Tierra Atacama Review: An All-Inclusive Desert Escape in Chile

The short version: Tierra Atacama is a small, all-inclusive hotel in Chile’s Atacama Desert, just outside San Pedro de Atacama, and the arrival alone is worth it. You fly into a mining town, drive through the Andes and the desert, and end up somewhere that feels like a different universe. Every room is private, with its own patio and outdoor shower facing the Licancabur volcano. The food is healthy, varied and excellent, the service is friendly and always available, and the whole place has a relaxing, wellness feel, with plenty to do nearby. I paid about $983 a night all-inclusive in 2019; today it’s roughly $1,500 to $2,700. Expensive, but for a special occasion it’s worth it, and I’d absolutely go back.

I stayed at Tierra Atacama for three nights, from August 19 to 22, 2019, in a Superior Oriente room with a king bed, on the hotel’s all-inclusive program. I booked directly and paid for it myself. The stay was not sponsored.

Pros

• An unforgettable arrival, through the Andes and the desert
• Private rooms, each with a patio and an outdoor shower facing the volcano
• An infinity pool and reflecting pools looking out over the valley
• Excellent, healthy food, with a new menu every day, whenever you want it
• Friendly, attentive service that never feels intrusive
• A good spa, and a long list of included excursions
• It never feels crowded

Cons

• Only one restaurant
• The rooms aren’t very large, and the pool is a little small
• The outdoor infinity pool isn’t heated, so it can feel cold
• Prices have roughly doubled since 2019
• Remote: an hour and a half from the nearest airport

Getting there

Getting to Tierra Atacama is an experience in itself, and it starts in an unlikely place. You fly into Calama, a copper-mining town in the middle of the desert. It’s a working town, not a pretty one, and there isn’t much reason to linger. (The hotel now operates under the Beckons brand, which replaced Tierra Hotels in 2026.) Then you get into the hotel’s car, the transfer is included, and the town falls away behind you.

For the next hour and a half, about 100 km, it’s just you, the road and the desert. The land goes from flat and empty to eroded red ridges, with the snow-capped Andes rising ahead and, eventually, the cone of the Licancabur volcano. It reminded me of the drive to Dar Ahlam in Morocco: you’re heading deep into rural country, and you see all of it. Along the way you pass through a small town that feels a little like Tatooine, with dogs in the road and everything built from the same beige earth. It looks a lot like Morocco.

Arriving

Then you pull into Tierra Atacama, and it’s a different world. Even the driveway is lit up. It feels luxurious but relaxed, very modern, almost like a wellness retreat, and it still feels lively.

The lobby has a big curved sofa with the volcano right behind it, with the bar and the restaurant off to the side. The hotel is fairly small, and everything is close by. There aren’t many people, it never feels crowded, and it feels quite private, much like Dar Ahlam.

Walking around at night is beautiful: the lit walkways, the dark water, and the landscape behind it all.

The room: 8.5 out of 10

The room isn’t very large. What makes it is the view and the privacy. The bed and everything else were comfortable, and I had no issues. A patio opens straight onto the grounds, with two minimalist chairs looking right at the volcano. There’s a private outdoor shower under the open sky, which adds to the feeling of being out in nature. The materials are meant to feel rugged and natural, so the room feels like part of the landscape.

A tip on which room to book: the Oriente rooms face the volcano, and the Poniente rooms face the sunset. I had Oriente, and I really liked that view. For couples especially, waking up, walking outside to your own two chairs, and then wandering the grounds is a big part of the stay.

The setting: 9 out of 10

You go from a mining town, through the Andes, into what feels like a different universe. The hotel is surrounded by the volcano and the mountains, with the geysers and the town of San Pedro nearby, and it’s designed around those views.

The pool is a little small, but it’s beautiful, and it looks out over the whole valley. One thing to know: the outdoor infinity pool isn’t heated, so in winter it can feel cold. Given what you’re paying, I think they should heat it. The outdoor jacuzzi is heated, though, so you can mix the two. All around the grounds there are little spots to sit down and take it in.

