Chilé Adventures

Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa

Can you see one of the luxury Chilé resorts, Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa in the image? It takes a second or two to see it. The hotel intentionally blends into the landscape. The main entrance is located at the amber lights in the lower right corner of the image. Pretty incredible!!

The first 5 minutes of my arrival to every Tierra Hotel is spent staring in awe at the beautiful property and its surrounding landscape.

I have just returned from an 8-night adventure in Chilé and am just in awe of this beautiful country and its people.

 

TIERRA HOTELS CHILÉ: FIVE TAKEAWAYS

1. The guides at Tierra Hotels located in Atacama, Chiloé and Patagonia have the reputation of being the best among their peers.
2. Each Tierra Hotel has been carefully designed and built so that the most beautiful view available can be seen from every single room and the main living spaces.
3. Tierra Hotels are all-inclusive, meaning all transfers, meals, exceptional tours, premium alcohol, and wine are included in the cost. Only the spa and tips are extra. The cost is quite reasonable when taking into account the inclusions.
4. Tierra Hotels employs exceptional chefs. Every meal was delicious, and the dinners were inventive, locally sourced, and outstanding. The breakfast buffets were also a special treat. Each hotel provides an ‘alternative menu’ with more comfort food for the picky eaters.
5. The Spring and Fall are the best times to visit and enjoy a Chilé vacation. You enjoy the more mild weather, less crowds, and lower prices!!

 

THE DETAILS:

As I sit looking out the window of my hotel room at one of the best luxury Chilé resorts in Patagonia, Chilé, it is hard to explain how it feels to visit a destination forever on my bucket list. The most thrilling aspect of Chilé is that there is such variety in the terrain. The Atacama desert in the Northern part of the country could not be more different from Patagonia in the most Southern part of South America. The most beautiful part of the country might arguably be in the middle region with lush vegetation, lakes, and the beautiful coastline. What remains constant in Chilé are the people. Each person I have met feels huge pride in their country. They love to share the history and culture of Chilé with visitors and are really just very nice.

 

ATACAMA

Once arriving in Santiago, most people choose to spend at least a night in this vibrant city to experience the shopping, food and fun offered in the capital and largest city in Chilé. Upon my arrival, I caught a connecting flight to Calama, located in the Antofagasta region on Northern Chilé. It is known as the gateway to the Atacama Desert. Since October is Springtime, we enjoyed blue skies and moderate temperature. The Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa is a luxury Chilé property with exceptional views of the Licancabur Volcano seen from all areas of the hotel. The Licancabur Volcano is an imposing 19,420 ft.

The weather was great, and many guests were enjoying the infinity pool during my stay. The guides are the real highlight. We visited the Atacama Salt Flats in the evening just in time to watch the sunset. After learning so much about the salt flats and the flamingos that call it home, the guides set up a table with drinks and snacks to enjoy while watching the sunset. The next morning, we enjoyed Ville de la Luna. Our guides made sure we arrived before any crowds arrived. We hiked the area feeling we were the only people there but for the few serious cyclists hitting the trails on their own.

 

 

CHILOÉ

After two nights at Tierra Atacama, we flew back to Santiago and caught a flight to Mocopulli Airport in Castro on the Island of Chiloé. From the airport, Tierra Chiloé Hotel & Spa is just a 30-minute drive. The island is so beautiful and was brimming with yellow flowers welcoming the start of Spring. The homes all had huge windows showing the owners clearly appreciate their beautiful surroundings. Most homeowners have a few pigs, sheep, chickens and at least one dog. Chileans love their dogs.

Tierra Chiloé is strikingly modern with the most incredible views of tranquil waters, stunning landscape and rolling green hills. Rooms are covered in wood paneling with a wall of windows in the bedroom and the bathroom. The bed is very comfortable, and the bathtub is perfectly placed to watch the sunset after a long day of adventures. It also has a wonderful spa available to all guests with a steam, sauna, indoor pool, and outdoor infinity pool. My massage was top notch and much needed after a day on the water. The food is also exceptional with a wonderful breakfast buffet, creative dinners, and wonderful service from its attentive dining staff. Three nights is the recommended minimum stay, but I could have easily spent four nights at this wonderful, cozy, and beautiful property.

