Awasi Atacama

Step inside from the dusty street into this walled oasis in the town of San Pedro. With only eight unique cottages and plenty of sun-drenched terrace space, this exquisite hotel (a Relais & Chateaux property) has sofas strewn with local textiles in vivid colors. Awasi is all about privacy and getting away from the crowds, so meet with your private guide to custom-design the excursions to your interests and activity level (after acclimating to San Pedro’s 8,000-feet altitude). Visit far-flung altiplanic villages, enjoy dawn with just you and the flamingos. Back on the homestead after a day, the chef woos guests with refined creations, local ingredients, and a great wine list. After dinner, linger by the mammoth fire pit to sip the rest of your Chilean cabernet under the stars.

Awasi Atacama is a traditional desert home that has been converted into a boutique luxury hotel. The architecture blends in with the surroundings, using all natural materials, open air lounges, a variety of trees, and a creek flowing through the hotel, tastefully decorated with local art work. Get the circular room made with adobe and thatched roof, which comes with a spectacular bath and a private patio. It is rustic, comfy, yet luxurious. It is perfect for a romantic getaway! Even the bar and the restaurant at Awasi are pretty cozy with ambient lighting and a spectacular view of the Atacama star studded sky every night. There’s an open bar with cocktails and wines from all over Chile. They offer custom-made experiences matched with a 101 guide for your entire stay. It is no doubt one of the most beautiful hotels in the world!

Patasca was one of the best “traditional” foods that I enjoyed during our time in San Pedro de Atacama. Awasi, a local base for visitors with a restaurant on-site, serves an excellent patasca. Patasca is a stew common to northern Chile, Peru, and Bolivia that is made with broth, local grains, pork or llama, corn, and sometimes tripe. The giant corn kernels are from a varietal of maize that was historically grown by the Atacameno people and is also often found in Peru. The series of villages that make up San Pedro have a remarkable amount of farming thanks to sustainable sharing of irrigation. Eating local foods like Patasca was a great way to see how the local people carve out a life in one of the driest areas of the world. Delicious and flavorful, Patasca was the perfect comfort food after our long bike trip through the mountains.