Atacama Desert, Chile

Hotel Desertica

Contemporary calm in Chile’s high desert

A patio terrace scene with two-tiered green pools and rock slab terraces with steps up to a shaded seating area with colourful sofas, chairs and lampshades in red, turquoise and brown, with green trees behind.

A design-led sanctuary in San Pedro de Atacama surrounded by olive trees and open skies

Hotel Desértica offers a sense of stillness in the centre of San Pedro de Atacama, the main gateway to the raw beauty of Chile’s high desert. The hotel was built on the site of an old orchard, and its adobe walls and timber walkways are elevated on stilt architecture to preserve the original irrigation channels and local trees. From your suite, wide glass doors open onto a private terrace surrounded by olive and jacaranda, so you always feel connected to the Atacama Desert’s soft light and immense silence.

Inside, your suite combines contemporary design with Indigenous craftwork – woven rugs, stone floors and warm wood tones that echo the landscape. At the heart of the property is a tranquil courtyard with an outdoor pool and shaded lounge areas. The restaurant serves seasonal Chilean dishes prepared with ingredients from the Atacama and the wider Altiplano, such as quinoa, goat cheese and fresh herbs.

A variety of tailored excursions bring you close to the desert’s remarkable geography: the lunar landscapes of Valle de la Luna, the steaming El Tatio geysers at dawn or the pastel lagoons of the Altiplano, where flamingos gather in pink flocks. As the day fades, return to Desértica’s orchard paths lit by lanterns, where the stars above San Pedro glitter in some of the clearest skies on Earth.

Highlights

Stay in one of 12 adobe suites with a terrace opening onto desert orchards

Taste regional Chilean cuisine inspired by the Altiplano and Atacama ingredients

Explore nearby Valle de la Luna, El Tatio geysers and high-elevation lagoons

Stargaze beneath one of the world’s clearest night skies with sweeping views of the Milky Way

Cool off in the pool, shaded by olive trees and desert flowers

Interior of a round bedroom with wooden or thatch walls, a bed with grey and colourful pink textile bedding, and lampshades and footstools in textiles and leather.

Exterior of a shaded seating area with grey walls and a long banquette on the right with multi-coloured woven pillows and blankets. On the walls are baskets and overhead are basket lampshades. The sun shines in on part of the terrace where there are low tables and stools.

Exterior shot of a stone pathway with an old tree with curving branches.

Exterior of a pool area with umbrella shades and an indoor-outdoor shaded walkway made of stone and covered by wooden portal, with tree branches for columns.

Evening shot of a paved stone walkway leading to a room with thatched roof and wooden door slightly ajar. Alongside the footpath are green trees and plants and low lighting below the stone lighting up the scene with yellow light.

Interior of a bar and restaurant area, with a high bar and high chairs, and in the background are lower tables and an exterior seated patio area visible through glass windows.

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Places to combine Hotel Desértica with

Santiago

Le Reve

A charming boutique hotel set in the heart of the relaxed Providencia district of the city.

The hotel has an elegant, French style to the decoration of the rooms and communal areas combined with modern comforts.

Service is personal and attentive making this a relaxing and enjoyable place to stay and explore the city from.

Valparaiso

Casa Higueras

An excellent boutique hotel, Casa Higueras is located in the upmarket Cerro Alegre area with great views out across the harbour and Plaza Sottomayor.

The hotel’s a little larger than other hotels of a similar style in the area with twenty rooms and therefore has a more developed infrastructure with larger and more extensive communal areas and facilities. Guests can enjoy a great restaurant, outdoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi as well as the large terraces and garden.

A 1920s building, the hotel was completely refurbished in 2006 in an elegant style mixing the contemporary with the historical aspect of the building.

Wine Region

Vik Chile

The extraordinary sophistication and contemporary chic of the Vik Chile is quite simply unparalleled in Chile’s wine region.

Easter Island

Explora Rapa Nui

Another luxurious addition to the Explora hotel range. The Rapa Nui hotel doesn’t disappoint, very much in the concept of the other Explora properties with stunning architecture, beautiful curving wooden interiors, exemplary service and activities.

Set on a hill in a quiet area away from the more populated Hanga Roa. The 30 well-appointed rooms each have a sea view and are tastefully decorated in keeping with the surrounds. Rooms are equipped with hydro-massage baths to relax in after a day exploring.

Hotel facilities include an outdoor pool and jacuzzi as well as a spa area to relax in. All meals and full program of activities are included in the cost.

The hotel is also renowned for its innovative educational scheme, the Explora Rapa Nui Terevaka Outreach Programme, aimed at allowing students to gain knowledge in enriching the island’s scientific and touristic potential.