The quest for sleep is neverending. Making your room cozy and calm, getting the temperature just right, finding linens that feel good against your body, and on and on — some of us pursue blissful rest with the fervor we approach the perfect exercise routine. It’s why we are big believers in finding different places and spaces to slumber in peace, expanding our relaxation horizons in ways that fulfill and even excite us. Rest is very personal and discovering different options — unique, unusual, and surprising — for sweet, sweet sleep is deliciously comforting.
Whether you’re seeking an off-the-beaten path “away from home” stay or an out-of-the-ordinary bedroom hack to boost relaxation in your own place, we have 3 out of town ideas and 3 ways to reboot your in-house slumber area you may like to try.
OUT OF TOWN
You know the saying, “Wherever you go, there you are”? Well, you always take you with you when you travel and if you’re going somewhere different, ensuring your experience is a wonderful adventure followed by a delicious rest is something you deserve.
With that in mind, here are three of our newest “wherever you are going, delight that you are there” finds to share with you.
Dog tired: Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho
Recently, a huge raid on a puppy mill in Virginia rescued over 4000 beagles, all of whom are currently finding loving homes. Out in Cottonwood, Idaho, however, you can cozy up for a minimum two-night stay at Dog Bark Park Inn, a guesthouse shaped like a beagle.
Run by co-owners and artists, Dennis and Francis, this labor of love features a hand-carved dog in which you can sleep, its mini companion that you can marvel at, and a gift shop with figurines of over 60 breeds of dogs in different poses, all created by Dennis and Francis. And, yes, you can bring your pup but, no, not until 2023. They’re all booked up until then.
More than a treehouse: Treehotel, Harads, Sweden
There are 9 options to choose from when you stay at the Treehotel in Sweden: Biosphere, The Mirrorcube, Bird’s Nest, The Cabin, 7th Room, The UFO, Dragonfly, The Bluecone, and The Guesthouse — which is, yes, a guesthouse. The original guesthouse, actually.
Each of these unique locations is a beautiful part of nature, bringing in the incredible views, the distinct wildlife, and the wonder of the simple little town where it all resides. The story behind these extraordinary accommodations is one of perseverance, passion, and determination. It’s an artist’s journey and of such distinct, unique experiences, sleeping in one of the 9 singular spots will be a story you’ll tell forever.
A whimsical ruse: La Balade de Gnomes, Durbuy, Belgium
In a quaint little village in Belgium sits a hotel with rooms that take you on a magical escape around the world. The town of Heyd is within the province of Luxembourg and close to Western Europe’s Durbuy. It is here that La Balade de Gnomes (aka The Gnome Walk) welcomes guests to experience its storybook charms and fairytale getaway.
There are 11 rooms from which to choose, each themed in such a way that stepping through the door you find yourself leaving behind Belgium and entering Morocco, Andalusia, the mind of Spanish architect Gaudi, a wine tour of Alsatia, Africa, a sailboat down a river that cuts through a gnome infested forest, a gypsy caravan, and the mythical belly of the famed Trojan Horse. Even the room descriptions read as if you are being told a fairy story as a child — welcome, warm, and lulling.
HOMEBOUND
What we put in our bedrooms or in our homes has come a long way since the basic mattress, box spring, headboard combo. Some of these we’ve touched on in the past and some we have not. Regardless, these unusual options for updating your bedroom put a unique spin on the traditional bed.
Hanging Out: Hammocks and Floating Beds
Hammocks are not just for taking quick naps. We’re sure you already know that, but just in case you were wondering, they’re not. Not only that, but they’ve grown up quite a bit since the days of stringing them between two trees and figuring out how to lie in them without flipping it over and landing on the ground.
In an earlier article, we highlighted The Floating Bed, which is still a big fave to many out there and is just as comfy in your bedroom as it is outside in your yard. Something else on the market is the Tiipii Bed, with a style that is exactly as it sounds — a cloth outer shell for that extra sense of security with a base you can hang from the ceiling or affix to a stand if you prefer. Another, the UK-based Le Beanock, is sort of a cross between a beanbag and a hammock. It’s soft and is even described as womb-like, providing a sense of comfort and security.
Levitating beds aren’t confined to those that hang from the ceiling, however. You can still get that feeling of sleeping on a cloud from a platform bed that is anchored in such a way that it feels as if you are hovering off the ground. More conventional-type slumber solutions like the Nexera Nordik Platform bed are stabilized by attaching the mattress platform to the wall with a sturdy rod that rests on the ground underneath.
All these off-the-ground sleeping options are big favorites to many these days for a couple of reasons: floating offers a sense of calm and ease that genuinely feels like sleeping on air and with those that hang from the ceiling, the gentle movement of the bed is soothing, a bit like being in a rocking chair. The second reason is these types of beds work very well in small spaces, are easier to clean around, and give a sense of openness to the room.
Encased in comfort: Enclosed Beds
There’s something deeply comforting about laying your head in a cocoon-like space without being totally enclosed. After all, many people struggle with claustrophobia and knowing you are secure without being totally confined is assuring.
Sleeping solutions such as the Private Cloud, which comes in two styles — one with a rounded top and bottom but open on both sides and the other with a rounded bottom but open top and sides, each able to rock gently — and the egg-shaped Lomme, which has gizmos and gadgets aplenty in its space-age style to provide light therapy, sound therapy, and more to make your sleeping and waking relaxing and rejuvenating, fit that bill. Both are curved, provide that sense of protection while you sleep without feeling boxed in, and are gorgeous to look at. Not a bad combo.
Have Murphy Bed, will travel: Mobile Murphy Bed
Sure, the bed in the wall has been back in style for quite some time and, of course, it’s now a high-end space saver. BUT, this old school solution is now the answer to your overnight guest conundrum by being a Mobile Murphy Bed. That’s right. If you’re not into the inflatable mattress thing, this can be your slumber offer of choice for those times you either have someone stop over for the night or you simply can’t decide which room you’d rather sleep in.
Kind of like pretending you’re on vacation somewhere new in your own home.
Tip of the sleepy iceberg
There are a broad array of unique, unusual, and surprising snooze options out on the market these days, each one ranging from super affordable to just about the most expensive thing you’ve ever seen — the $1.6 million Falling Up aka The Floating Bed by Dutch architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars, anyone? Finding what works best for your rest and relaxation is vital. Because, remember…
We spend ⅓ of our life sleeping. One-Third. That is no small thing. If you’re going to do it, make it count.
Find peaceful slumber in whatever way works best for your rest.
