Per Booking.com’s Travel Predictions for 2024, 58% of travelers value an uninterrupted night’s sleep while on vacation. But would they be willing to sleep in rooms without doors or windows, surrounded by nature?
Accommodations around the globe are reshaping the way we sleep in nature. You might be familiar with yurts, glamping, or eco-lodges. However, these unconventional venues offer an open concept that blurs the line between the bedroom and nature, reimagining the idea of a room with a view.
Sleeping Above the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
The under-the-stars Reefsleep experience by Cruise Whitsundays complements the ReefSuites with round-the-clock underwater views.
Moored at Hardy Reef on the Great Barrier Reef, guests can observe marine life through observatory windows or enjoy activities like snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing, or whale watching. During July and September, guests may even spot humpback whales migrating along the reef for breeding.
Before sunset, guests retreat to the pontoon’s upper deck to rest on Reefbeds specially designed for the occasion. These unique double beds resemble tents, with their upper canvas unzipping on both sides to allow exposure to the elements.
Travel blogger Giselle Whiteaker fondly remembers her serene experience. “The only sound I heard was the gentle lapping of water against the pontoon and the occasional splash as a fish surfaced.”
Becoming One With Nature in Indonesia
Victoria Henz, a travel blogger at Guide Your Travel, visited Le Pirate Island in Komodo National Park, Indonesia, where she stayed in open-air beach huts. She advises guests to expect warm weather and suggests those needing air conditioning opt for traditional accommodations. “It was quite hot,” she admits, “but being prepared made it more bearable.”
Henz reflects on how comfortably she slept in the open air. “Since it’s a private island, I felt very secure. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of insects and pests, which may be due to sleeping so close to the beach. We hardly encountered any mosquitoes, which was fantastic. The island truly exceeded all my expectations; it was incredible.”
As per Tripadvisor, Bali’s boutique hotel Bambu Indah ranks second out of 79 resorts in Ubud. Adventurous guests can choose open-air rooms, while others opt for conventional houses with doors and screened windows. One of the hotel’s unique offerings is the Moon House, a partially wall-less, crescent-shaped space overlooking a small pond, retreat gardens, and the rainforest.
Although enticing, a closer look at reviews reveals that this style of accommodation may not suit all guests. Travel blogger Meeka Fayetima from The Wandering Afro shares her experience staying in a similar open-air hut in Indonesia. “The most challenging part was using the bathroom alone at night,” she remembers. “The outdoor shower attracted some visitors, but the views were breathtaking. Waking up gently with the sunrise was an amazing experience, and the vistas were truly out of this world. I would definitely do it again.”
Monkey Business in Sri Lanka
Kate Veling visited two open-air properties in Sri Lanka: Back of Beyond in Pidurangula and Jasper House in Hiriketiya Beach.
Jasper House features second-floor rooms with one side open to the ocean, while every room at Back of Beyond has bifold screens that expose the entire space. “The only downside was the potential for unintentionally flashing people walking down the nearby hill,” she notes.
Back of Beyond offers guests open-air treehouse accommodations with views of the jungle canopy. However, Veling mentions that the resort provides a monkey-proof trunk for storing valuables, and staff advise guests to zip up their suitcases to prevent curious monkeys from rummaging through. Despite the need for extra precautions, she recalls no uncomfortable encounters with wildlife during her stay.
Under the Mexican Sky Overlooking the Ocean
Sustainable boutique hotel Playa Viva sits on a private preserve on Mexico’s Pacific coast. The luxurious space at the base of the Sierra Madre Mountains features a variety of cabin styles, all without windows to provide uninterrupted ocean views.
This particular open-air concept comes with its own set of challenges. As per reports, 25% of scorpion sting envenomations worldwide occur in Mexico, leading guests to receive scorpion-detecting UV lights upon check-in.
Not all open-air accommodations require the same level of caution. “While scorpions are present in Baja, none have been spotted in one of our treehouses. I imagine they would struggle to climb the treehouse’s steel staircase,” says Cameron Watt, owner of Acre Resort.
The resort offers treehouses with thatched walls that allow bird sounds and coastal breezes to filter through. Watt explains, “The decision to offer open-air accommodations was an easy one. A true glamping experience calls for sensations that you can’t find in a typical hotel room.”
Vicki Rutwind from Fashion Travel Repeat recounts her magical, comfortable, and luxurious experience at the resort. “I particularly enjoyed the outdoor shower at our treehouse, which offers complete privacy while showering under the starlit sky,” she adds.
Tropical Breezes and Starry Nights in the Caribbean
Samana Eco Lodge near El Limón on the Samaná Peninsula provides rustic, open-air jungle bungalows split over two levels: a swinging bed on the ground floor and a king-size bed upstairs overlooking a rock pool and the rainforest.
Jessica Serna shares her experience at Saman Eco Lodge. “Honestly, I expected more insects! As someone who frequently goes glamping, I didn’t notice a difference in bug activity compared to a glamping site with enclosed windows and doors. Sure, there were spiders and cockroaches, but that was expected.”
Jade Mountain in St. Lucia stands out as a unique resort in the Caribbean, built on a cliffside and offering unobstructed views of the renowned Piti and Gros Piton Mountains through each room’s open wall.
“Guests often describe their stay as magical, feeling as if they are suspended in space with the Pitons as a breathtaking backdrop, surrounded by the natural elements of earth, air, and water,” says Karolin Troubetzkoy, Executive Director of Jade Mountain Resort.
Suspended in the Rainforest Canopy Without Walls in Costa Rica
While 65% of respondents in the Booking.com survey prefer green spaces and plants during their stays, not everyone may require complete access to the rainforest. Guests at Nature Observatorio, known for its lush greenery, will find Monsteras, America’s favorite indoor plant, scattered throughout Costa Rica. Visitors staying at the striking open-air treehouse, which hangs high in the Costa Rican jungle, will enjoy stunning views and sounds of the tropical rainforest.
The elevated treehouse allows guests to observe the rainforest and wildlife from the canopy level via a pulley system that hoists them up.
Animals Near Africa’s Open-Air Stays
The Chief Marketing Officer Council’s survey reveals that 74% of Western travelers have no plans to visit any African destination, with half expressing concerns about safety. However, resorts and tourist spots in the region aim to address these worries by offering exclusive experiences and leveraging unique opportunities not found elsewhere.
Go2Africa, a renowned safari operator and B Corp-certified company, lists 26 star-beds in nine African countries, ranging from Botswana’s dense rainforests to South African game reserves.
Maija De Rijk-Uys, Managing Director and Travel + Leisure A-List Advisor, remarks, “There’s nothing quite like snuggling into a cozy bed in the heart of pristine wilderness. With just a mosquito net separating you from Africa’s Milky Way, the nighttime calls of lions and hyenas are even more enchanting when heard from a star-bed.”
Most star-beds are designed simply, like the one at Tsuwalu Kalahari, offering two camping beds on a wooden platform. Other resorts like Segera Retreat’s Nay Palad Bird Nest in Laikipia Plateau, Kenya, attract guests with unique architectural designs.
Global travelers looking for unique accommodations are turning to open-air stays, where unobstructed views and direct contact with nature replace traditional barriers like doors and windows. From sleeping above the Great Barrier Reef to resting in a beach hut on a private Indonesian island, these experiences redefine the concept of a room with a view.
