When you’re traveling through the Chilean altiplano at the edge of the Atacama Desert, it helps to be comfortable. Days can be hot and dusty. Nights can be cold. But when you’re staying at Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa, you barely notice.
Right on the edge of San Pedro de Atacama (just a 15-minute walk), an oasis town in the altiplano, Tierra Atacama’s wide-open spaces make you feel as if you’re on a vast resort property. The central living room, decorated in Atacameñan details like rich textiles and blonde wood accents, shares space with the dining room and bar—yet it never feels crowded. Fragrant lavender and drought-tolerant plants are scattered through the spaces between rooms, allowing guests to feel as if they have some breathing room.
The resort’s 32 rooms come in three styles: Oriente, Poniente and Family. Oriente rooms have big-window and terrace views of the Licancabur volcano. Poniente rooms are more spacious and have volcano views, but the patios look out on mountains and the property’s farmland. Family rooms, ideal for families or groups traveling together, sleep up to six people. All hotel rooms have outdoor showers, L’Occitane products, robes, slippers, hairdryers, in-room safes, bottled water and complimentary Wi-Fi.
There’s a two-night minimum at the all-inclusive resort. Rates start at $970 per person for two nights. Staying an odd number of nights? Half of the two-night rate is $485. Tierra Atacama’s all-inclusive offerings include transfers to and from Calama airport, three meals per day and open bar, daily excursions (either two half-day excursions or one full-day excursion each day) and use of the Uma Spa facilities (treatments are available for an additional charge).
Guests on the hotel’s adventures and excursions are accompanied by bilingual guides and include: walking and hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, bird-watching and wildlife viewing, volcano ascents, star gazing, and archaeological tours. While I was a guest at Tierra Atacama, I visited the Atacama Salt Flat to see three kinds of flamingoes, drove to 14,100 feet to see the Tatio Geysers, viewed the Moon Valley and the Salt Mountain Range, rode a horse through the Devil’s Canyon, and hiked through the Machuca Valley.
You can skip an excursion and just relax on the property. Sweeping volcano views and day beds abound, and you can always cool off in the pool or warm up in the hot tub. For extra pampering, relax with a spa treatment and watch the sun set from the pool deck. After dinner, head out to do some stargazing.
See more at the official website for Tierra Atacama.
You can also check prices online at Hotels.com.
Article and photos by Jill K. Robinson of Danger Jill Robinson.
I was a guest of Tierra Atacama during part of my stay in Chile.
