Skip to main content

Staying at These 4 Bubble Hotels Feels Like Sleeping on Another Planet

With day trips to Antarctica and recreational submersibles now taking anyone to the bottom of the ocean, sometimes it feels like there are few undiscovered destinations left on this planet. It’s getting harder and harder to take a vacation that’s truly “away from it all.” Until we can book an interplanetary getaway, these four bubble hotels might be the next best thing to feeling like you’re relaxing on another planet.

Sun City Camp

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Sun City Camp Wadi Rum, Jordan
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s a reason Jordan is often used as a stand-in for the Martian landscape: because the country’s deserts are among the most otherworldly of anywhere on the planet. It’s here that Sun City Camp offers a glamping experience unlike any other. Situated in Jordan’s famed Wadi Rum near the city of Aqaba, the guest rooms at this luxury encampment are a series of geodesic domes. The canvas structures include large, panoramic windows revealing the stunning red sands and cliffs of the valley outside. While overnighting here will definitely feel like sleeping on the surface of Mars, the camp includes plenty of surprisingly luxurious amenities. Every room features a private bathroom, air-conditioning, a minibar, and complimentary fruit baskets. There’s even Wi-Fi in the reception area. Guests can take advantage of the best adventure opportunities the country has to offer including hot air ballooning high over the valley floor, dune buggy rides through the neverending sands, and taking a rock climbing course.

Recommended Videos

Campera

Ensenada, Mexico

Campera Ensenada, Mexico
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Beyond Earth, it seems every other planet in our galaxy is a barren wasteland. One day, perhaps we’ll find something that more closely resembles Earth. Until then, there’s Campera. This “bubble hotel” in Ensenada, Mexico, is reportedly the only one of its kind in North America. Each of the ten rooms features a private bathroom, full-sized bed, and luxury amenities. The surrounding landscape is the richest and most verdant on this list as it overlooks the vineyards of Valle de Guadalupe. By day, guests can tour the area’s more than 80 up-and-coming wineries. Once the sun goes down, the landscape disappears and, from each of the ten intimate guest rooms, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only on the planet.

Kachi Lodge

Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia

Uyuni Salt Flats
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The barren, bright-white landscape of Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats hardly seems like the ideal spot to erect a luxury hotel. But, the soon-to-open Kachi Lodge isn’t your ordinary glamping experience. The geodesic domes here are purposefully placed in the literal middle of nowhere to maximize privacy and envelop guests in the world’s largest salt flat. Every solar-powered pod is a freestanding guest room with en-suite bath and a double bed. However, the lodge targets adventure seekers who aren’t likely to spend much time in their rooms. The itinerary is chockful with volcano treks to the nearby Tunupa crater, exploring the archeological site of Alcaya, or visiting the mummies of Coquesa. After dark, the on-site Gustu Restaurant serves up legit Bolivian meals followed by stargazing with nary a hint of light pollution.

Nuit Nature

Combloux, France

Nuit Nature
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In “warmer” (relatively speaking) months, the mountain village of Combloux is a fairytale landscape of the verdant fields and dramatic peaks of the French Alps. Once the months-long freeze of winter sets in, blanketing the village and its surroundings in snow, it’s an entirely different scene. Here, amid an ocean of white, sits Nuit Nature, a solo bubble “pod” where guests are guaranteed privacy and a glamping experience unlike any other. The room is frameless, completely transparent, and outfitted with a plush bed and designer furniture inside and out. Just outside, the view overlooks Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps. Add the free gourmet meal delivery with Champagne and a bit of soft music, and you have one of the world’s most romantic hotel “suites.”

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Stay at This Mississippi Hotel and Adopt a Shelter Dog at Checkout
home2suites dog

From breezy car rides to snowstorms to long sunrise hikes, dogs make everything better. They also make travel better, but not everyone has a dog or can take theirs with them while away from home. One Mississippi hotel is now offering a unique adoption program to provide guests with free shelter pup companions during their stay.

The idea behind the Fostering Hope program is simple. Upon arrival at the Home2 Suites in Biloxi, Mississippi, guests will find a large kennel with a handful of shelter dogs in the lobby. Those looking for furry companionship can request to foster a pup during their stay and, if everything works out, officially adopt the dog at checkout. Lonely guests gain a travel friend, while the homeless pups find a new and loving home, so everybody wins.

Read more
A Peek Inside the History of Jamaica Inn, a Family-Owned Hotel in the Caribbean
Jamaica Inn

When you first set foot at Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, you can see what separates the property from other resorts and hotels.

The property is open, with gorgeous views of the beach and ocean, but there are an old-world feel and a home-y feeling thanks in part to its owners. That warm family feeling resonates mainly because the property is run by a family and has been there for nearly 70 years. That old-world feel is evident on the doors -- which still have original room numbers from Marilyn Monroe’s honeymoon stay -- and Winston Churchill’s room still has many of the original accents (with a private pool to boot).
The Manual interviewed owner Eric Morrow to discuss what separates Jamaica Inn from other properties, their role in the evolution of Ocho Rios, and their passionate responsibility to save coral, turtles, and the environment.
The Manual: What makes Jamaica Inn different from other destinations in Jamaica?
Eric Morrow: Having been family owned since 1950, guests of the Jamaica Inn have long enjoyed the ultimate amenity: The personalized service of the dedicated staff who call Jamaica Inn home. To know them is to be reassured that good manners are not a lost art and that no request is too small, no smile too large.
TM: How has family played a role in the evolution of Jamaica Inn?
EM: Family is the basis of the Inn. It was the foundation of why the hotel was opened and is a fundamental part of the staff culture. We have a large cohort of staff members who have been here for 30 years or more. They have intentionally spent their careers here because they feel that this is genuinely their home and they enjoy being a part of a company that offers guests an alternative to the busyness of life. Extended guests have become a part of our family and they bring their families to experience all the Inn has to offer.

Read more
Qantas is celebrating Christmas with these special touches
Qantas celebrates Christmas with unique offerings
Qantas Christmas airplane

Qantas is tapping into the holiday spirit with festive airplane liveries, special inflight menus, and a refreshed beer offering. The airline is set for one of its busiest seasons ever, with millions taking to the skies aboard Australia’s national carrier. Each flight will be a veritable Christmas party, with unique offerings throughout.
“Dasher-8” and “Rudolph” take to the skies

Qantas painted two aircraft to match the holiday mood, with a Q400 donning a “Dasher-8” scheme and a 737 named “Rudolph”. Those flying on these planes will earn double points in a special promotion. Additionally, an A321 freight aircraft with a “Santa’s Freight” livery will carry thousands of presents throughout the country.

Read more