Two new hotel concepts from Zero Real Estate and Million Stars are taking glamping to the next level with open-air rooms in the middle of nowhere. Sam Ballard reports
The creators of the Null Stern outdoor hotel room – which debuted four years ago in Switzerland – have now opened seven more European sites under the banner Zero Real Estate.
The idea behind the outdoor rooms, which feature a bed on a wooden platform, is that “the landscape becomes your wallpaper”, according to a release from the company.
There will be six of the new rooms in Eastern Switzerland and one in Liechtenstein.
The concept is backed by Daniel Charbonnier, a hotel professional and managing partner of Minds in Motion, and Frank and Patrik Riklin, two concept artists.
An overnight stay in one of the wall-less and roof-less rooms costs CHF295 (£248) and includes butler service, access to a toilet and washing facilities, wine and pizza delivery. There is also a back-up indoor room for if it starts raining. Guests staying at Zero Real Estate will be looked after by members of the local community and there will be meticulous attention given to hygiene. The need for fresh air, nature and space is particularly great following a period of confinement, say Frank and Patrik Riklin.
Speaking to Globetrender, Charbonnier, says: “As a hospitality professional, by creating the Zero Real Estate concept, I have been able to push the boundaries of the hotel industry. In the past years, guests have redefined the meaning of luxury, now it is not the hotels that have stars but the guest who is the only star – this evolution is at the core of the Zero Real Estate brand and the guest is at centre of the creating process.”
However, Zero Real Estate is not the only Swiss hotel experience offering guests the chance to experience the outdoors.
Million Stars Hotel, a project being run by Switzerland Tourism, sees 50 hotel “rooms” installed around the country and offers guests a view of the night sky.
Guests will have the opportunity to sleep on mountain peaks, in wildflower meadows or above city rooftops. The rooms are priced from CHF80 (£67) to CHF800 (£673) per night.
“Forget about counting sheep. This summer, people are counting stars instead – from the comfort of a cosy bed. This is relaxation at its purest,” says Martin Nydegger, CEO of Switzerland Tourism.
The range of rooms mean guests can spend the night on the mountain Piz Nair, in a cable car that has been converted into a tiny home, or in a glass-fronted cube on the mountain Eggishorn with views of the Aletsch Glacier. Other options include an observatory, the Starbase Hotel that hovers above Lake Lucerne and a boat on Lake Thun.