When you're booking your big annual holiday, it's sometimes hard to choose between comfort and excitement. Do you opt for a revitalising stay at a boutique hotel and spa - or do you use your hard-earned time off to explore the great outdoors and see amazing wildlife? Well ... how about doing both?

The one-of-its-kind Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa in Chile opened its doors just a few weeks ago - and it's already become a huge hit with the increasing number of holidaymakers who are taking advantage of cheaper flights to see the sights of South America. The concept? Guests experience awe-inspiring daytime adventures amid the dramatic landscape of the Atacama Desert, but return to a super-peaceful, super-relaxing hotel in the evening.

Accommodation is on an all-inclusive basis, including transfers from Calama airport, all meals, daily excursions and free use of the spa facilities. The comfortable bedrooms all offer views of the nearby volcanoes - and room design is inspired by the surrounding desert landscape and cultures, using locally found materials. Meanwhile, the spa features a Jacuzzi, steam room and meditation areas - plus there's a huge range of treatments to choose from, all using volcanic mud, local salts and herbs.

The restaurant offers wonderful meals made from fresh local produce - such as quinoa, Andean potatoes, freshly caught fish and Chilean beef and lamb. And, of course, you can also sample some of the country's best wines, including little-known vintages as well as the best-known wines.

So what about those outdoor adventures? Well, each day you can go volcano climbing, hiking, walking and cycling - or simply join a bus tour of mineral springs, bubbling pools, active geysers, volcanoes, deserts, emerald lagoons, barren salt flats, jagged mountain ranges, sweeping valleys and canyons.

Feeling tempted yet? A two-day all-inclusive break at the hotel costs from around £350. For more information, visit www.tierraatacama.com.