8-room luxury boutique hotel set in the desert oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. Private guide and 4WD vehicle for excursions into Desert. Fine Chilean cuisine & wine
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Overview
"We were looking for a place to stay, in an intimate, comfortable environment where every detail would be in perfect harmony with the surroundings and which would invite us to contemplate ancestral scenarios and cultures. As we couldn't find it, we decided to create it."
For thousands of years, San Pedro de Atacama has been an oasis at which travelers stopped for the necessary water, food, shelter and rest to continue their voyage. In this ancient site, surrounded by a historical wall which for centuries has sheltered cattle drivers and shepherds, we have created a house made of stone, adobe and wood where we want to continue with the noble task of sheltering travelers who take the leap to live the unforgettable experience of the Atacama Desert. Awasi, a place for contemplating immensity, enjoying the basic details of simple life, gratifying the body and the soul, inside and out... and beyond, where the lizards live.
There are ample spaces and different living rooms to choose from to let our guests enjoy every corner at ease. During the daytime, the shade of thatched roofs lets in a warm morning light. At night, a tenuous lighting makes it possible to admire the unequalled beauty of the Atacama sky.
In order to ensure the privacy and comfort of our guests, we only have 8 cottages, all of which are built of stone, adobe and wood. Each has generous spaces, a private patio, a reading sofa, indoor and outdoor showers. Unique, harmonious spaces fro relaxation and rest.
In the vastness of the driest desert on Earth, a dramatic nature of exotic, overpowering beauty produces landscapes both varied and startling. In the basin of one of its rivers nestles San Pedro de Atacama, a mute witness to the harshness of time and the passing of ancient cultures. Thousands of years of geological transformations have originated ranges, salt marshes, small lakes and volcanoes under an intense turquoise-blue sky... spectacular landscapes where unique flora and wildlife dwell.
Dining
As a matter of intimacy, the restaurant is open only to hotel guests. Its team of four professionals who only cook for the 16 guests who can stay at the hotel, has designed a varied menu that includes new aromas and flavors.
They use ingredients that are only found in the zone, which for years have been part of the diet of the native people (such as purple potatoes, patasca, quinoa and chañar). All dishes are served with top quality wines and drinks.
Facilities
Awasi was built with the intimacy and comfort of each guest in mind, but respecting the natural surroundings, the culture and the local building style. It is eight cabins built of stone, sun-dried brick and wood, straw-thatched rooms of over 500 sq.ft. that shelter circular spaces, wooden floors, pure-cotton sheets, alpaca-wool blankets, reading armchairs, spacious bathrooms with doors that open on private patios (solarium and outdoor shower included, unique spaces designed for relaxation and refreshing rest). Countless details amaze guests who -by definition- are hard to surprise. In 3 of the 8 rooms, an extra bed may be added if necessary.
The terraces are enclosed by wild trees that adorn the paths with their unique shade of green. During the day, the shade of thatch roofs lets in a warm morning light. At night, tenuous lanterns praise the beauty of the Atacama skies. A quiet day of reading, a bath with Atacama salts, a drink by the hearth ... the important thing is to always look after the essence of each moment.
Awasi is a luxury boutique hotel, but of a certainly non-traditional luxury.
Activities
Private Outings
It is an adventure, an endless number of shapes, volcanoes, dry salt lakes, ponds and waters emerging in the midst of the desert... pure nature in it's most powerful expression. Exploring Atacama shows the different facets of this incredible desert, its geography, its history and hamlets that bear millenial tradition and culture. The awe of feeling so small in the heights and of living radical changes of color in the imposing beauty when you travel around. Awasi prepares special outings, customized for the most adventurous, for the faithful hiker, for the lover of heights, and for those who just want to be surprised.
An Awasi jeep and one of our professional guides are always available for private excursions so that our guests can take the outings according to their own preferences and pace. The Awasi guides are experienced professionals who have been trained to carry out the outings in an entertaining and safe way. Our guides continually organise expeditions with the help of inhabitants from the native community in order to discover new landscapes and points of interest for our guests.
Press reviews
Forbes Life
"Hotel Awasi gives visitors a chic and comfortable base for exploring. Awasi's spacious, adobe-walled outdoor lobby, crafted.. with vervve and, literally, Andean high style. This blend of simple and the sophisticated mirrors a kitchen where the chef whips up flavorful dishes... Awasi's eight guest cottages... a posh version of ancient dwellings..."
Conde Nast Traveller UK
Word of Mouth: "Tiny, low-key Awasi opened last year in a 400 year old adobe compound with eight bedrooms... taking the traditions of these countries that have been dominant for a long time and giving people a unique experience."
Elite Traveler USA
"Representing responsible luxury at its best, every element in the suite reflects the regions indigenous heritage: the fabrics were woven and dyed locally, aromatic herbs and flowers used in bath products come from the nearby Atacama desert, and marble for the baths was mined here too."
Our Trusted Partner's Responsible and Sustainable Travel Policy
Awasi is dedicated to sustainable tourism. In architecture, operations and excursions, Awasi aims to protect the natural ecosystems and respect the cultures in the Desert environment.
