Valais is Switzerland's incredible valley shaped by a glacier, cutting its way through two alpine mountain ranges. The scenic and diverse landscape with some of the highest glaciers and mountains of the Alps is an attractive proposition for any nature lover.
The project owners, Lisa and Louis Papadopoulos, chose this beautiful part of the country to open their eco-friendly holiday concept aimed at city dwellers looking to cleanse their souls.
Maya Boutique Hotel in Switzerland is the first to introduce a unique feature many will likely follow. The architects decided to use straw bales to isolate the building and increase its energy efficiency.
Normally, you see round bales of straw decorating picturesque fields, but researchers claim it can be the future of sustainable construction.
The low-impact and low-carbon building material is perfect for heat isolation, and even during harsh Alpine winters, the hotel requires minimal heating.
The first hotel in the world to use this material as construction material used 55 tonnes of straw bales.
Another interesting bit is the hotel's spa area. It was completely crowdfunded, so the unique barrel sauna overlooking the Alpine fields and mountain peaks is thanks to the community.
Apart from the sauna, there is a hot tub, which is best enjoyed with a bottle of chilled wine.
Linzerbot 25, 1973 Nax, Switzerland
