Santiago is the capital city of Chile and a is one of the gay-friendliest place in South America along with San Pedro de Atacama on the chilean desert zone. We will find most of the accomodation to be suitable for gay couples in Gay Friendly Hotels San Pedro de Atacama.
The LGBT community in Chile has gained some rights in recent years. In 2012 it was approved the anti-discrimination law that includes sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories. The law penalizes the arbitrary discrimination, allows citizens to file anti-discrimination lawsuits and requires the State to develop public policies to end discrimination.
San Pedro de Atacama is a town set on an arid high plateau in the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile. Its dramatic surrounding landscape incorporates desert, salt flats, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. The Valle de la Luna in the nearby Los Flamencos National Reserve is a lunar like depression with unusual rock formations, a huge sand dune and pink-streaked mountains.
Best Day Trips in San Pedro de Atacama
- Atacama Salt Flat Day Trip from San Pedro de Atacama including Los Flamencos National Reserve and Socaire Village
- Valle de La Luna
- Moon Valley
- Moon Valley Tour & Death Valley Safari style by Grade 10
- Small-Group Tour to Altiplanic lagoons, Atacama saltflat & Flamingo reserve
See all Day Trips in San Pedro de Atacama on GetYourGuide
1. Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa 5* – Gay Friendly Hotels San Pedro de Atacama
Tucked away in a tranquil valley located next to Pucará de Quitor, Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa offers all-inclusive accommodation packages in San Pedro de Atacama. Free WiFi access is available throughout the property’s common areas.
All-inclusive packages include accommodation, airport shuttles, city transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and refreshments, daily tours, spa access and bicycles (more details in The fine print section).
Rooms at Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa feature a rustic yet elegant decoration, which makes use of local crafts. The lodge offers 42 guest rooms, all fitted with a private bathroom and a terrace providing panoramic views of the valley. Additionally, there are 10 suites, all equipped with an indoor and an outdoor shower, as well as a terrace providing unique views of a lagoon attracting a variety of aquatic birds
Alto Atacama is located in the fertile Catarpe valley, just 3 kilometers away from the San Pedro plaza. Our total area is 3.5 hectares, with a park area of 2 hectares. The Hotel has 42 spacious rooms and state of the art facilities including an award-winning spa, business center, hot tub, wooden decks with 6 swimming pools and we offer more than 25 excursions to get a closer look at the Atacama.
The hotel has a beautiful setting in a valley a couple of kilometres outside San Pedro and SO peaceful/tranquil.
The rooms are very generous in size and comfortable. Great showers!
Catering is excellent – really good food and wine (and so much of it)…note that they do an amazing BBQ each Saturday. Generally buffet breakfast; 3 course a la carte lunch with wine if you are back at the hotel and doing half day excursions that day; same again in the evening.
I was a bit apprehensive having looked at the pictures of the outside of the hotel on the website before arriving. Those fears were soon allayed. A stunning design fitting in perfectly with the landscape, and whilst looking a touch austere on the exterior, inside it was just wonderful. The rooms were great, the bar was great, the restaurant was great….but that is not really what the Alto Atacama is about. It is the excursions. A selection of day and half day trips cater for all.
From flamingos in the desert lakes to hot springs and geysers in the Andes. Whether it is wild life, star gazing or just gaping at the awesome landscapes, there is something for everyone.
Assuming on arrives from Calama airport, be prepared for a long transfer, but it is a great journey with lots to see, particularly as one nears San Pedro.
It is located in the north of the Atacama salt flats, at about 8100 feet. There is a central area with restaurant, main desk, business center, bar and then about 40 rooms on either side. Wi-fi is predictably good in the central areas, less so in the rooms. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with both fruit trees, alfalfa and native plants.
There are vistas from everyone room and a lovely patio to sit on. No bugs around to bother one. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is included daily. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, there is a special buffet. The chefs were seemingly willing to modify all dishes for anyone’s allergies or likes/dislikes. Also plenty for vegetarians and vegans. There is also a spa, as well as six small pools to bask in, although none large enough for lap swimming. The all inclusive does include a massage, although you may have to sacrifice an excursion for one. Weather permitting, there are two excursions per day. There is a local authority who decides between 9-9:30 which trails and areas are open. They then notify the lodges and usually, although not always, there are at least three-four excursions posted per day. Visitors go out in vans with guides and no more than 9 people. The first excursions usually go out around 10 and the afternoon ones sometime after 3 pm.
A few practical suggestions: be sure to bring a lot of sunscreen and lather it on frequently. Also, due to both the altitude and extremely low humidity in the area, important to keep drinking a lot of water. Really easy to get dehydrated before one realizes it. You also might want to print out their excursions ahead so that you can speak to the coordinator about which ones you really want to go on. If the weather permits, they will try to accommodate but unfortunately, many of the ones that I was interested in were canceled due to potential flash floods.
