Review: Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa

Why did this hotel catch your attention? What's the vibe? In a near-rainless plateau, this desert-modernist hotel feels wildly hospitable, with its restorative plunge pool overlooking the sometimes-smoking Licancabur Volcano and al fresco showers that allow you to scope unbelievably bright constellations while washing the shampoo out of your hair. Think cowhide rugs, white mud walls, four poster beds with roll-down wooden shutters, and floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Andean peaks.

What's the backstory? The Tierra brand (which also owns sister properties in Chiloé and Patagonia) is known for its boutique adventure lodges. It's owned by the Purcell family, which also owns and operates Ski Portillo.

Tell us all about the accommodations. Any tips on what to book? Rooms were done in a desert modernist way. Cowhide rugs, white mud walls, four poster beds with roll down wooden shutters, floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Andean peaks. Also included a beautiful little patio with rattan chairs overlooking desert terrain. Outdoor shower was especially cool, especially at night when the stars were absurdly bright.

Drinking and dining—what are we looking at? Tierra Atacama is an all inclusive adventure lodge, meaning all meals and house wines/cocktails/beverages were included. Food really played on Chilean basics—steak, lamb, some seafood, fresh baked bread on site. Breakfast was the star—sipping coca tea (a very Chilean morning beverage) and eating fresh baked rolls with local palm honey was the ideal way to start your day before heading out on a geyser tour or Valley of the Moon hike. The wine list is impressive—you can drink terrific Chilean wines, and the pisco sour here is one of the best in the desert.

And the service? Service was flawless and the staff walks every guest through excursion opportunities—from horseback rides in the desert to hiking a volcano. All of the excursions are led by the incredibly informed hotel guides who live in the Atacama and are brilliantly familiar with the terrain they are covering.

What type of travelers will you find here? Adventurers with cash, who, yes, want to hike trails among surreal rock formations in Moon Valley but also want to splash around hydrotherapy pools and drink really terrific Chilean reds.

What about the neighborhood? Does the hotel fit in, make itself part of the scene? Tierra Atacama is near San Pedro which is not a small town you want to navigate on your own. This is why the region is dominated by adventure lodges that plan everything for you and are usually all-inclusive. You come here to have locals guide you through the driest desert in the world. I do think a trip into town to buy blankets near the bus stop is worth it, however.

Is there anything you'd change? Not a thing. Such a great experience.

Any other hotel features worth noting? After dark, you can go stargazing with an Atacamenan astronomer who will tell you this is the best spot in the world to see the Milky Way more clearly than anywhere else on the planet, thanks to the expansive desert and lack of artificial light.

Bottom line: Worth it? Why? Yes. This is the place to stay if you're heading to the Atacama. Tierra really knows service and how to make their guest's stay memorable. This is not an easy place to get to, so you can tell this hotel really prides itself on making this adventure lodge stand out from the others in the area.