The Atacama is one of the best places on Earth for stargazing with the hotel being home to an astronomical telescope atop a nearby hill. An adobe-walled wilderness lodge that is a haven of cool interiors, warm service and gourmet cooking in the heart of the Atacama, the world’s highest and driest desert. Veronica Poblete, a botanist and former lecturer at Stanford University in the USA, designed the gardens around the concept of an Andean Park. The result is a calming oasis of centuries-old ceramics, modern-day geoglyphs, indigenous plants, a salt-water pool and hand-carved rock beds. Facilities here include a restful spa with outdoor baths heated by water from deep underground. There are also six plunge pools dotted about the grounds, sun-loungers and a llama enclosure. Expect top-notch gourmet cooking that embraces local produce such as guanaco, socaire potatoes, native quinoa or chanar berries.

There are also outdoor fire-pits for sipping post-dinner drinks under the stars. Fogon Atacameno, within the hotel grounds, is the setting for an alfresco BBQ on selected days with traditional live music and a veritable banquet of meats and salads. The level of comfort, service and cuisine on offer in such a challenging environment is truly exceptional.