Sleeping under the stars may not be the idea of an ideal holiday for many, but then, most people when confronted with that phrase would assume we’re talking about camping.
But these naysayers may change their tune once they see these amazing open-air hotels.
Four walls, no roof; three walls, or no walls at all, these open-air hotels will get you as close to your surroundings as you can be without sacrificing any of those luxuries you deserve on the holiday of a lifetime.
Ladera, St Lucia
Ladera is an idyllic luxury hotel situated on the Eastern Caribbean island of St Lucia and really is one for the most special of occasions. It’s right in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage site perched on a high volcano ridgeline overlooking the famous Piton Mountains and the ocean and is now high on my accommodation wish list.
Read more: Queensland’s top 15 Outback station stays
Null Stern – The only star is you, Swiss Alps
From AU$310 per night you can literally sleep under the stars on the Swiss Alps. It’s a completely roofless, wall-less and doorless hotel – well, luxury double bed – that gets you closer to nature than you could ever dream. It’s one of the world’s weirdest, yet most captivating accommodation options. Due to the current situation and lack of resources, the Zero Real Estate project isn’t active this year, but hopes to back online in 2022 in several new locations across the Alps – and hopefully they spring for king-sized beds.
Loisaba Conservancy, Kenya
Imagine handcrafted four poster beds embedded into rockfaces overlooking hippos, elephants and wildlife of Loisaba Conservancy’s 57,000 acres of wildlife. That’s exactly what you get with Starbeds, aptly named for their unrestricted views of the African night sky the feeling of sleeping in mid-air. From AU$300 per night you really can get back to nature.
Read more: Cheap alternatives to pricier dream destinations
Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah
Okay, so this one sits right at the tippy top of my open-air wish list. Amangiri sits on 600-acres of protected desert around two hours from the Grand Canyon. The resort is built into the rock-face and offers both maximum exposure to insanely beautiful views and the elements. Each AU$3000 per night suite has indoor and outdoor sleeping arrangements or, for those who’d like to visit as a group, from AU$12,000 per night, the four-bedroom mesa features a 15-metre private pool, fireplace, underfloor heating and personal bar will cost you a cool $12K per night.
Pacuare Lodge, Costa Rica
You won’t be able to get there by cab or car, as Pacuare Lodge is an off-the-beaten path gem only accessible by a rafting trip or chauffeured 4WD. Surrounded by the jungle, your private suite or villa features sliding glass doors in place of a fourth wall that, when opened, give you the feeling that you’re camping in a rainforest.
L’Albereta Resort, Italy
L’Albereta’s Cabriolet suite has all four walls but, as the name suggests, its roof rolls back to reveal staggering starlight making it the ultimate skylight. Located near the shores of Lake Iseo in Italy’s Lomardy region, the resort is all about pampering and indulgence.
Read more: Can you experience Italy on a budget?
Bangkok Tree House, Bang Krachao
Bangkok Tree House is an eco-conscious, 12-room boutique located on the island of Bang Krachao. From AU$170 you can get back to basics and to your childhood as you sleep in a ‘nest’ seven metres above ground. The bamboo floored treehouse is open to both the sky and surrounding mangroves and feature sun-heated showers, free homemade fruit ice cream any time of the day and the knowledge that your ‘room’ fee benefits the locals and the planet. With every room booked, the hotel removes 1kg of rubbish from the nearby Chao Phraya River and has removed over 3 tonnes of rubbish to date.
Have you ever stayed in an open-air hotel? Where was it? What was it like? In which of the hotels listed above would you like to stay? Why not tell us in the comments section below?
If you enjoy our content, don’t keep it to yourself. Share our free eNews with your friends and encourage them to sign up.
