Nayara Alto Atacama

Where do I begin in leaving the review for this literal ENCHANTMENT of a resort. I wish I could give them a review that features every star in the sky. My husband and I booked a 3-Night FULL experience, in a Catarpe Room, and folks, this is THE trip. I will cry every time I talk about it for the rest of my life. The excursions? Mind Blowing. The Staff? Out of this World. The Food? Top Tier. Buckle up, because I’m going to spare no detail in recapping our time at Nayara Alto Atacama. When we arrived at the airport in Calama, the pickup was swift, and easy, and we were even given full, reusable Nayara water bottles (a truly nice touch). Because we had selected a *FULL* package, transportation to and from the airport was included. The drive took about an hour and 15 minutes in a NEW, CLEAN, and COMFORTABLE van. While the staff at this point cannot take credit for this one detail, I do want to note that the drive flies by because the scenery is SO gorgeous. Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by staff who were expecting us. They called us by name, took our bags, and offered breakfast even though we hadn’t even officially checked in yet. After we ate from the INCREDIBLE SPREAD they had laid out (I didn’t even get a chance to try everything that was offered during my stay because it is expansive), we were given what I would call an ‘orientation.’ The team went over the history of the resort and gave us an overview of the region, all while talking us through our options for excursions. Again, we selected the *FULL* package, so we were offered 1 full day or 2 half-day excursions per night. At this point, we also selected some spa treatments for our final morning on-site. After they printed an itinerary for us, we were given a tour of the entire facility, including the spa, and a quick stop to say hello to the on-site llamas. They were very clear about the changes we could expect because of the dryness of the desert and the altitude - I advise you heavily to heed their advice. Our room wasn’t ready, but the team arranged for us to take a shuttle into the town of San Pedro De Atacama where we had lunch and did a little shopping. I even needed to - and was able to - make a quick stop at the local pharmacy, which was well-stocked (a good tip for all my fellow travel panic-ers…you will be able to get whatever you need). Our room was ready early, and we dropped our bags and headed out that night for our first excursion- the Ckamur Sunset Hike. We met in the lobby to refill the complamentary water bottles given to us at the pick-up, and also grab a protein bar and apply some sunscreen, both of which were available every day in the lobby for our use before the excursions. We all jumped into yet another gorgeous, clean, new, comfortable Nayara sprinter van. MY EYEBALLS HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS. Edison, our tour guide, made a few great photo-op stops for us (photos included in this review), all while explaining the rich geography and history of the area. This was a VERY low-impact hike that ended under a beautiful tree, with the sunset mountain range behind us. As we took photos, Edison set up a full spread of food that included Chilean wines, cheeses, fresh fruits, and spreads that would’ve made Martha Stewart cry. We watched the sunset with some fellow American travelers and headed back to the hotel for our second excursion. Astronomy. The astronomy excursion is why we picked this resort to begin with. And my GOD were we proven right. The observatory at Atacama is so close to the sky that you can almost touch the stars. We were offered blankets to take with us, and we each sat on our own swivel lounge chair for an individual sky gazing experience. You can take photos with your phone that are *SO CLEAR,* your friends will assume they are postcards. Their telescope was so exciting and so powerful - we could quite literally see the rings around Saturn. The guide for this excursion was VERY knowledgeable about the constellations and position of the stars, but was so humble about being “just an enthusiast” when complimented. We had a quick dinner, then retreated to our room, and sat on our walk-out deck to observe the stars, and even fell asleep for a few minutes on the day bed before moving inside, to a room that had been pre-heated, turned down, and humidified for us. _ The next morning, we showered and stepped out onto the heated bathroom floors (I will now expect this from all future hotels - what a small but significant feature for a resort of this kind) before grabbing another substantial breakfast and headed to the lobby to fill our water bottles, apply our sunscreen, and out for our next tour. Our guide was Francesca (I know I’m getting her name wrong - if you’re reading this, Sombra Alor says hello!) and what an absolute pleasure she was, guiding us in yet another very comfortable sprinter van. Our tour was to the salt flats and the Toconao village. The Flamingos at the salt flats were so incredible - if not that plentiful - and our guide knew absolutely everything about them. She was a true birder and was able to point out the differences in many avian species and even found a few lizards along the way. We were fortunate enough to visit on a windless day, and so the water was like absolute glass, creating a perfect mirror of the flamingos in and around the flats. Toconao village was so quaint and quiet, and we got to hand-feed some more llamas and purchase hand-made llama wool items from local makers. Fran was my favorite guide, and we saw her several times again throughout our stay. Back to the hotel for an elevated lunch experience. A huge shout-out to the culinary crew here who thoughtfully put together a substantial lunch menu that included a variety of main dish options and two shareable sides, when they could’ve very easily just offered us sandwiches and soups like an airline lounge. The food options for lunch also changed daily like dinner, which is an incredible challenge, I’m sure, but everything was delicious every time (an extra star for the fried cauliflower). We had about a 4-hour break between excursions, so after lunch, we asked the front desk staff for some time in the jacuzzi. It was a bit too cold out, even for the temperature-controlled pool, but the jacuzzi was absolutely perfect, and by reserving it ahead of time, we had the space all to ourselves. The pool bar was closed because of the wind but the staff here is SO incredible, that all we had to do was call, and they brought champagne out to us as frequently as we asked - yes…we are high maintenance, but I am trying to paint a picture of how helpful and kind this staff is, even when annoyingly inconvenienced. That evening, we elected to do the Cejar Lagoon as our half-day excursion. We were delighted that our guide was Edison again! We hopped into the lagoon, floated on air for a few minutes, took a few photos, and then SPRINTED back to Edison who was waiting for us shore-side with open arms and open robes - an important detail here is that we traveled to Chile during their Winter months and so the lagoon, while absolutely gorgeous, was akin to doing a cold plunge at the local CrossFit club. The facilities at the Lagoon, however, were