Nayara Alto Atacama

Designed by expert botanist, Veronica Poblete, the gardens are alive with desert flora - definitely request a tour if she's around. Sheltered by a cliff face in the Salt Mountains, the hotel provides a refuge from the desert heat whilst also remembering its locale in the Inca artworks, macrame wall hangings and soothing, sandy palette. The dining room serves gourmet North Chilean cuisine made with locally-sourced ingredients - don't miss the corn cake topped with goat cheese and chanar. For something different, head to the Quincho for a barbecue and traditional live music, topped off with a drink a the fire-lit bar.

The rooms at Hotel Alto are wonderfully natural with wooden furnishings, earthy tiled floors and plenty of handwoven textiles. The room types vary in size and views, some of which include the Catarpe Valley, Salt Mountains and Andean Hills enjoyed from a private terrace. The Tilo suites are the largest and set apart from the other rooms, perfect for enjoying the outdoor shower. Inspired by the architecture of local villages, the rooms require little air-conditioning and every guest receives a reusable flask in keeping with the hotel's eco-conscious ethos.

The hotel is superbly located to explore the Atacama's many highlights, from the Valley of the Moon and the aptly-named Rainbow Valley, to 1,500-year-old petroglyphs left by the desert's earliest inhabitants and salt lakes where flamingos gather in a cloud of pink. This enthralling landscape is all yours to discover on foot, bicycle or 4x4, with an expert guide leading the way. Back at the hotel, be sure to visit the llama corral and, in the evening, head to the hilltop telescope for some out-of-this-world stargazing.