The stars are very nice, too. We didn’t do the stargazing tour, but you don’t need it to see them, and after Santiago, where it was cloudy and you couldn’t really see them at all, that was a treat.

It’s small and quiet, but it never feels empty. At meals they always play music, which makes it feel almost like a special occasion. It has a happy, peaceful feeling.

Service: 9 out of 10

Everybody was very friendly and helpful. One of my favorite things is that, because it’s all-inclusive, you can order food whenever you want. A lot of hotels have odd restaurant hours; here, the kitchen is always available. Like at Dar Ahlam, the service is attentive, but you barely notice it.

The food: 9 out of 10

There’s a different menu every day, and everything was excellent: a real mix, from a Thai-style chicken soup to grilled lamb chops. The lamb chops were my favorite thing I ate, and I also really liked the fruit salad. The food feels healthy, which suits a hotel with a wellness bent.

The restaurant has tall, floor-to-ceiling windows onto the desert, and sitting there, you feel like you’re living a very healthy lifestyle. Which you are.

There’s an open bar with house wines and spirits. I don’t drink, so I didn’t try it, but it’s included. Dessert is just as varied. One day, the choices were pear in red wine with nuts and algarrobo flour ice cream, the cake of the day, a cheese selection, a fruit salad, or homemade ice creams and sorbets.

The only downside is that there’s just one restaurant. But it’s a small hotel, so you wouldn’t really expect more.

The spa

Besides the infinity pool, there’s a heated outdoor hot tub, a heated indoor pool with water jets and little underwater seats, a sauna and a steam room.

The massages were quite good, and the massage room is special. It feels like a little safari hut, in a good way: half open to the outside, with strands of beads hanging across the doorway and sunlight coming through.

The excursions

We decided to spend the trip really relaxing, so we skipped them, but the rate includes two half-day or one full-day guided excursions every day, at no extra cost. The included options are:

• El Tatio geysers: an early start to see the geyser field at sunrise, with breakfast there
• Salar de Atacama: the salt flat, the village of Toconao and Chaxa Lagoon, known for its flamingos
• Cejar Lagoon: floating in water so salty you can’t sink
• Rainbow Valley: a short walk among colorful valley walls, with ancient petroglyphs nearby
• Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna): rock formations shaped by wind and water
• Piedras Rojas: red rocks and turquoise water at about 4,000 meters, so not for anyone sensitive to altitude
• Stargazing: telescopes and the constellations, with Atacameño star lore

There are also hikes, horseback riding and bike rides, plus daily yoga. At extra cost, you can do a sunrise balloon flight, the Puritama hot springs, private trips to the high-altitude lagoons, a photography tour or a volcano climb.

San Pedro de Atacama

The town is lively. It’s not fancy, but it’s safe and walkable, with lots of people out and plenty of little shops. The roads are basically dirt and sand, and at sunset it’s a great place to wander. It’s about a 25-minute walk from the hotel, but I’d get a car from the hotel into town.

We ate at a restaurant in town, and honestly, the food wasn’t that good, which is why I don’t even remember its name. Go to San Pedro for the atmosphere and the shops, but don’t expect much from the food, especially when you’re staying somewhere all-inclusive where the food is excellent. You might as well eat at the hotel.

When to go

I went in August, which is winter there. We’d come from Santiago, where we stayed at the Ritz-Carlton and it was cold and cloudy. In the Atacama it was sunny every day, as you’d expect in the desert, but still a little cold, especially at night. I liked going then. Just bring warmer clothes.

What it cost

The room came to $2,950 for three nights, about $983 a night, all-inclusive. That covers all meals, an open bar with house wines and spirits, the airport transfers, the excursions, yoga, and the pools, sauna and steam room. Massages are extra.

