When Argentine photographer Luciano Bacchi came to stay at Awasi Atacama, he recorded a visual diary of his experience with us. 

Our 12 suite Relais & Chateaux hotel in Northern Chile is tucked behind an ancient adobe wall in the town of San Pedro de Atacama, a historic market town in Chile’s Atacama Desert.

The entrance is low-key, almost as though you are staying at a private home. We worked with architects and historians to make our desert lodge truly replicate the style of pre-Incan ruins found in the area. 

Many of our guests are lucky enough to have travelled the world, so we wanted to create suites that don’t feel just like any other suite. We did this by creating round adobe rooms, decorated with local throws and topped with a beautiful thatch roof.

Travel is like story-telling, we want our guests to feel like they have stepped into another world.

Almost all our communal areas are open to the elements – we are located in one of the world’s driest deserts so rainfall is usually not an issue. 

The colour palette changes from blues and sandy hues by day, to richer orange and greens at night.

Our restaurant has open sides. We only close them on rare occasions (as seen below) when there is wind or some rainfall.

When in the Atacama Desert, most people want to spend the vast majority of their time exploring the vast salt flats framed with iconic volcanic peaks.

The landscape in the Atacama Desert ranges from salt to sand dunes. Due to the high altitude, horse riding is a great way to explore the otherworldly terrain as it allows you to cover ground without increasing your heartbeat too much.

All excursions at Awasi are private. There are no set activities, each room has its own 4WD and private guide and each guest designs their own itinerary.

That way, those who want to hike all day can do so…

And those who prefer a slower pace, can take one, without feeling that they are holding up other guests.

Want to sit and watch flamingos for a couple of hours? It’s your holiday, so do as you please!

As members of Relais & Chateaux, food is of utmost importance at all three Awasi lodges. Therefore, picnics have become an art form.

The desert has a wealth of produce that Chef Juan Pablo and his team transform into the most delicious meals. Our food is seasonal, healthy, indulgent and brimming with flavour.

We make the most of Chile’s produce, being a long thin country flanked by the Pacific Ocean, the seafood is fresh and abundant. We make sure to use local providers who only sell seafood that is sustainably sourced.

Octopus, “pulpo” in spanish, is a delicacy across Chile. 

A treat for the eyes as well as the tastebuds, presentation is always on point.

And when evening falls, it’s time to look up and enjoy the blanket of stars that lies overhead. 

The Southern Hemisphere constellation may be different to the skies you are used to seeing back home, and experiencing some of the world’s clearest skies is a privilege. We run special Star Gazing Experiences.

And so to bed.