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UK: 01473 890499Rating: Deluxe
Enjoy the friendly atmosphere at Tierra Atacama as you relax between trips into the desert. The hotel has been designed and built in sympathy with the environment, and large windows in your room and in the main area allow you to take in the wonderful views.
Having settled in you meet one of the guides who explains the range of excursions open to you, and helps you plan your stay, with full and half day trips and opportunities for hiking, cycling, horse riding, all amidst the stunning desert scenery. This ensures that you don’t miss out any of your preferred options and can divide your time between exploring and relaxing at the lodge as you wish. Excursions are shared with other guests, typically in small groups of 4-6, but no more than 8, so you are never part of a crowd.
At the hotel you can relax as you soak up some sun on the deck and then cool off with a swim in the infinity pool, and can spoil yourself with a massage or sauna at the spa, the perfect way to ease your body after time out and about. The terrace is the perfect spot to enjoy the sunset and, later, some star gazing. Families are welcome, and there are board games and a TV in the lounge. Dining is one of life’s great pleasures, and that is certainly the case at Tierra Atacama where regional dishes are spruced up with contemporary techniques and presentation.
Rooms are thoughtfully decorated with local touches such as cowhide rugs, handmade throws and hand carved llama figures. Individual climate control and ceiling fans modulate the temperature, and you have a private terrace where you can rest in the open air.
Photographs courtesy Tierra Hotels
Open: Tierra Atacama is open all year.
Location: Tierra Atacama is located on 6 hectares of grounds on the outskirts of San Pedro de Atacama, about a 25 minute walk or short bike ride from the town centre. The closest airport is Calama, about 100kms and a 90 minute drive away. The hotel is at an altitude of 2,450 metres, and oxygen is available to assist with acclimatisation.
Rooms: There are 32 rooms divided into 3 categories: oriente, poniente and family. All have climate control, ceiling fan, safe, en-suite bathroom, hairdryer, Wi-Fi and private terrace with views of the Andes mountains and desert. Poniente bathrooms have both a bath and shower, while oriente rooms have a shower. Both types of room also have an outdoor shower. Family rooms are arranged over 2 floors, have a master bedroom and 2 twin rooms, all en-suite, and can sleep up to 6 people.
Activities: You meet with a guide at the beginning of your stay to plan your activities, revolving around your preferences. Possible activities include hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, bird watching, trips to valleys, lagoons, salt flats, geysers and archaeological sites, and star gazing. A 5 night minimum stay is required for anyone wanting to take part in activities that take place over 4,000 metres in altitude, to allow sufficient time for safe acclimatisation. Excursions tend to be in groups of 4 to 6 people, with a maximum of 8 and no minimum number required. Private excursions can be organised and need to be booked and paid for in advance. You can also visit San Pedro de Atacama to see the historic church and handicraft market.
Facilities: The hotel has a restaurant (see below) with full length windows, and a bar offering drinks and nibbles. The lounge has a TV and a collection of board games, and there’s a map room where you can research excursions. Outdoors there’s a swimming pool and a terrace with a firepit. Uma Spa provides a wide range of treatments and has a jacuzzi, steam room and heated indoor pool with water jets. There are areas for yoga and meditation.
Dining: The restaurant specialises in north Chilean dishes that tend to be light, which suits the high altitude location. Local ingredients, traditional recipes and a contemporary approach are all combined in the cuisine. Smart-casual wear is recommended for dinner.
Children: Children of all ages are welcome, and family rooms can sleep up to 6, and cots can be provided. Baby-sitting can be arranged on request.
Health: Be aware of the effects of altitude when visiting here.
Communication: There is Wi-Fi internet access throughout the hotel.
Notes: The hotel operates an all-inclusive package which includes return airport transfers, shared excursions (1 full day or 2 half day per day), breakfast, lunch, dinner and house drinks, use of the pools, sauna and jacuzzi. The hotel accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards, and there are ATMs in San Pedro de Atacama for cash withdrawals.
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Vessel
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National Park
Historic site
Place of Interest
UNESCO heritage site 
Visit the contrasting landscapes of Chile; experience the Atacama desert, Chiloe Island and the jaw-dropping scenery of Patagonia and Torres del Paine.
Explore three contrasting regions of Chile, with varied tours led by local guides, as you experience desert, lake and mountain scenery.
Tierra Hotels seek to minimise their impact on the local environment and work in harmony with local communities. Tierra Atacama is the first hotel in South America to produce solar-power electricity with its state of the art solar plant. The hotel has a well and a reverse osmosis water treatment plant, and reuses grey water to irrigate the plants and trees in its gardens, grown on reclaimed land. The hotel employs local school leavers as apprentices to work on different aspects including tourism, electricity and agriculture, helping them pursue their careers.
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0"When you first walk in to Tierra Atacama you can’t help but say ‘wow’. The view of Andean volcanoes from the main area and the rooms is just stunning. The hotel continued to wow us over the next four days, taking us on amazing excursions to see the many aspects of the Atacama and plying us with gorgeous food and wine. Add to this as great spa, friendly and knowledgeable staff and you can see why I’d return like a shot. Do not stay less than 3 nights, you’ll regret it!"
Tribes Travel, The Old Dairy, Wood Farm, Ipswich Road, Otley, Suffolk, IP6 9JW. Office hours: Mon - Fri: 9am to 5.30pm Telephone: 01473 890499
