Nayara Alto Atacama

Above the salt flats of San Pedro de Atacama in northern Chile, Nayara Alto Atacama occupies a position in one of the driest and most otherworldly landscapes on earth, where the Atacama Desert’s mineral crust, geothermal geysers, and altiplano peaks above 6,000 metres create a geological environment of extraordinary visual and scientific significance. The 41 suites are built in the adobe architectural tradition of the Atacameño people whose culture has inhabited this desert valley for millennia, with thick earthen walls, thatched-roof salas, and the earthy colour palette of the desert landscape giving the accommodation a quality of material rootedness in place unusual in purpose-built luxury hotels. The outdoor thermal pools heated by the region’s geothermal activity provide the signature physical experience of the Alto Atacama’s wellness offer.

Excursions to the Valle de la Luna’s salt formations, the El Tatio geyser field at 4,500 metres in the pre-dawn hours, the salt flats of the Salar de Atacama where flamingos nest in the mineral-rich brine, and the stargazing programmes in the Atacama’s unprecedentedly clear skies — ALMA, the world’s most powerful radio telescope array, is located 50 kilometres from the hotel — provide the full range of the desert’s extraordinary sensory experiences. The restaurant’s menus draw on the Atacameño culinary tradition of quinoa, llama, and the extraordinary fruits and herbs of the Atacama’s irrigated oases. The spa uses thermal waters and Atacama mineral preparations in its treatment programme.

Nayara Alto Atacama’s relationship with the Atacameño community includes sourcing commitments to local artisans, agricultural producers, and the guide community whose knowledge of the desert’s ecosystems, history, and astronomical significance gives the excursion programme its depth of scientific and cultural content.