We chose to spend our first morning exploring and shopping in Dalcahue. We snacked on fresh oysters and white wine while enjoying the company of our guides. In the afternoon, we visited a 5 hectare (12 acre) organic farm run by a woman on her own.

The land has been in Sandra’s family for many generations. She created the organic farm with really no assistance, and she provides organic produce to Tierra and other businesses in the region. Sandra shares her farm with Tierra Hotel guests in order to show that a woman can be strong and work on her own to create a beautiful farm and provide for her family. She is a very bright, strong and lovely woman. We enjoyed lunch in her home made with produce in her gardens and jam she makes herself.

Our second day in Chiloé was spent on the water traversing the Chauques archipelago, a maze of interconnecting waterways and landmasses, searching for sea lions and penguins and just enjoying the beautiful weather and surrounds. We watched the birds while kayaking around the small islands, lunched on board our lovely boat that had a bar and galley kitchen. Afterwards, I was able to enjoy a massage before enjoying Chilean red wine and dinner. When you consider that all these top-level experiences are included in the rate paid by the guest (except for spa treatments), it truly is an exceptional value.

 

PATAGONIA

The highlight of our Chilé vacation was of course visiting Patagonia. Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa is stunning. The hotel blends into the landscape so well, it is difficult to spot from a distance. It is located just 200 meters outside the entrance to the Torres del Paine National Park. Being outside the park is ideal so you can witness the skyline of the Patagonia mountains. It is also located on a beautiful beach with a direct view of the mountains. It is fabulous to gallop on a horse down the beach like we did, or just take a stroll after lunch.

The General Manager, Nicholas, greeted us upon our arrival. Actually, the GM at each property met us upon arrival. Tierra really makes each guest feel important. We spent five minutes taking in the unique, contemporary architecture that takes full advantage of the incredible view of the mountains. Then, we spoke with the activities group about what special experiences were in store for us for the next few days. While three nights would be a minimum at Tierra Hotel Patagonia, it is really recommended to spend five nights if you have the time.

Consistent with every Tierra Hotel, every single room has an incredible view of the landscape. The shower is the best after a long day exploring in the Park. The spa is gorgeous. I attended a 7 am yoga class watching the sun rise and the sky turn a beautiful shade of pink.

Early the first morning, we took a catamaran on Grey Lake to visit the Grey Glacier which is part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. It is 6 km wide and 30 m tall. It is so sad to hear the the glacier is quickly melting. Our boat traverses areas that were covered in ice just a few years ago. We actually saw ice collapse. No one captured the event in a photo, but it did happen! After another delicious lunch, we headed out on a hike with one of Tierra’s outstanding guides, Patrick. He taught us so much about the formation of the mountains, the lakes we would visit, AND we saw an avalanche and two pumas. It was thrilling. After a long shower, we settled into our routine of Chilean wine and a fabulous dinner.

The next day was a bit more relaxed for me. The real adventure seekers on this Chilé vacation took off on a 10-hour hike to see the three Towers of Paine up close. The rest of us joined Patrick on an easier but no less thrilling hike. We saw so many different animals and birds, including flamingos. The views at the peak of the hike were of course outstanding, and we were back at the hotel in time for lunch and a short rest. The afternoon might have been the highlight for me. Tierra Patagonia has a stable of wonderful horses. We rode with our gaucho through the fields, along the cliff above the beach. Then, we galloped along the waters edge before enjoying mate (similar to tea) with our gaucho and our fearless guides, Patrick and Nicholas. It was such a special day that ended much too quickly.

Tierra Hotels excels at creating unforgettable experiences for the luxury guest who seeks adventure, whether beginner level or extreme. They cater to almost all ages, including babies in Patagonia! Tierra Hotels are also wonderful for the family members who really don’t enjoy outdoor adventures. The properties are beautiful, the spas are really top-notch, and one can enjoy the views of Chilé without ever leaving the properties. There are so many experiences we didn’t have time to see or do. I can’t wait to return to Chilé!

Click here to start planning your dream adventure in Chilé or to learn more about the luxury Chilé resorts!