Located in Mendoza, Argentina amid 6,000 meter (20,000 foot) Andes, Entre Cielos is home to a tree-hotel prototype that offers guests an exclusive escape hovering over lush green vines. Despite Mendoza's naturally barren landscape, the small town utilizes a sophisticated irrigation system that nurtures a hub of over 1200 vineyards. The Entre Cielos vineyard, hotel and spa was conceived in 2009 by a group of Swiss architecture enthusiasts, which is currently developing a series of hovering guest cabins designed by German architectural studio Baumraum.
The Entre Cielos concept is to create a cluster of external accommodation units that would offer guests the sense of being completely surrounded by nature. Currently the property hosts its first prototype, resembling a cocoon shaped cabin that is supported by several irregularly placed steel columns.
Hovering five meters (16.4 feet) above the ground, guests can gain access to the cabin by the two-flight stairway. The cabin features a large open interior that opens out onto the panoramic terrace, equipped with a spa where guests can cool off from the heat while enjoying the views out across the snow-capped peaks of the Andes. The interior includes an open lounge area incorporating a guest bed, private bathroom, desk and minibar.
The vineyard is home to a striking hotel that features a series of horizontal concrete slabs. The building was designed by Argentinian architects A4 Estudio and houses simple luxury accommodation in addition to the health spa that includes baths, steam and massage rooms.
The low ceilings and long streamline walls blend the structure into the surrounding landscape, while the concrete walls insulates and protects the interior spaces from hot outside temperatures. Small circular openings let in natural light, creating a back-lit visual experience. LED lighting is used to illuminate the interior corridors, spa rooms, entrances and the exterior perimeter of the hotel. The building is also protected by an external veranda that scales the building, shielding it from the heat and providing shade for guests to walk under.
Entre Cielos is open all year round and tariffs for the vineyard loft start from US$420 per night, including breakfast.
Sources: Entre Cielos, Baumraum and A4 Estudio.