clean and numerous so we were able to rinse off, change, and climb back into the van where our driver had a beer waiting for us! Because we did not take nearly as long as the typical guests would at the lagoon (given the temperature), we were back at the hotel before dinner began, so we sat at the bar to kill an hour before we could eat. Carlos - you gotta go see Carlos for real - was behind the bar, and whipped us up some speciality cocktails using local ingredients…some I had never even heard of. Also available at the bar were a few little noshy apps every night, so if you’re there early, you can definitely snack. I definitely recommend the peanuts. That night, for dinner, a LOVELY risotto. Again, a menu that changed nightly with a VARIETY of thoughtful options for starters, mains, and desserts. A quick stop here to mention the absolutely incredible wait staff. This was night 2 for us, and the entire staff knew our names, our drink preferences, and even helped us practice some of our Spanish. They were attentive and kind - our waters were always full, the piano music was subtle and gorgeous, and I always left with a very full belly and a big smile. _ The next morning, breakfast again. Again, another incredible spread. We had this next excursion to ourselves - Rock Art. This is one of their newer excursions, and two other members of the Nayara staff joined us along with our guide so that they could properly train and learn more about the excursions so that they could guide them themselves. We did an absolutely gorgeous hike up a mountain just near the place in the desert where they discovered some of the first ever human remains on earth. We saw some cave drawings that anthropologists placed at about 1,500 years old, and grabbed some great photos in a currently empty river-bed that, come February, will be impassable. It is important to note that on the Rainbow Valley hike, there are other early cave drawings to see! Back to the hotel, back to another nourishing and comforting lunch - you never really realize how tired and how dehydrated you are. We sat by the pool for about an hour, got burnt to a crisp because we were a bit chilly in the wind, and therefore did not believe the staff about the UV Index, and then it was time for our final excursion. That evening, our excursion was the Cactus Hike - this is a CANNOT-MISS excursion if you are able to complete it. It is an INTENSIVE hike - you will be jumping over rivers, and literally rock climbing like you’re Lara Croft, but the scenery is unlike anything else you’ll see in Atacama. The river is RUSHING, creating gorgeous waterfalls, and there is LUSH grass and cacti everywhere. We even saw a few donkeys hanging out. At the end of the hike, we were greeted by yet another great driver in another great van, who had all varieties of drink options available to us - this was at the end of every tour. Unfortunately I did not get to experience the last dinner, though my husband says it was the tastiest by far (shout out to the scallops), because I fell victim to some sort of sun / altitude / heat exhaustion (NO FAULT OF THE HOTEL) and was so nauseous and so dizzy that I had to head back to our room. What did the Nayara staff do, you ask? WELL LET ME TELL YOU - they whipped me up a simple, but delicious chicken soup and specialty local hot tea and delivered it to my room. I do not know the name of the staff that saw me leave the restaurant in a panic, but this woman saved my life like she was my mom during that 3rd-grade flu outbreak, and I wish I could give her my firstborn. _ I awoke weak, but much better than the evening before, and was able to take advantage of one last breakfast. We booked a couples massage for that morning and headed there early to take advantage of the wet/ dry sauna before our service. This was one of the better massages I’ve had, and afterwards, we were permitted to use the jacuzzi in the very private couples massage room. If we hadn’t had to check out at noon, I would’ve paid to stay in the spa all day, and take advantage of other services and the Scottish showers. We were not able to get a late check-out, but the staff did arrange a specialty pick-up / drop off in San Pedro de Atacama for us again, and Carlos grabbed us one final cocktail before our departure to the airport. __ Here are some things you just gotta know about my review specifically: 1. We elected to visit Nayara during their “off” season, so I do not believe the resort was at full capacity. This meant that we had the jacuzzi to ourselves, the spa to ourselves, and even 2/6 of the excursions to ourselves. For us, this is an absolute bonus. It’s so much more personal and intimate, and we are never battling for space, time, or attention. We are always willing to take a chance on the weather for an experience like this, which brings me to point 2. 2. When you go during these times, you run the risk of bad weather - for example, the evening before our astronomy excursion, the weather was so windy that the telescope couldn’t be used. I heard some grumbling about this from other guests, but it is important to remember that Nayara doesn’t control the weather. Something's gotta give somewhere. And lastly about the “off” season… 3. Because the resort is not at full capacity, the team at Nayara is taking this opportunity to make some upgrades to their facilities - so yes - there was some construction going on, on site. But how great is Nayara?? THEY TOLD US TO LET THEM KNOW IF THE NOISE BOTHERED US AND THEY WOULD STOP THE CONSTRUCTION IMMEDIATELY. What an accommodating offer. Most guests - including us - were gone for excursions during the day, so the noise was never an issue, and short of some unsightly construction equipment (necessary…to…ya know…do construction), the grounds were kept clean, gorgeous, and well groomed. 4. We never chose a full-day excursion, and instead, chose 6 half-day excursions. I am not sure what the lunch accommodations are during these outings, but if it is anything like the rest of the experience, I can only assume you’ll be well fed. 5. We did not do the geysers, because we do not like to be awake at 5:30 am, but this is my one and only regret because it seems to be a huge draw for many of the guests, and that's why point 6 is my one and only negative... 6. If I had to make ONE suggestion to the staff (and that’s assuming they’ve read this far), I would say the only weak spot, is the excursion selection. Had we known we could’ve seen more cave drawings on other excursions, maybe we would’ve selected a full-day hike over Rock Art. Or if we had been informed what we would actually see and do...etc. The “orientation” I mentioned at the beginning is VERY comprehensive about a LOT of topics, but also leaves a lot to be desired in terms of actual excursion explanation...there simply isn't enough time. A more updated / complete guidebook on the website, or even the opportunity to book these excursions before you arrive, might be a better alternative so that the guests don’t feel rushed, or under-educated. THAT BEING SAID - all of the excursions are incredible and I have no doubt that even if you threw a dart at the wall to pick at random, you’d still be satisfied. 7. Seriously, get the peanuts at the bar.

