If you're looking for a safe space and an otherworldly travel experience to cure your craving for wanderlust, look no further than these one-of-a-kind travel bubbles.
You can go it alone, with your Boo, or your crew, a la your travel bubble. Whichever way you do it, be prepared to be blown away by the bubbles, and the backdrops in these are all but tiny bubbles.
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort - Kakslauttanen, Finland
The creation of the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort dates back to 1973 when its founder, Jussi Eiramo, went on a fishing trip. He ran out of fuel in Kakslauttanen, Finland. So, he had to spend the night. As off-putting as the lack of fuel may have been, he immediately felt at home.
Two summers later, he decided to open a cafe. With time, the business grew and became the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, operated by Jussi.
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is in Finland's wilderness next to Urho Kekkonen National Park, the largest National Park in Finland. People visiting the park often go cycling, skiing, or fishing, but the most popular activity is hiking.
There is an array of trails specific for hikers of all ages and skill levels. Whether you're new to hiking or are a pro, there's endless potential and undulating terrains on the hiking front.
Kakslauttanen is a lovely mix of luxury and leisure. The resort's glass igloos allow guests to take in the stars and The Northern Lights from the comfort of their beds.
If you're looking for more privacy than the glass domain, the resort also offers kelo-glass igloos, which give guests the comfort and privacy of a lodge with the viewing area of a glass igloo. It is the same as a log cabin but has a small half-glass igloo room to view the sky.
Depending on the season, activities range from husky and reindeer safaris to chasing the northern lights on horseback or midnight sun spotting from the comfort of your Bubble.
Aire De Bardenas Hotel - Spain
The Aire De Bardenas Hotel is a sleek stay in Tudela, Spain, in the Bardenas Desert, the largest desert in Europe. The Bardenas Desert has a unique landscape of gorges and peaks, giving visitors far-off views.
It's easy to see why many movies and TV shows used it as a filming location, one example being the popular show Game of Thrones. The clean design of their cubes and suites adds a contemporary touch to the stay.
Although the bubbles are mostly clear, they are more distanced from others to ensure privacy. They also provide an uninterrupted view of the stars.
Stars aside, the hotel offers several activities for guests to partake in within the desert, such as a vehicle or segway tour. Buggy tours are also a popular way for thrill-seekers to see the desert. If buggies aren't your thing, you can also tour by horse or bike.
Eno explorers can dip into some great vino and a fair bit of history in a wine cellar dating back to the Spanish Civil War.
A restaurant on site serves European, Spanish, vegetarian, and vegan cuisine. They also offer gluten-free options. The restaurant shares the same sleek design as the guest rooms.
Underwater Bubble, The Conrad in the Maldives
The Conrad Maldives Resort is on tropical Rangali Island in the Maldives. The Muraka at the resort is a unique two-level luxury stay with an underwater bedroom on the lower level that allows guests to live and sleep surrounded by the sea.
Guests at the Conrad can get active or relax. Island activities range from watersports like catamaran sailing, paddleboarding, windsurfing, hydro jetpacks, and many more to lounging by the pool or beach or indulging in an over-water massage at the spa.
Several restaurants, including the Ithaa Undersea restaurant, Sunset Grill, and Mandhoo Spa restaurant, are scattered throughout the island. Visitors can eat in chic beachside cafes or an underground wine cellar, home to 15,000 bottles and a five-course meal hosted by the head chef and sommelier. The only possible topper to that is the world's first underwater restaurant.
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is five meters below the surface. It received a Global Restaurant of the Year Award and a Luxury Unique Experience Award in 2017.
BubbleTent - Australia
After the founders of Bubble Tent Australia went on a stargazing tour in New Zealand, they came back wanting to extend that experience for themselves and others. And so, a bubble was born.
Bubbletent Australia overlooks the Capertee Valley Canyon, the world's second-largest canyon in New South Wales. The area is rich with greenery and wildlife and is known for its abundance of cliffs, making fantastic views perfect for nature photographers and adventurers.
There are three varieties of bubble tents to choose from: Leo, Virgo, and Cancer. The Leo is on top of a hill at the valley's peak. It comes complete with a hammock.
