Here’s a hotel room unlike any other. Designed to resemble a bird’s nest (an extremely large one, it has to be said), from its vantage point guests can watch the sun go down, gaze at the stars, and sleep out in the fresh air.
The unique accommodation, perched above the surrounding trees, is located at Segera Retreat in the Kenyan county of Laikipia, considered one of the country’s most important wildlife regions.
Lit up with lanterns at night, the nest also offers a sheltered room down below in case spending the entire night outside isn’t to your liking. Guests are promised a “magical” African sunset during a picnic-style dinner on the top of the nest, and breakfast can be enjoyed “while watching elephants, giraffe, and other wildlife” gather at the nearby river. Now you certainly don’t get that with your average Motel 6. Or any of them for that matter.
The stunning design is the result of a collaboration between Segera Retreat and hand-crafted accessories outfit Nay Palad, who worked with award-winning French architect Daniel Pouzet to create a vacation experience that you won’t forget in a hurry.
Operated by conservationist Jochen Zeitz, Segera Retreat boasts “fun, adventure, spiritual reflection, and peace” for guests able and willing to fork out the fees, which start at around $1,200 per person per night.
The retreat uses solar power to provide it with all of its energy needs — including for heating the luxury outdoor baths — and makes use of recycled and captured rainwater to give life to its gardens and cultivate homegrown vegetables for the retreat’s restaurant.
While undoubtedly remarkable, the nest isn’t the first outdoor accommodation to have caught our eye. Remember this “open-air hotel room” in the Swiss Alps, comprising a bed and … er … that’s it. That’s right, it doesn’t even bother with basics like walls and a ceiling, and the nearest public restroom is apparently a 10-minute walk away. Taking minimalist hotel design to a whole new level, the Null Stern Hotel costs around $250 a night and includes butler service and breakfast.
As for Segera Retreat’s offbeat offering, we’re hoping that sleeping in something resembling a giant bird’s nest hasn’t resulted in some of the larger local birds mistaking it for home, swooping in just as guests are trying to nod off. Although true adventurers would no doubt welcome such an experience.
