About this hotel
General information
Tierra Atacama sits in a green oasis on the edge of San Pedro de Atacama, some 2,400 m up, with the cone of the Licancabur volcano in view from almost everywhere. Chilean architects Rodrigo Searle and Matías González built it on the site of a long-abandoned cattle corral, keeping its 150-year-old adobe entrance walls, which landscape architect Teresa Moller wove into gardens watered with recycled grey water. More than 40 local artisans shaped the interiors, so Atacameño culture runs through the handwoven textiles, handmade figurines and a hand-painted wall map of the region. There are just 28 rooms.
The lodge runs on an all-inclusive basis: breakfast, lunch and dinner, an open bar with house wines and spirits, two half-day or one full-day signature excursion daily in small guided groups, use of the pools, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, and scheduled transfers from Calama airport. Part of the Beckons collection, it runs on hybrid solar power and draws water from its own well rather than the village supply.
Location
The lodge stands on the outskirts of San Pedro de Atacama in Chile's Antofagasta region, on the Altiplano above the Atacama Desert, facing the Andes, the Domeyko range and Licancabur volcano (5,919 m); the village streets are a 15-minute walk away. Flights from Santiago to Calama take about two hours, followed by roughly an hour by road: scheduled shared transfers are complimentary, private ones are extra. Guests can also drive themselves, with parking on site.
Spa
Uma Spa, named after the Aymara word for water, occupies a stone-clad pavilion in the gardens. Indoors there is a heated pool with water jets and bubble beds, a sauna, a steam room and three treatment rooms, one of them for couples; outside, an infinity pool and jacuzzi look out to Licancabur beside a sun deck. Treatments draw on desert plants, with rica rica and chañar used as natural exfoliants and a thermal desert mud for wraps, across massages (including hot volcanic stones), facials, reflexology, lymphatic drainage and longer rituals. Pools and thermal areas are included; treatments are charged separately, and the spa is reserved for hotel guests.
Sports & leisure
Days revolve around guided outings with resident guides, who build each itinerary around the guest's fitness and interests. Signature excursions are included and run in small groups:
- the Salar de Atacama with Toconao village and the flamingos of Chaxa Lagoon
- a float in the salty Cejar Lagoon
- a morning walk through the Valley of the Moon
- Rainbow Valley and the pre-Columbian petroglyphs of Hierbas Buenas
- the El Tatio geysers at sunrise
- the high Andean lagoons of Piedras Rojas, Miscanti and Miñiques
- stargazing with a professional telescope
- treks through Devil's Canyon, Cactus Valley and the Purilactis Valley, and from Machuca to Río Grande
- bike rides and horseback rides with local baqueanos
At extra cost: an ascent of the extinct Cerro Toco volcano (5,600 m; 18+ and only after five nights acclimatising at the hotel), the Puritama hot springs in their canyon, a sunrise balloon flight and a session with a professional photographer. The spa also has a small air-conditioned gym and a studio for daily yoga classes.
For children
Children aged 10 and over are welcome. The two-level Apartment sleeps six and suits families, and the Poniente Room takes a rollaway bed for a guest aged 10–17.
Restaurants & bars
The single restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling windows onto the desert, serves contemporary northern Chilean cooking on seasonal menus — Chilean beef, lamb, seafood and bright salads, partly from the hotel's own garden — with house-made ice creams flavoured with chañar, rica rica and algarrobo. The fireside bar and terrace, facing Licancabur, are known for a signature rica rica cocktail, Chilean wines and craft beer. The restaurant is for hotel guests only, and there is no in-room dining.
Swimming
The pools belong to Uma Spa: an outdoor infinity pool and jacuzzi with loungers on a sun deck look across the gardens to Licancabur, and a heated indoor pool with hydro-massage sits inside the pavilion. The Suite has its own plunge pool on the terrace.
Rooms
28 rooms in four categories, from the intimate Oriente and Poniente rooms to suites with private plunge pools and a two-level Apartment for families. Travertine, marble and timber meet local handcrafts, and large windows frame the Andes and Licancabur.
King or twin beds, climate control, locally handcrafted furniture, a private terrace and a bathroom with walk-in rain shower, plus an open-air shower in the Oriente and Poniente rooms; Wi-Fi is complimentary throughout.
Oriente Room
An intimate room with a canopy bed (king or twin), a marble bathroom and rain showers both indoors and outdoors. The private terrace, with a fireplace, looks towards Licancabur; for up to two guests.
Poniente Room
A generous room with an angled ceiling, a tall picture window, a sitting area, a marble bathroom and an open-air shower. The sunny terrace faces the Cordillera de la Sal; for two guests, with a rollaway bed possible for a teenager.
Suite
A suite with a lounge around a suspended fireplace, a bathroom with deep soaking tub and rain shower, and a terrace with fireplace and plunge pool facing Licancabur. For two guests; the rate includes a personal guide and vehicle for private airport transfers and excursions.
Apartment
A two-level apartment above an olive grove: upstairs, a king bedroom with its own bathroom and a large terrace; downstairs, two more bedrooms (queen or twin) sharing a bathroom. A coffee station and minibar on each level; sleeps up to six.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.