Bedrooms that send you to sleep (in a good way)

Scritto da Peter Smisek
06.03.19

Far from the madding crowds and blanketed in nature, the bedrooms of these recently built, secluded retreats are the stuff dreams are made of.

Skylights in the bedrooms of The Boat Rooms on the Fuchun River, designed by The Design Institute of Landscape and Architecture at the China Academy of Art, further immerse guests into the natural surroundings. Photo: Aoguan Performance of Architecture

Though often secluded and far removed from the worries of everyday life, even the most boutique of retreats and holiday resorts often feature extensive communal facilities for guests to relax and enjoy a convivial drink or two together. However, when it's time to truly relax, nothing can match these retreats' bedrooms for comfort, contemplation and sheer indulgence.

Shigeru Ban uses timber – his signature material – throughout the rooms of Shishi-Iwa House (Japan), and even incorporates his famous cardboard tubes into some of the furnishings, such as the beds and bedside lamps. Photos: Hiroyuki Hirai

One such hideaway, located in one of Japan's favourite mountain destinations, Karuizawa, is the Shishi-Iwa House, which contains 10 guest bedrooms split across three pavilions. A single undulating social space contains all of the communal facilities, while the rooms opening onto it can be closed off completely. Bedrooms on the ground floor face a private garden, while those on the upper floor in the pitched eaves of the roof have access to a generous terrace with a view of Mount Asama.

The grey canvas covering the load-bearing structure and the fireplaces inside the Dômes Charlevoix (Canada) by Bourgeois Lechasseur Architectes create a warm and cosy atmosphere. Photos: Maxime Valsan

The Dômes Charlevoix, near Quebec City in Canada, is a luxury eco-retreat by Bourgeois Lechasseur Architectes, the first phase of which consists of three freestanding geodesic domes. Each dome is self-sufficient and contains a kitchen and a bathroom, but it is the bedroom which takes pride of place, with its expansive view over the forested valley of the St. Lawrence River. As a bonus, on top of the service core of each unit sits a second double bed, making the domes the perfect place for a secluded family vacation.

The Boat Rooms on the Fuchun River (China) pay homage to the fishing communities that have lived in the region for centuries, and create a romantic setting when lit up at night. Photos: Aoguan Performance of Architecture

Located in Eastern China, The Boat Rooms on the Fuchun River are built on stilts directly above the water. Here, the five units – designed by The Design Institute of Landscape and Architecture at the China Academy of Art – take the form of boathouses straddling the waters’ edge. Each room’s structure is made out of prefabricated timber beams and panels which are left exposed on the inside and clad in wooden shingles on the outside, lending a traditional air to the ensemble. The pared down interiors also include wooden screens that separate the rooms’ functional zones, as well as skylights and a balcony, boldly combining contemporary interior trends with Chinese architectural traditions.

The private rooms at Habitas Tulum, designed by the retreat's in-house team, all feature generous outdoor terraces: some have a view of the ocean, while others look out onto peaceful palm groves. Photos: Adrian Gaut

In Habitas Tulum, a retreat in Mexico, the emphasis is once again on the contrast between open shared spaces used by all guests, and the more intimate rooms and private apartments. While the communal activity plays out around the outdoor pool and the adjacent restaurant and wellness areas, the 32 units are an altogether more private affair. Taking the form of a beach hut or a palapa – with an exterior is thatched with palm leaves - the rooms' tent-like interiors offer all the creature comforts, courtesy of handmade, artisanal rugs and furnishings.