They provide walking sticks if necessary so no need to bring your own. Remember that you are at altitude so always check whether you need an extra day before going on one. The Colorado hike is great but two women did have trouble with altitude. Also, there are some salt flats that one can swim in so ask whether you should bring a suit.
Located about 10 minutes drive outside of San Pedro with high mountains surrounding the property, the Alto provides all that you would expect from a high end hotel. Bedrooms are large and well equipped, although wi-fi is very hit and miss unless you go to the main reception, bar and restaurant area. Service is excellent, especially by the very friend and efficient reception staff. The restaurant is well located along with a great lounge bar, both adjacent to a veranda where you can have lunch or just relax. There is a very good spa with again super friendly and talented staff, according to my wife who enjoyed a much needed facial (only joking darling!) and massage.
The menus for lunch and dinner are the same, apart from both having a chef’s suggestion each day, which we found a little odd but it worked. The waitress who served us at lunch each day was absolutely great. The all inclusive package (well worth it) includes accommodation, food and beverages, two half day group tours (although numbers depends on interest so on one of the tours I went on there were only two other people) and airport transfers.
Private tours can be arranged with 24 hours notice but can be expensive eg I was quoted $390 (US) for half day tour to Moon Valley. There is also a ‘hostess’ on hand who is very charming and efficient, and comes to your table at meal times to check that you are enjoying yourself. And lastly, there are a number of small open air private pool areas, close to an outside bar where you can enjoy drinks and a light snack.
This is a really relaxing lodge and one can be as busy or quiet as one would like.
How much does a room costs at Alto Atacama Desert Lodge?
Prices start 580 $/night for Standard Double Room. The Superior Double Room with Terrace is 740$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.
This room features a private bathroom with bathrobes, a minibar, a safety-deposit box, a fan, heating and a terrace providing panoramic views of the Cordillera de la Sal mountains and Catarpe valley.
The all-inclusive package includes: – Accommodation. – Transfer service from Calama Airport to the property (round-trip) – Shuttle service to and from San Pedro de Atacama – available from 09:00 – 23:00 – Breakfast à la carte. – Lunch and Dinner à la carte (Starter, Main Course and Dessert) – Alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks – Open bar from 11:00 to 23:30. After-hour charges apply. – Daily Excursions – 1 full day excursion or 2 half day excursions per person, per day (maximum of 10 guests per vehicle on half day excursions and 8 guests per vehicle for full day excursions). Please note excursions are offered from 15:00 on arrival day until 13:00 on departure day. – Access to Puri Spa (swimming pools, sauna, steam room, hydro-massage bath and shower). – Free use of mountain bikes. The all-inclusive package does not include: – Premium wines – Spa treatments and massages – Telephone calls – Laundry service – Airline tickets – Tips
Where to book online – Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa (All-inclusive) – Gay Friendly Hotels San Pedro de Atacama – you can find the best hotels deals in San Pedro de Atacama during San Pedro de Atacama Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in San Pedro de Atacama a on Booking.com or Expedia.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
2. Hotel Kimal 3* – Gay Friendly Hotels Atacama
Located in the centre of San Pedro de Atacama, Hotel Kimal features a gourmet restaurant, a pool, a hot-tub, a massage and relaxation centre and exclusive excursions service.
A complimentary buffet breakfast and free parking are provided. Free WiFi is available in public areas.
Keeping with local aesthetics, rooms at Hotel Kimal are decorated with natural materials in terracotta tones and are fitted with private bathroom facilities, a fan, heating and a minibar. Family rooms also have a terrace.
The property has a relaxation centre offering massages and yoga classes, as well as smoothies and teas.
The hotel is located in the centre of town on the corner of the main street of San Pedro de Atacama, four blocks from the square, the church and archeological museum.Hotel Kimal stands out for its design that recreates the traditional architecture of the Atacama with finely finished adobe, wood and volcanic stone in an old orchard. 19 rooms provide the comfort and elegance of harmonious simplicity.
The hotel offers rooms with ensuite bathroom, telephone, minibar, room service and laundry service as well as full restaurant, bar and cafeteria service, outdoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi.Within the hotel, Restaurant Paacha, famous for its fine cuisine, offers inside and outside eating areas.
San Pedro is a very unusual town in the Atacama Desert – very dusty and dry, but we were very comfortable at the Hotel Kimal – it was clean, the room was lovely, and the staff were very friendly and helpful.We also liked the restaurant very much – the breakfasts were excellent, with custom made eggs for us, and we also enjoyed a lunch and dinner there.
There are 2 options at this hotel, you can either stay in the main hotel building or one of the chalets across the road. Both share the same reception and restaurant and, from what we saw, are similar in terms if quality. The food is very good at this hotel – excellent breakfast and we ate in the restaurant twice ( in fact the food was better than the other restaurants we tried in the town). The staff were very helpful and our room comfortable , clean and quite large with a patio so we could sit outside in the evenings. The hotel also has a nice outdoor pool where they offer a bar service.