As part of our commitment with sustainable tourism and motivated by our passion for the culture and nature of the Atacama Desert, we have respectfully maintained the cultural traditions of neighboring populations minimizing any impact that tourism might have on the local environment. All the materials used while constructing Awasi were obtained from the area and the techniques employed where the same as those used in the Altiplano highlands for thousands of years. The Hotel was built with the assistance of local workers who con- tributed the knowledge that has been passed on for many generations.
As for outings, many of them have been designed in cooperation with local inhabitants who are familiar with the secrets and the “treasures” that the desert holds. Our customized excursions do not include more than 4 people, which minimize the impact on the environment and on the customary lifestyle of nearby populations.
In 2006, Awasi organized the “Kapar Kunza - Native Art Event”, which purpose was to rescue, preserve and divulge the cultural expressions of the indigenous populations of South America. More than thirty artisans from Chile, Argentina, Peru and Bolivia participated in this event.
In 2007 the Junior Achievement Foundation, together with the San Pedro de Atacama Department of Education, implemented an educational program that aims to develop the entrepreneurial spirit and study habits in underprivileged children of Atacama.
In mid-2008 Awasi joined the "Outdoor Movie Project” which consisted in introducing films and documentaries to communities which don’t always have access to this important expression of modern culture.
In late 2008, Awasi employees organized a musical and dance group. The main purpose of this initiative was to recover and divulge aspects of the Andean culture, rescuing the music and dances knowledge that the Atacamenian members of our staff have.
In mid 2009, Awasi signed and agreement with the British company EcoSecurities in order to offset the green gas emissions produced per year. In order to neutralize its impact on climate change, Awasi has bought carbon credit that contribute to various eco friendly projects around the world.
About our Trusted Partner
For thousands of years, San Pedro de Atacama has been a resting place for travellers who for water, food and shelter while they rest to continue their voyage across the Atacama Desert. Continuing with the noble task of lodging those who choose to live the desert experience, we created Awasi, a house built of stone, wood and mud. It is an ancient plot surrounded by a historical wall, that for centuries has sheltered drivers and shepherds. It is a unique place from which to contemplate immensity, enjoying the simplest details, and for gratifying body and soul.
We would like to take this opportunity to tell you more about us.
We are not the traditional kind of hotel.
Our aim is to provide tailor-made memorable travel experiences through our lodging, our gastronomy and our outings, while assuring the intimacy, freedom, and comfort of our guests.
At Awasi we believe that luxury is best expressed not by ostentation, but by the beauty of the simple, comfortable and natural objects that surround us. We also believe that elaborate decoration or overwhelming infrastructure have little true value if not also accompanied by outstanding service and the warmth of personal attention.
Our property is located within the town of San Pedro de Atacama, a few blocks away from the town square, the old Church and the Museum. This allows our guests to experience what life used to be, and still is, in the millennial Atacama oasis.
In order to assure the comfort and privacy of our guests, we only have 8 cottages, each at least 500 square feet with a private patio and outdoor shower.
GASTRONOMY Our Chef, Mr. Juan Pablo Mardones, has designed a varied menu using exclusive ingredients of the Atacama area. Purple potatoes, patasca, quinoa, and chañar, among others, have been an essential part of the native’s diet for thousands of years and will thrill you with new aromas and flavors.
OUTINGS Our excursions are as extensive and varied as the unbelievable natural and cultural surroundings. Each cottage is assigned a personal guide and vehicle, allowing our guests to choose what is most attractive to them without having to adjust to the pace or preference of others .This way we customize every excursion to the interests, objectives and physical conditions of each guest.
In order to operate our outings with comfort and security, we have a modern fleet of 4WD vehicles equipped with both communication and GPS systems, which allow us to reach places not accessible to most of the tourists who visit San Pedro de Atacama.
Fully committed to sustainable tourism, Awasi has signed an agreement with the British company EcoSecurities to offset all of its greenhouse emissions by purchasing carbon credits in several eco-friendly projects around the world. As the first carbon neutral hotel in Chile, Awasi has become one of the leading hotels in Latin America.
Awasi´s design and architecture also express our commitment to sustainable tourism, since all the materials used in its construction were obtained from the surrounding area. Local workers have participated in its construction, contributing with skills and knowledge that have been passed on for generations.
During our first two years of operation we have been recognized as one of the leading hotels in the world by several publications, such as Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast, Tatler, Robb Report and Architectural Digest, among others. You can review some of these articles on our web site (press section).
We’d like to emphasize that as we design tailor-made travel experiences, these excursions represent just a few of the many options that the Atacama Desert has to offer and can of course be adapted to your personal preferences.
We hope you will be able to visit us soon!
Awasi lake : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
Awasi lake
awasi scenery : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi scenery
awasi mountains : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi mountains
awasi relax : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi relax
awasi veranda : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi veranda
awasi pool : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi pool
awasi bedroom : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi bedroom
awasi bathroom : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi bathroom
awasi bedroom : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi bedroom
lakeside drinks : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
lakeside drinks
awasi salt pan : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
awasi salt pan
awasi local crafts : Awasi at www.NatureandKind.com (THE.NATURAL.CHOICE)
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