Carrera Hotel, Santiago, Chile (1950 – 1960)

* This InterContinental Hotel was subsidiary to Pan American World Airways until 1960

Who is Mr. Neal Prince? Mr. Prince is a trained Architect from Rice University, an Art Historian, Art Collector and a person with a vast passion for Motion Pictures and Theatre History, especially Set Designs. These elements came together to build a foundation to Mr. Prince's skills, which later became recognized as his ability for designing Hotel and Restaurant Interiors. Mr. Prince incorporated his own passions of above, into an International branding philosophy that remains as strong today as it was when he developed his philosophy of Hotel and Restaurant Designs, which is visible today, in Hotels worldwide. But what makes Mr. Prince different? He was a pioneer within this Industry, along with Dale and Pat Keller, of Hong Kong, in designing Hotels in countries that never had an International Hotel presence. Mr. Prince, along with Kenneth Smith (Interior Designer), Charles Alvey (Graphic Designer), Richard Simpson (Graphic Designer), William Embury (Interior Designer), Joe Grusczak (Interior Designer), James Ray Baker (Interior Designer) and Irene D'Alessio (Interior Designer) and many others were the first, to sent the standards for International Hotel Interiors. And what is incredible is that he did not have the grand budgets that most designers have today. Mr. Prince used local talents and products, when available and appropriate, to augment his designs, which, in return, allowed local Artist, Gallery Owners, Merchants and vendors to view InterContinental not as an invader, but as a partner in creating new sources of commence within the local economy. What is even more unique in Mr. Prince being different, was that Mr. Prince has always credited his success, not in the terms of "I", but "WE". Mr. Prince, being from Corsicana, Texas, has always remained modest and respectful and always have contributed his success due to the fact that designing hotels is a "TEAM" effort, from his Departmental Staff to his Professional Associate Designers that he had brought on to do a certain project for the vast inventory of InterContinental Hotel holdings. This website is to bring together the collections, resources, stories and images documenting a period of time, before computers, mobile phones, fax's or video conferencing. This website is to recapture the time when International Hotel Design Industry remained in its infancy before the growth and development into what we have today as multi billion dollar companies. Each Hotel on this website will encompass how Mr. Prince and his Staff and Professional Associates overcame the troubles of designing Hotels, from a historic point of view, to what was necessary to open the Hotels, maintain the Hotels, and what lessons were learned to be applied for the next project.

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Carrera InterContinental Hotel

Only the more sophisticated types could be found skimming down Portillo's slopes, or sunning on Vina del Mar's Pacific beaches. Back at Santiago's Hotel Carrera, where they had gathered at the cocktail hour for a "pisco sour" or two before dinner, they would have wink at one another. They knew they weren't confused. Besides, they loved this long, narrow country and the friendly, surprisingly fair-haired "Santiaguinos." (Any city with a strikingly beautiful boulevard named Bernardo O'Higgins," you had to love). If they weren't out shopping, fishing, playing. golf, tennis or horseback riding, they could sit in their rooms and watch they colorful "carabineros" changing the guard in front of the Presidential Palace just below in the square. And then there was that incredible view of the snow-capped Andes from the hotel's roof. It was a great life. Reversing the seasons can confuse people. But sophisticates will talk. Nowadays, everybody knows you bring ski boots to Chile in summer, swim things in winter (unless, of course, you happen to live below the equator). Any time of the year, this Hotel was fabulous.

Thoughout the years, they had still wink at one another in the Hotel Carrera. They knew they're on to a good thing.

Location:

Santiago, Chile (Property was sold in 1960)

Lobby:

Architect:

Lead Interior Designer:

Neal Prince ASID Intercontinental Hotel Designer Pan-Am
Neal A. Prince, R.A., A.S.I.D, Lead Designer
V.P. of Graphic and Interior Design Department, InterContinental Hotel Group 1960-1985

Rooms:

- No Photograph is available at this time

Restaurants/Lounges:

Cabana Club

- No Photograph is available at this time

Robinson Crusoe Bar - festive night club and restaurant

- No Photograph is available at this time

How does Mr. Prince's identify an outstanding Hotel?

Response:
When you arrive at the Hotel, telephone room service and order a club sandwich to be delivered to your room. Once the room service had delivered your requested club sandwich, take a moment to access how it was prepared, what materials they used to create your club sandwich and then taste the sandwich. Mr. Prince firmly believes, from 55 years of travelling around the world that if a Hotel is able to prepare the "simple" club sandwich correctly, then that Hotel is being operated correctly.