The only negative was there was a fan to cool the room rather than air conditioning and it was a little too warm fir us at night. The location is excellent – just off the main street but quiet. Most hotels in San Pedro are on the outskirts and we would not have wanted to trek into town in the heat. I highly recommend booking your tours through the hotel. They hire their own guides directly and have their own vehicles ( they don’t subcontract to another tour company). The guides are therefore very professional and you will meet other hotel guests on the tours.
The food on the tours is also supplied by the hotel restaurant so was a cut above what we saw others eating on their tours. Plus the max number of people we toured with was 6 including us. You can get cheaper tours in town but we were glad we booked with the hotel. The transfer from the airport was also very smooth as they were waiting for us in arrivals. Overall, not luxurious but good quality, comfortable local hotel with great service and food. Oh and free wifi also worked fine in rooms.
It’s location around the corner from the Main Street is ideal. Room we had was large and comfortable, with a clean, functional bathroom. Rustic style of the hotel fits perfectly with San Pedro. Staff were friendly and helpful, particularly the housekeeping staff who fully serviced the room to a high standard daily. Lunch/Dinner in restaurant was excellent and very reasonably priced (when compared to others in town).
Breakfast was also very good, with eggs cooks to order. A take-away packed breakfast is also available for early start tours. Small pool and jacuzzi were available, but given Winter we did not use these, but surrounding area is very nice.
Overall, one of our favourite hotels on our trip and highly recommended if this style suits your preferences.
How much does a room costs at Hotel Kimal?
Prices start 190 $/night for Standard Double Room.
Where to book online – Hotel Kimal – Gay Friendly Hotels San Pedro de Atacama – you can find the best hotels deals in San Pedro de Atacama during San Pedro de Atacama Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in San Pedro de Atacama a on Booking.com or Expedia.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
3. Hotel Jardin Atacama 2* – Gay Friendly Hotels San Pedro de Atacama
Set in a colonial style building featuring a garden and a restaurant, Hotel Jardin Atacama offers heated rooms with private bathrooms.
Decorated in soft colours, rooms at Jardin Atacama Hotel have ceilings crossed by wooden beams.
There is a restaurant that offers breakfast buffet.
Guests can unwind in the garden or in the shaded colonial style galleries.
If you are one of those who like to be steps from everything, Hotel Jardín Atacama is the perfect choice for you, we have a privileged location just two blocks from the central square and one block from Calle Caracoles, the main gastronomic and tourist centre of the town. And at the same time, in a very quiet street that will guarantee you a good night’s sleep.
The Atacama desert is no joke! It’s dry, hot, and salty. It will wear you down! Thank goodness for Hotel Jardin Atacama, it’s a great refuge from the hot sun and dusty air. Despite the rooms being on the small side and the adobe walls will feel like you’re in a baking oven, the owner and staff makes this place such a lovely place to be. They take care in providing a healthy and tasty breakfast, day snacks, and drinking water in a eco-conscious manner.
The staff at the front desk all provided great and useful info for getting around and seeing sights, the kitchen and cleaning staff are easy and quick to smile wishing you a great day as you go off for your adventure.
Do not blame the hotel for weak wifi, lack of a/c, and uncontrollable hot/cold water, it’s a small and remote town that makes these basic essentials tough to get. Perfect price range if you don’t want to go the hostel route and also do not want to be overcharged for some luxury hotel.
The rooms are bit small but very comfortable especially the beds.Good reading lights – only issue was heat as as the rooms got hot in the day and did not cool down at night. If you open the windows insects came in including mosquitoes. We used the fan but it was very noisy.
Nice breakfast especially the fresh mango. Good wifi.
The staff and the owners are extremely nice, and very helpful, always there to help you and make your stay enjoyable. Everyday for breakfast there was new bake goods prepared and cooked with local organic products. The owners are conscious about the environment and avoid plastics.
A glass bottle with two glass in each room you can refill at anytime. (DO NOT take the glass bottles, it’s part of the room not to take ).
The location is perfect!! Close to all the good restaurants. The place is clean and safe. Really had a good time. Keep in mind that San Pedro has mainly hostels or over priced hotels… this is the BEST you ll get for your money in a desert pueblo.
How much does a room costs at Hotel Jardin Atacama?
Prices start 122 $/night for Economy Double Room. The Standard Double is 132$/room per night with breakfast included – if coming on a honeymoon this is the perfect choice for gay couples.
Where to book online – Hotel Jardin Atacama – Gay Friendly Hotels San Pedro de Atacama – you can find the best hotels deals in San Pedro de Atacama during San Pedro de Atacama Festival which is celebrated with much enthusiasm in San Pedro de Atacama a on Booking.com or Hotels.com and see more reviews on TripAdvisor.