That was 2019. Today, a double room runs roughly $1,500 to $2,700 a night, all-inclusive, depending on the season. May is the cheapest month and November the most expensive.

Value: 8 out of 10

It’s quite expensive. But it’s all-inclusive, and far higher end than most all-inclusives: you can eat whenever you want, and the food is excellent. The setting is unique, too, with the stargazing, the geysers, a lively town and the Andes all around you. You really can’t beat it, and if you want an all-inclusive in this area, there aren’t many options.

In 2019, it was “only” $983 a night. Prices have basically doubled since. That’s a lot, but for a special occasion, I think it’s worth it.

Vs. Dar Ahlam

The obvious comparison is Dar Ahlam, the other remote desert hotel I’ve reviewed. Both have a long drive in through the countryside, both are small and private, and both have service that’s attentive without being in the way. The difference is the feel. Dar Ahlam is more rustic, a little less refined, and a true immersion in Moroccan and French influences. Tierra Atacama is more refined, and more of a wellness retreat.

Who it’s for

Couples, above all. I saw very few families with kids, though families with slightly older kids would probably do well, given all the excursions.

Tips if you go

• Arrive in daylight if you can. The drive in from Calama is part of the experience.
• Walk the grounds at night, when the walkways are lit.
• Take time to just sit and look out at the landscape.
• Book a massage. The treatment room is half open to the outside.
• Eat whenever you’re hungry. The kitchen is always available.
• Get a car into San Pedro and walk around at sunset.
• Do the excursions. They’re included, and we skipped them to relax.
• Book an Oriente room for the volcano view, or Poniente for the sunset.
• In winter, bring warm clothes for the nights, and know that the infinity pool isn’t heated. The jacuzzi and indoor pool are.
• Eat at the hotel. The food in town isn’t worth the trip.
• Look up at night. The stars are incredible even without the tour.
• The altitude didn’t bother me at all, but give yourself time to adjust. The hotel sits at about 2,450 meters.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

It’s an incredible hotel. You feel surrounded by nature, and it’s a wellness hotel with a lot to do, which is a hard balance to strike. I’d say it might strike it even better than Grand Hilai Sun Moon Lake, because there’s so much nearby. The excursions, hikes, horseback rides and stargazing, a safe and lively town, and the Andes all around.

FAQ

How do you get to Tierra Atacama?

Fly into Calama. The hotel is about 100 km away, roughly an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half by car through the desert, and the transfer is included.

Is Tierra Atacama all-inclusive?

Yes. Meals, an open bar with house wines and spirits, the excursions, yoga, the pools and spa facilities and the airport transfers are all included. Massages are extra.

Is the altitude a problem at Tierra Atacama?

It wasn’t for me. I adjusted fine. The hotel is at about 2,450 meters.

What excursions does Tierra Atacama offer?

The included ones cover the El Tatio geysers, the Salar de Atacama and Chaxa Lagoon, floating in Cejar Lagoon, Rainbow Valley, Moon Valley, Piedras Rojas and stargazing. You get one full day or two half days a day. Balloon flights and the Puritama hot springs cost extra.

How much does Tierra Atacama cost?

I paid about $983 a night, all-inclusive, in 2019. Today, a double room runs roughly $1,500 to $2,700 a night.

Would you go back to Tierra Atacama?

Absolutely.

When is the best time to visit Tierra Atacama?

I went in August, which is winter, and liked it: sunny every day, but cold at night. May is the cheapest month and November the most expensive.

Oriente or Poniente rooms at Tierra Atacama?

Oriente faces the Licancabur volcano; Poniente faces the sunset. I had Oriente and would book it again.

Can you walk to San Pedro de Atacama from the hotel?

It’s about a 25-minute walk, but I’d get a car from the hotel.

Tierra Atacama or Dar Ahlam?

Tierra Atacama is more refined and more of a wellness retreat. Dar Ahlam is more rustic and a deeper immersion in Moroccan and French culture.