an innovative approach, guests are offered a menu based on the yield from the garden.

As such, the menu is constantly evolving and reflects the generosity of the daily harvest, along with the changing seasons, to use only the highest quality in season ingredients. Offerings from the garden such as edible flowers, seeds, shoots, herbs and quinoa, along with a myriad of fruit and vegetables, are staples of the menu, culminating in a vibrant and refreshing dining experience. Anything not taken from the garden comes from local farmers and small-scale producers who provide seafood, fish and meats.

VIK endeavour to promote the winery’s oenological practices among their guests and thus, visitors are invited to source their own food, which is cooked and served outdoors. The hotel also holds tastings of seeds and edible flowers hosted by the head chef, as well as cooking classes, wine pairing activities and special tastings.

Chief Winemaker Cristian Vallejo oversees VIK's viticulture and viniculture, ensuring grapes are harvested by hand and fermentation occurs naturally with no added yeasts. The passionate and precise work that goes into caring for the land and all of its offerings has borne fruit in a myriad of wonderful ways. And as such, Alex and Carrie VIK’s dream of creating one of the best wines in the world has become a reality, when in 2023, VIK Chilie was named number three among the best vineyards in the world, and South America’s leading wine region hotel, a truly shining moment for the hotel and winery.

At the heart of VIK Chilie is the dedication and commitment to the harmonious interconnection of the natural world and humans. Every aspect of VIK Chilie, from the vineyard to the hotel, works in harmony with one another, culminating in a luxurious experience like no other. The retreat also seeks to share this holistic mindset with guests through activities, as well as the warm and attentive hospitality provided by members of the VIK team.

What can we learn from VIK Chilie? How can we integrate this holistic approach into the hospitality industry in order to provide luxurious experiences that are not at the cost of the natural world around us, but in fact working in harmony with the environment?

Written by Katie Wilson, EP Business in Hospitality