There are certain dates you wait for in order to properly commence celebrating a favorite season. For spring, maybe it’s the first picnic or bike ride of the year. For summer, it’s likely the first beach day. For fall, most will say that it’s when they first see pumpkin flavorings hit store shelves or and coffee shop menus. For winter, this year anyway, it's December 9th, the day that Whitepod opened for the season.
This week’s #BirthdayBucketList is one of Switzerland’s most beloved winter attractions — and for good reason. Whitepod is an eco-luxury retreat that delivers an Alpine experience that’s wholly immersive in the landscape while remaining a supremely welcoming destination for those in search of chic design and comfortable living.
Venue + Images: Whitepod 
Like some dreamy Christmas village — if Santa was a modish architect in his downtime — Whitepod is perfect for a romantic getaway or a family get-together. A collection of geodesic domes with a central chalet, this escape from normal is built on a mountain slope that overlooks a picturesque river valley.
Futuristic Cabins
Though as cozy as your traditional log cabin, these pods are a modern celebration of minimalism (while ensuring guests have everything they need). By using a network of triangles, the pods are made of a self-supporting framework that provides structural strength with minimal materials. Using a pellet stove to heat the pod, guests are allowed a breathtaking view of the natural world around them with minimal impact on the landscape.
Your Favorite Winter Playground
With private ski slopes that are only open for Whitepod customers, you have all the luxury of resort life with the total seclusion of a vacation home. You don't have to stick to skiing or snowboarding though. Toboggans are also available and remain a pretty killer way to recapture your vibrant and glorious youth. Otherwise, snowscooting makes for one heck of an adventure. It's basically a mix of biking and snowboarding. Plus, you can do a husky ride, which is as adorable and fun as it sounds. What’s not to love?
A Warm Welcome at the Spa
After playing in the snow, or rather in place of it, you can ease into an ideal state of mind and body at the on-site spa. There, you can enjoy an aroma-relax massage, an ayurvedic massage, or an aroma-tissue massage. There's also a Bruess massage offering for your back and neck with slow, deep movements. It not only releases muscle tension but wholly relieves the effects of stress. Everything on the table is an hour at least, so prepare to feel like jelly, no matter what.
Living Well for a Good Case
Since opening in 2004, the concept behind such a unique escape has always been to prove that hospitality and environmental preservation can coexist. Whitepod does all that and more pretty dang wonderfully. While the rooms sweep you off your feet, the staff ensures that the use of energy and water is controlled, waste is recycled, and its food features locally purchased ingredients. Honor the mountainous beauty of Switzerland with a stay.
Credits
Venue + Images: Whitepod
