January 28, 2009

Latin America | Chile | Atacama

Some Like it Chile

By Nicole Cotroneo

It’s a three-way standoff to be Atacama’s ultimate desert oasis.
Originally published on January 7, 2008.

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The driest place on earth may seem an unlikely spot for a luxury retreat — yet Chile’s dramatic Atacama Desert just bagged its third. Boutique hotel and spa Tierra Atacama joins last year’s newcomer, Awasi (a private sanctuary with just eight sumptuous cottages), as well as the region’s trailblazers, Explora (who set the standard with personal Jacuzzis, four interconnecting pools and private stables). Softly opening this week, Tierra Atacama has 32 guestrooms with private terraces and views of Licancabur, a 6,000-foot volcano (not the one that just erupted last week). The owners — the same family empire behind Chile’s premier ski resort, Portillo — have gone for a “living room ambiance” (their words, not ours) both indoors and out: Across the grounds they’ve scattered lounges, firepits and even canopied beds.

But the real focus here is the environment — preserving and enjoying it. Wastewater is reused to irrigate vegetable and herb gardens. And the “adventure spa” is intrinsically tied to the hotel’s organized excursions — after hiking the lunar landscape of Moon Valley or biking the Atacama salt flats, you can return to a milk bath drawn with desert herbs or relax in the dry Finnish sauna. In fact, there may be no better way to gear up for the Atacama Crossing in March — the six-day footrace is among the most grueling marathons on the planet.