Why Tierra Hotels Is the No. 1 Choice for a Luxurious Chile Itinerary

And since each all-inclusive property takes care of all the details — from daily excursions to transportation — Tierra’s hotels are a slam dunk for travel advisors looking to provide clients with a flawless trip that immerses them in the best of what Chile has to offer.

While the three landscapes couldn’t be more different from one another, the actual Tierra properties have quite a few features in common. Following are some of the distinctive aspects that make Tierra Hotels such an on-trend and unmissable brand.

Each Property Is Located in Remote Nature

Together, the three hotels offer a varied trip full of natural diversity.

Tierra Patagonia, in the south of the country, is located on an estancia outside of Torres del Paine National Park in full view of the park’s picture-perfect massif — without any of the crowds. The park and all its marquee hikes are a short drive from the property, but since Tierra Patagonia is located on private land, clients will only share their lake-and-mountain view with other hotel guests — and possibly, if they’re lucky, a puma.

While Chilean Patagonia wows with its impressive mountain ranges, glaciers and dramatic windy and snowy weather, Tierra Atacama is in the world’s driest desert; those who prefer warm, dry weather will enjoy their stay here. The Atacama offers some of the most spectacular and varied desert scenery in the globe, from high-altitude geysers and craggy lunar landscapes to vicuna-doted altiplano (high plain) and flamingo-filled salt flats.

Tierra Atacama is located a short drive away from the backpacker town of San Pedro de Atacama, which contains shops, restaurants and convenience stores. But clients will enjoy Atacama’s natural riches all to themselves at the property. Located on a pampas grass-filled plain in view of Licancabur Volcano, the property is indoor-outdoor desert living at its finest. The lack of any neighboring structures also allows guests to enjoy the desert’s famously clear starry nights without any extra light pollution — minus the glow of one of the property’s cozy outdoor fireplaces, if so desired.

While Atacama is dry, the Great Island of Chiloe is often wet. Located just off the coast of Chile’s Los Lagos region on the fringes of Northern Patagonia, Chiloe might remind some of New England thanks to its lakes, lushness and agricultural surroundings.

Tierra Chiloe is about a 30-minute drive from Castro, the island’s biggest city and location of Mocopulli Airport. But like the other Tierra hotels, Tierra Chiloe is surrounded by a scarcely populated sprawling property. The hotel is positioned on top of a slightly sloping bluff, offering guests unobstructed views of a lush green field and a bright-blue inlet.

Gorgeous Design Complements Natural Surroundings

Tierra properties offer numerous daily excursions, but the hotels are architectural marvels that are hard to leave.

Tierra Patagonia, for example, is built so low into the pampa (vast plain) that guests — even those diligently squinting — can’t make out the structure until they’re practically at the front door. Finished in pale lenga wood, the undulating two-story structure takes a cue from the elusive puma and camouflages into its surroundings. Inside, the property is just as stunning; the same honey-colored wood curves around Lake Saramiento and frames the Torres del Paine massif.

Floor-to-ceiling windows alongside the indoor pool and in the dining room, as well as large windows in the guestroom, all face this western view for a reason: The panorama changes from moment to moment.

Boat-like Tierra Chiloe, which takes many cues from the island’s famous palafitos (stilt houses) and wooden boats, is covered in shingles and features jagged, geometric flourishes.

Tierra Atacama fits into its dusty desert settings in handmade adobe. Thanks to the region’s warm and dry temperatures, Tierra Atacama features rooms with sliding doors and large patios.

I also loved the furniture at each property, which are often made from local wood and include subtle nods to their surroundings. For example, the wicker pool loungers at Tierra Atacama are shaped like crescent moons — a cozily cocooning shape as well as an allusion to the area’s lunarlike landscapes. Even something as commonplace as dining room furniture receives the same level of intent and innovation: At Tierra Chiloe, for example, Sebastian Erazo, a Chilean architect, used rauli wood and grassy totora to build chairs inspired by “silla matera,” seating that is traditionally used to drink the ceremonial mate beverage.

Sustainability Is Key

Tierra is a model hotel group when it comes to making grand-scale sustainable choices.

For one, I never saw single-use plastic. And, contrary to belief, the lack of items such as water bottles and straws was never an inconvenience. Upon checking in, guests receive attractive Tierra-branded reusable bottles, and refill stations with filtered water and sparkling water are available at each property. Guides will remind guests to bring the bottles on excursions, during which they are refilled via large water vessels.

On all-day excursions, lunches are almost entirely homemade and therefore free from packaged goods that use single-use plastic.

What about if you want a takeaway coffee for a long morning drive? At Tierra Patagonia — where I tested this out twice — I was touched when staff met my request for a to-go latte by letting me borrow one of the property’s transportable vessels for mate, an herb beverage popular with staff.

Tierra’s design is also sustainable. At Tierra Chiloe, the striking structure — built in the custom of the island’s palafitos in large part by local workers — was specifically oriented so light and heat could be absorbed by thermopane windows.

Perhaps most impressive in the brand’s efficiency measures is Tierra Atacama, the first hotel in South America to produce solar-powered electricity. Some 588 photovoltaic panels were installed here, along with five invertors. This has allowed the property to avoid burning more than 110,000 liters of diesel annually.

Included Excursions Cover All the Bases

The hardest part of staying at a Tierra hotel is choosing from its long list of curated excursions. Fortunately, a staff member will help even the most indecisive of clients by weighing interests and desired activity level against destination must-sees.

