I arrived at the hotel with kind of high expectations given the Wellness & Ecolodge words in the name. I was disappointed although I now know why the room was cheaper than average. The first disappointment came when I realized how badly located this hotel is. San Pedro de Atacama is a small town full of life. Walking its streets is always entertaining and given the logistics of the place you almost must move by foot. There is barely any public transportation and the few taxies don't work 24/7. Fortunately, I rented a car. The hotel provides free transportation to and from town, but only leaving at 8:00 PM and returning at 10:00 PM. If you decide to enjoy nightlife and return later than that you need to walk two kilometers away from town in dark mostly unpaved streets, past a rural area and a vehicle junkyard, and then turn into a dark rural alley where the hotel is located. Whenever I return to San Pedro I will look for a hotel close by the town's center. Then the second disappointment was the additional services of the hotel itself. I expected some wellness thrown into my stay and to look into the night sky with the small telescope shown in the pictures. Turns out I saw the telescope dirty, broken into several pieces and it looked like it has been that way for quite some time. We ended up using only the room like in any other hotel.
If you speak some Spanish, this hotel is perfect. It's located a mile from village, and is utterly serene, with a nice big garden where you can sit over a drink or two, with a great view of Licancabur. It also has its own laid-back dining room, where kids are welcome. The hotel can arrange your excursions to the various tourist attractions. My room was small but clean and adequate, and in any case you probably won't be spending much time in your room. If you don't speak Spanish, you'll have some difficulty, because the staff don't speak any English at all. (There was, I think, one exception, and she wasn't around much.) But the staff are so friendly and eager to help that the language problem can be overcome with a little creativity (gestures and Google Translate!). When my transfer back to Calama was late showing up, the receptionist made phone call after phone call on her own initiative until it was sorted out. It's a terrific place to relax for a few days. The night sky is incredible. Carry a flashlight if you plan to walk back from the village after sundown.
Sami Atacama Lodge places you within 2 miles (3 km) of Plaza de San Pedro de Atacama and San Pedro Church. This 3-star hotel has 8 guestrooms and offers conveniences like free breakfast, an outdoor pool, and free in-room WiFi.
Free cooked-to-order breakfast is included with your stay and awaits you each morning from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. This hotel has a restaurant where you can enjoy a bite to eat.
Guests can expect to find free WiFi. Select Comfort beds sport premium bedding and pillow menus, and bathrooms offer hair dryers and free toiletries. Fans, safes, and desks are also available.
Sami Atacama Lodge offers an outdoor pool, free WiFi in public areas, and a spa tub. There's free parking, and an airport shuttle (available on request) for USD 35 per person roundtrip. The 24-hour front desk has multilingual staff ready to assist with access to locker space, dry cleaning/laundry, and securing valuables. Other amenities at this spa hotel include coffee/tea in a common area, express check-in, and express check-out.
I arrived at the hotel with kind of high expectations given the Wellness & Ecolodge words in the name. I was disappointed although I now know why the room was cheaper than average. The first disappointment came when I realized how badly located this hotel is. San Pedro de Atacama is a small town full of life. Walking its streets is always entertaining and given the logistics of the place you almost must move by foot. There is barely any public transportation and the few taxies don't work 24/7. Fortunately, I rented a car. The hotel provides free transportation to and from town, but only leaving at 8:00 PM and returning at 10:00 PM. If you decide to enjoy nightlife and return later than that you need to walk two kilometers away from town in dark mostly unpaved streets, past a rural area and a vehicle junkyard, and then turn into a dark rural alley where the hotel is located. Whenever I return to San Pedro I will look for a hotel close by the town's center. Then the second disappointment was the additional services of the hotel itself. I expected some wellness thrown into my stay and to look into the night sky with the small telescope shown in the pictures. Turns out I saw the telescope dirty, broken into several pieces and it looked like it has been that way for quite some time. We ended up using only the room like in any other hotel.
If you speak some Spanish, this hotel is perfect. It's located a mile from village, and is utterly serene, with a nice big garden where you can sit over a drink or two, with a great view of Licancabur. It also has its own laid-back dining room, where kids are welcome. The hotel can arrange your excursions to the various tourist attractions. My room was small but clean and adequate, and in any case you probably won't be spending much time in your room. If you don't speak Spanish, you'll have some difficulty, because the staff don't speak any English at all. (There was, I think, one exception, and she wasn't around much.) But the staff are so friendly and eager to help that the language problem can be overcome with a little creativity (gestures and Google Translate!). When my transfer back to Calama was late showing up, the receptionist made phone call after phone call on her own initiative until it was sorted out. It's a terrific place to relax for a few days. The night sky is incredible. Carry a flashlight if you plan to walk back from the village after sundown.
