We live in a time of sudden change, an uncertain period marked by the new coronavirus, as well as racial and environmental issues. Some accommodations deal with current issues in an extremely innovative way.
Take a look at five accommodations that caught our eye for their fresh and creative approach to tourism.
CampV
Many of the mines in SW Colorado began to decline after the end of operations, and some underwent a thorough transformation over time. Real estate agent Natalie Binder, with the help of architects, has transformed former miners' dwellings into an extremely popular retreat for travelers.
The former miner's refuge has been given a new glamping look, with the aim of mixing rural community with art. CampV opened its doors in April 2021, and guests can choose from historic cabins, Airstream trailers and tents, while the glamping offer is shaped by a diverse range of cultural activities, from concerts to workshops.
Six Senses Black
The tourism industry is very wasteful of energy. Six Senses Svart is the hotel of the future, as it produces more energy than it consumes. The ring-shaped hotel with 94 rooms is the brainchild of Norwegian architecture studio Snøhetta, which opened an underwater restaurant on Norway's southern coast in 2019.
The hotel is scheduled to open in the far north of Norway in 2024, and it is expected to become the first energy-positive hotel in the world. The hotel is designed in such a way that it will collect more energy with solar cells than it will need for consumption. It will also be completely self-sufficient, and will also have its own waste and water management.
DistrictHive
Along a desert gorge in Spain's Sierra Nevada mountains lies a rectangular glass structure inspired by a space shuttle. This installation produces as much energy as it needs to operate for four days (in case of lack of sun). Every day, it collects up to 250 liters of water from the air and turns all the waste into ash and water for irrigation.
All devices in the house are controlled by artificial intelligence, which automatically adjusts energy consumption. The DistrictHive app controls lighting, sound, temperature and even smells.
Rancho Pescadero
The coastal resort collaborated with the local community during the four-year renovation, with whose help it created a haven for regenerative and sustainable travel. The resort was opened in 2009 by Lisa Harper, but at the time, with 12 rooms, it represented a peaceful refuge from the crazy world on the Mexican coast. With the development of tourism, the resort has expanded to 103 rooms, complete with private pools and wellness programs.
Rancho Pescadero has also invested money in 170 affordable homes for the local population, as well as a series of trainings. In addition, the resort will go completely solar over the next three years, and the resort is also introducing a new composting program to the region, making organic bamboo straws for local businesses and working with local sanitation providers to ensure proper waste disposal.
Churchill Wild
The tour operator, based in Manitoba, Canada, brings travelers into contact with Canada's pristine nature. It takes travelers to the inaccessible Hudson Bay Lowlands, encouraging them to contribute to the study and preservation of species. The company's latest safari focuses on Canis lupus nubilus, a subspecies so remote that no scientists have studied it — and Wikipedia mistakenly even lists it as extinct.
Together with a team of naturalist guides and professional photographers, guests embark on a 10-day expedition, taking photos and taking notes, which are then sent to scientists, helping to monitor the animals.