Indeed, with so many options offered per property, some excursions visit similar landscapes and areas but in different ways; staff will ensure clients are seeing a variety of highlights in their preferred style. For example, Tierra Patagonia offers seven hikes, two bike rides, two horseback rides, three low-key scenic voyages, one kayaking trip and one fishing excursion.

Even though I studied each property’s excursions prior to visiting (they’re listed online), staff helped clarify excursions and even allowed for changes the day of. That’s flexibility on par with a luxury FIT guided tour.

And so, thanks to staff advice, I enjoyed a range of excursions at each property. In Chiloe, for example, I horseback rode with Tierra’s gauchos and took a leisurely ride on the property’s bespoke boat. I also trudged through a muddy forest for a long hike that ended with a beach walk and a ride on a fisherman’s boat.

Culturally Immersive Touches Elevate the Experience

Tierra guests will receive insight into the local culture throughout their experience — even when doing something as simple as dining. At Tierra Atacama, for example, the native herb rica rica is used in ice cream and cocktails; the Atacama sour cocktail, for example, includes rica rica bitters as well as a pisco infused with the herb.

Similarly, local ingredients made their way into dishes in Chiloe — mace, a fruit, was infused into dinner rolls, giving them a sweeter flavor and a charcoal tint — and in Patagonia, where the house sour is made with the local calafate berry.

The cultural immersion is offered not just in the food, but during excursions, as well. A sunset outing to the flamingo-filled salt flats at Tierra Atacama is coupled with a visit to a typical Atacama town, where a guide will explain local flora, fauna and give insights into how locals live. Atacama guests can also gaze the night’s starry sky with a local storyteller, who will explain Andean celestial beliefs. And each night, a fantastical Atacamen myth — such as the armadillo who marries a princess — serves as a bedtime story.

In Chiloe, guests can meet with local shipbuilders and artisans and tour the island’s UNESCO-listed churches.

They’ll also feel the culture by design. Tierra Chiloe’s angular lodge is propped up on stilts like the island’s palafitos. And the property’s locally made boat, the Williche, picks up guests from their traipse through one of the island’s UNESCO World Heritage listed churches for a leisurely sailing that includes a feast of local cheeses and even oysters collected during that day’s kayaking trip.

Guests Want for Nothing

Minivans used for transfers from the airport and for excursions are in great condition and provide a comfortable ride. During transfers, each passenger receives a canvas bag full of food. The drive from El Loa Airport in Calama to Tierra Atacama is an hour and 15 minutes, so I received a Just water, a pear, a chocolate bar and an Atacama-themed trail mix.

For Chiloe, which is a longer transfer lasting three hours and 30 minutes if coming from El Tepual Aiport in Puerto Montt, the Tierra goody bag included a sandwich (vegetarian for me, turkey for my partner), a homemade granola bar, chocolate (a different kind than before), a Chiloe-themed trail mix and an apple.

Meals are delicious feasts, and culinary teams are quick to adjust to dietary preferences. Waitstaff quickly get to know the names and faces of all clients, and everyone is friendly — from the bartender to the guides.

Off-site excursions typically include packed lunches, as well as surprise celebratory treats. For example, after a grueling all-day hike in Patagonia, we headed back to the car to see that our driver had set up a table complete with charcuterie, cheese and cookies, as well as local beers and wine.

Staff are always willing to go the extra mile. At Tierra Chiloe, my partner realized he forgot his bathing suit at Tierra Atacama — so the staff arranged for his suit to be delivered to our hotel in Santiago and even covered the shipping charge.

Good for Everyone, From Wellness Travelers to Families

During my visit, I spotted families with preteen and teen kids; groups of friends; and couples ranging from millennials to middle-aged (the most common) and elderly. Tierra is uniquely suited to serve all these client profiles due to the variability in activities and activity level. It also helps that each property is a destination onto itself — filled with maps, books and cozy corners for those who like to learn on their off time.

I was on my honeymoon, and my partner and I enjoyed many opportunities to rejuvenate in each property’s gorgeous spas, Instagram-darling pools, cozy and beautifully appointed rooms and tasty multicourse meals complete with local wine.

Tierra Atacama felt especially romantic to us thanks to its outdoor pool surrounded by pampas grass and its indoor hydrotherapy circuit. We also appreciated that our room had an outdoor shower and private terrace where we could pop champagne while enjoying our volcano view.

And a visit to Tierra Patagonia’s spa is an absolute must if guests, like me, decide to tackle consecutive mountain hikes. While my choice of full-day excursions meant I couldn’t enjoy daily yoga classes, I enjoyed stretching out at the property’s yoga room in private, and the massage I received was one of the most rejuvenating I’ve ever had.

Coming down from our wedding, my partner and I appreciated the wellness elements of each Tierra property. I was impressed by the use of local ingredients in each meal, as well as daily vegetarian choices alongside fish and meat entrees.

A Note on Logistics

Linking all three properties — as I did on my recent trip — is fairly easy. However, it does require a bit of legwork and travel days involving long but comfortable drives as well as domestic flights. Sometimes an overnight stay along the way is necessary.

I spent three nights at each property, which was a good amount of time to sample destination highlights. But I could have easily spent at least one more night at each property to allow for more downtime.

The Details
Tierra Hotels
www.tierrahotels.com