CasaMolle

At the southern end of the Atacama Desert, among the driest places on earth, is the remarkably verdant Elqui Valley. It’s here, surrounded by gardens and greenery, that you’ll find CasaMolle, a 12-room luxury boutique hotel whose expansive grounds and absolute seclusion offer something of a resort experience, albeit a small-scale one.

After all, not many boutique hotels of CasaMolle’s size can claim a nine-hole par 3 golf course among their attractions. Three pools and six outdoor hot tubs are available for aquatic relaxation, as is a full-service spa and health club. There’s a thoughtfully designed kids’ program to keep children entertained, and at night guests are treated to some of the darkest skies — and the finest stargazing — anywhere in the world.

As for the rooms themselves, they’re clean-lined and modern, but decorated in rustic local colors and textures. All are spacious and comfortable, and are roughly equal in sizes and layouts, with some variations. Meanwhile the hotel’s restaurant operates on an all-inclusive basis, and uses local ingredients and produce — much grown in CasaMolle’s own gardens — to create a menu that’s both artful and dedicated to the flavors of the region.