An exquisite hotel in a stunning location. From the moment we arrived to when we left we felt truly looked after. We arrived at the hotel from the airport shortly after breakfast had closed and they had kept the breakfast buffet out and available to us, which was very thoughtful and a great introduction to the amazing food we would enjoy over the next few days. We enjoyed the food, astronomy, excursions with friendly and knowledgable guides and had the best night’s sleep in a comfortable and stylish room with our own sun terrace and day bed. Thank you for the personal service, wine recommendations, a great massage and for a memorable and enjoyable 4 nights.

This hotel is beautiful, yes, it has a great setting and great food and great excursions. But it is the staff that make a place, and these people are the best we’ve encountered anywhere in Chile. The guides and hotel staff are happy and you can tell. Their desire for you to have a great stay comes across every day.

The Nayara Alto Atacama is an absolutely excellent hotel in all ways. We have just spent 4 nights there in July and so it was winter in Chile. It was chilly in the mornings until about 10 am but then we had glorious sun until about 5pm. Because it was low season the hotel was doing some minor jobs in the grounds but nothing affected our stay. The restaurant food was amazing with the most attentive staff who could not do enough for us, our room was lovely and we went on some well organised excursions. A tip would be to take a look at the hotels website so you can get some ideas about which excursions you want to do as they arrange these soon after you arrive. We also took the hotel shuttle bus into San Pedro one day which is only 5mins away and that was worth a look for an hour or two.The transfer from the airport takes about 1h 15m .I would definitely recommend this hotel as we loved every minute.

Everything about our stay at Nayara was excellent. Very helpful and friendly staff; great trip overall.