In my recent trip to the Atacama Desertno ChileI stayed at the excellent Hotel Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa. In a lush landscape, facing the mountains of Deserto hotel This five-star hotel is a great option for those who want to spend relaxed days in contact with nature.
Read here: The Singular, one of the best hotels in Santiago
Location
In the middle of the Catarpe Valley and the Cordillera do Sal, the hotel has an architectural design that is in total harmony with the scenery of the Desert. An environment that gives us a lot of calm and is ideal for resting and forgetting about life for a while.
In addition to the included meals, tours are also included in the daily rate. So, the guest doesn’t have to worry about almost anything. Just choose the tours that are most to your liking.
Read more: Vira Vira, a Relais&Chateaux in Pucón, Chile
Tours in Atacama
Upon arrival, a staff member hotel invites you to a “meeting”, armed with a map of the region and explains all the activities on offer. There are around 30 excursions, including bicycle tours, horseback riding, and many trekkings. It is worth remembering that we are in the Desert and that the temperature varies a lot: very hot during the day and very cold at night. Furthermore, there is the problem of altitude (each person feels differently. I suffer a lot) and most tours require a certain amount of physical preparation. So, it’s a good idea to take this into account when choosing your schedule and ask as many questions as possible so you don’t regret the tour you chose.
Some of the best Chilean architects and landscapers are the authors of Upper Atacama, a hotel that attracts attention right away, starting with its surroundings. The care taken in the choice of environments is noticeable, which interact very well with their location.
Click here to read tips about Valle Nevado
Furthermore, hotel It is very well decorated and matches the environment in which it is located. Lots of wood, metal, straw and the terra cotta color always present. Adornments such as tapestries and ceramics made by local artisans.
The Alto Atacama rooms
There are three categories of rooms, all of which have a balcony facing the Salt Mountain Range. Tilo Suite: 70m² and balcony, with an outside shower; Standard Catarpe: 51m2 and Quitor: five rooms closer to the hotel’s common areas, 50m2. The latter was mine, very comfortable and ideal for one person or a couple. A truly sensational view!
Find out what to do in Santiago, Chile
It is worth remembering that the rooms do not have a television. The hotel’s idea is precisely for guests to disconnect from the rhythm of everyday life. I confess that I didn’t miss it at all. I spent so little time in my room that I only noticed the lack of TV on the third day.
Prices for double rooms vary from US$650 to US$850 per day, depending on the type of room and time of year.
The gastronomy of Alto Atacama
The food at the hotel is very tasty and in style. farm to table (from farm to table), as there is a vegetable garden in the hotel itself. The menu is based on local cuisine, with contemporary touches. The products are fresh and very organic. There is an indoor and an outdoor room, where we have the chance to eat with a sensational view of the mountains. All accompanied by excellent Chilean wines, for those who like it.
It is worth remembering that as this is a restaurant all inclusive, the menu doesn’t have a thousand dish options. But for those who stay for three or four nights, you can eat something different at every meal. Those who have restrictions can notify them in advance and the team will promptly make substitutions. We had cases like this in our group and everything went super well!
The breakfast is plentiful and offers a little bit of everything. For longer tours, the team prepares a snack and/or lunch for guests, in style. In fact, after several of the tours, the guides set up a table, even though we are in the middle of the Desert, and offer drinks and treats. Very chic to be able to drink a good wine in front of an incredible landscape like this, isn’t it?
The hotel spa
One of the highlights of the Upper Atacama without a doubt it is its swimming pools and Purispa! Considered one of the ten best spas in Latin America, just looking at its surroundings makes us relax. Taking into account the dryness of the Desert, a massage with creams and/or oils can be very good for our skin.
There are also Turkish baths and saunas and several hot and cold water pools and whirlpools. I recommend setting aside a few hours of your day to enjoy the spa and pools, which are more than just relaxing. Ideal to spend a few hours there after an intense day of tourism, especially in Desertwhere everything is more tiring than normal.
I had a sensational stay at Hotel Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spaa tourist destination that impresses any traveler, even the most experienced.
For more information, visit the hotel’s official website.
Text and Photos by Renata Araujo
Read more:
4 luxury hotels in Buzios
Shangrila Hotels presents new features
Llao Llao Golf & Spa Resort in Bariloche
Hotel 45 Park Lane, London
