The world's best new hotels

Hundreds of hotels open their doors each year, but how many open your eyes? Travel Leisure's Guide to the best new hotels showcases the newcomers that are redefining service and design -- and even the way we travel.

Awasi, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Awasi, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
The stark Atacama Desert is home to a new intimate hideaway perfect for the adventure-minded.

Location: The endlessly varied Atacama desert, with its steaming geysers, salt lagoons, wind-sculpted valleys, volcanoes, and oases, rivals Patagonia as a wilderness destination.

Pedigree: First-time hoteliers, Chilean architect Francisco Rencoret and his wife, interior decorator Paula Domínguez, have built their dream getaway in one of their favorite places. More Awasis are in the works.

Style Design: The eight roomy bungalows are made of adobe and stone, topped with thatch, and tucked among winding paths. Inside, hardwood and marble floors and custom-made lamps and chaise longues are set off by Bolivian wool wall hangings and rugs.

Service Amenities: An open-air restaurant serving sophisticated Andean fare (quinoa tabbouleh, empanadas, and chupe de mariscos, or seafood stew) is a highlight, as are thoughtful extras like lip balm, complimentary cleaning of hiking boots and sandals, and a welcome pot of chachacoma tea--a local remedy to ease altitude adjustment. Guides (and 4 x 4's) are on hand to take guests on excursions such as a llama caravan to the Tulor archaeological site or a picturesque hike crisscrossing the Vilamar River.

Rooms to Book: The five round rooms (Nos. 1-5) have the most personality, with arched doorways, lofty domed ceilings, and prime positioning--either near the bonfire or tucked discretely behind the pool. In-the-know travelers request Room 1, which has two private patios, as opposed to the standard one.

56-2/233-9641; www.awasi.cl; doubles from $900, based on two nights, all-inclusive.

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Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.