At Whitepod in Switzerland, the rooms are put into storage at the end of the season.

Dome Away from Home

So often, one hotel room is, well . . . just like every other hotel room. Crisp sheets, tiny shampoos, bathrobes so fluffy that maybe you should just take them home with you. There are some contemporary hoteliers, however, who are trying something new with the age-old standard hotel format: They're removing the walls.

Sofia de Meyer, owner of Switzerland's Whitepod hotel.

"[I had] a strong inspiration to develop a concept which would offer a different, and ecological, way to explore the Swiss Alps," says de Meyer.

If you've been to Switzerland lately, the snow globe you enjoyed is one that probably won't fit on your desk, thanks to Sofia de Meyer, 31, the owner of Whitepod.

"[I had] a strong inspiration to develop a concept which would offer a different, and ecological, way to explore the Swiss Alps," says de Meyer.

Her new take on the Swiss chalet, six eco-friendly dome-shaped globes in the snow of Aigle (an hour and a half away from Geneva), opened in 2004.

The hotel is part mountain cabin (they offer ice hiking and dog sledding lessons) part modern luxury hotel suite (fresh squeezed juices, Swedish massages, Swiss wines), and part rustic, classic tent. "In the pods, you're sleeping comfortably next to a wood burning stove. You're totally immersed in nature, surrounded by nothing but peace and breathtaking views," says de Meyer.

There's no electricity or plumbing; the globe is heated entirely by a stove. But you'll hardly be roughing it as you sip wine and nibble on local cheese beneath your organic duvet cover. And, unlike most other hotels this side of Brigadoon, each spring this one magically disappears - the domes are removed, leaving no trace or damage to the Swiss mountainside.

"They're energy efficient, unique, and [offer] survivability. I'm hoping to make this a better world by using them," says David South, President of the Monolithic Dome Institute, a dome building company based in Texas.

Domed structures haven't changed much since South, 67, was building models with toothpicks as a teenager. Domes are easy to build and are cost-effective, since their reduced surface area cools and heats faster than conventional buildings. They're refreshingly simple and old-fashioned seeming structures, and yet they're extremely modern in their eco-friendly intentions.

Another perk of some dome hotels? Unlike the most accommodating Four Seasons, some dome hotels, such as Chile's Elqui Domos, actually encourage you to tear down the roof. Each of the six geodesic canvas domes at the astronomical hotel in Elqui Valley has a removable top. Guests stargaze using a telescope next to the bed on the second story before falling asleep beneath the heavens. It's an opportunity to commune with nature without worrying about getting pine needles in your hair.

And, unlike other great hotels, this is one that you can recreate at home (although you'll have to supply your own staff of maids). South's Monolithic Dome Institute and companies such as Timberline Geodesic Domes can help you make your own eco, futuristic, natural, and great-looking "hotel" in your own backyard.

Unfortunately, fluffy bathrobes don't come included.

Posted on July 24, 2006