Sprawl across an Eames recliner while a Scottish loch laps outside your eco-bubble.
When you’re staying in a place which is all about the view (you’ve got a castle on an island within caber-tossing distance here), big windows would seem a sensible option. The vista at Ecopod, on the wild west coast of Scotland, is unimpeded since most of the facade is made entirely of glass.
With an extremely low environmental impact, these two geodesic domes (a third is opening later this year) are set in woodland on the shore of a loch. Fear not the monstrous chill: they are well insulated due to being heated by biomass stoves, which burn fuel from nearby sustainable forests. The domes also feature organic bed linen and aromatherapeutic bath goodies that are locally sourced and organic, too.
On the aesthetic side, 1950s classics such as Eames recliners, (FSC-accredited) wood-paneled bathrooms and retro-styled kitchens hit the spot; when the view palls, digital music and movies are on hand to entertain.
Decadence ensues with a dip into the outdoor hot tub with a tumbler full of the hard stuff.
Pod 2 has something called Clouds, a 3D DIY tile art installation by French design duo Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec featured on EcoSalon before. Here, they are used to screen the bedroom from the main living area.
Rates from $782 (three nights minimum) including tax and a hamper stuffed with local treats like malt whisky, fresh loch scallops, chocolate and beer.
Images: Honeymoonbeat, Dome Sweet Dome
Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.