The Virgo bubble overlooks the canyon and has a glowing view of sunrise and sunset, seen from Virgo's love swing. The Cancer is tucked away on a cliffside and has a floating bed.
Each Bubble has a firepit, telescope, outdoor rinsing station, and a wood-fired bathtub.
Guests can enjoy activities like watching the sunset, stargazing, swinging in a hammock, and exploring on-site. Nearby, there are eco and helicopter valley tours, wine tasting, and hiking tours.
Ridgeback Lodge - Canada
Find your dome away from home at Ridgeback Lodge, the perfect choice for an adventure outing, a romantic getaway, or an opportunity to glamp it up with your best gal pals in their stargazer domes.
Domes have a clear side, allowing plenty of natural light to pour inside. Regardless of the reason or the company you keep, all guests can quickly decompress in the seclusion of these woods.
If roaming away from the dome, wine lovers can sip and swirl at the nearby Dunhams Run Estate Winery, which has a wine selection starting from the vines planted in 2000. They also create mead and champagne. Ski-seekers can head to Elmhurst Outdoors, an outdoor recreation place for cross-country skiing trails during the daytime or moonlit snowshoeing during winter. They also have kayaking and canoeing.
Bubble Lodge in Mauritius
The Bubble Lodge in Mauritius has taken eco-chic and COVID care to a five-star level. This Bubble is far from a Bubble bedroom.
Instead, it is a mini Bubble Lodge suited for you, whether for two or a family of four. The two rooms fit with a king-size bed, a sofa bed, a lounge area, an outdoor shower, and an air-conditioner.
Located on this East African country, off Madagascar's coast, the Bubble Lodge is in the Domaine of Bois Chéri, Mauritius's most famous Tea Estate. Bubbles are by the Lake at the foothills of snow-capped and cloud-covered mountains, perfect for leisurely walks with ducks, Java deers, peacocks, black swans, and guinea fowls.
If venturing outside of the safety of your Bubble, you are well-rewarded in the Bois Chéri Restaurant, which offers panoramic views of the island's south coast. Biking, kayaking, tasting tea, or merely soaking in the stars are other ways to spend the day or night at this not-so-tiny bubble.
Full of Stars Hotel at Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp
Wadi Rum is an essential stop on any trip to Jordan. A few outfitters provide glamping under the stars, as you must make a full day and night of it to grasp this Arabian oasis fully.
If looking to up the luxury front in the land of Lawrence of Arabia, the Full of Stars Hotel at Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp is just the ticket. The one-bedroom bubbles have a king-size bed, bathroom and shower, and a full mountain view of Wadi Rum.
The thrill of a lifetime is to venture outside your bubble and go for camel and exhilarating rides in a 4x4 jeep throughout the undulating dunes. Top it off with a traditional meal under a blanket of stars. After that, it's sweet dreams as you count your lucky stars and bubbles.
Campera Hotel in Mexico
Bubble hotels may be popping up all over the globe in Europe, Africa, and Australasia. However, you are far less likely to see them in North America.
The Campera Hotel in Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico, is focused on sustainability and luxury. The twelve bubble hotels offer bubble rooms and suites with climate control, a private bathroom, and a vineyard view.
The Bubbles are made in France with tip-top materials, but the ambiance is pure Mexican magic. The hotel is immersed in the beauty of Valle de Guadalupe, a pitch-perfect place for the eco and eno-enthused traveler. With over eighty wineries in the region, wine tastings and tours are abundant.
Celebrate the region's star in the Campera Hotel restaurant, DOCE. In the Bubble's minibar, you will find red and white wine from Docepiedras Vineyards, the grapes surrounding your Bubble.
That is well worth toasting!
*If interested in staying in any or many of the Bubbles above, Women's Adventure Travels can arrange your stay and all travel to and fro, as well as adventure or any aspect of your itinerary surrounding your Bubble stay. This can be arranged for you individually or for you and your Boo or any size group of your choosing.
Do note that boutique hotel stays are all the rage domestically and internationally, especially hotels of this unique nature. So, if interested, do let us know soon to make arrangements for you and your crew. (Send an email to: karenloftus@womensadventuretravels.com)
Written by Katie Hulce and Karen Loftus