Sustainable Hotels in Europe Recommended by Discover Earth

arvin — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:33:14 +0000

Sustainable Hotels in Europe Recommended by Discover Earth arvin Mon, 01/31/2022 - 16:33

If you live stateside, you may be familiar with the term “across the pond.” You might be wondering what’s happening over here from your side of the Atlantic, and want to check it out. Whether you’re looking to hole up in a castle, go for a pub crawl, admire the architecture, or all of the above, then luckily for you, Europe has a whole lot to offer.

Ashford Castle

County May, Ireland

If you’re looking for a royal treatment, then Ashford Castle in County May, Ireland should be your destination of choice. Featuring rich and layered interiors, top notch hospitality, a view with a breeze, spa treatment, and centuries upon centuries of history, Ashford Castle boasts suites brimming with antique furniture, the finest fabrics, and many unique features to the 350 acre resort that simply cannot be duplicated. In so many words, you can be king for a day. Or queen. Or whatever royalty you find appropriate!

Ashford Castle by @ashfordcastle

Here you can work on your golf game, discover the ancient art of falconry, cruise on the lake, or glide past your surroundings while zip-lining. If you’re looking for more of a low-key experience, you always have the option of checking out one of the many bars and restaurants on the property, head on down to the cigar lounge, or head to one of the pool halls. Think about having your very own bar crawl while within the walls of this magnificent castle. Or you can do a combination of both. Maybe you want to check out the rolling hills and your surroundings, and come back in the evening to rest on your laurels in style.

With rooms like royalty, and so many features and experiences within your reach, it’s only a matter of time before you book your flight to experience this modern marvel for yourself.

Ashford Castle by @ashfordcastle

Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet's Paris

Paris, France

If you want to get out of the country and into the city, then Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet's Paris might be more your taste. Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet's Paris offers the same level of luxury, but under a different canopy… the city of lights. They say location is everything, and you will find yourself right in the middle of Champs-Elysées. Sometimes it’s nice to remove yourself to somewhere remote, but other times you want to be where the action is. You’ll find yourself exploring luxury boutiques for days. A healthy connection is great from time to time, but let’s not forget the power of connection, and getting out into the hustle and bustle of a new locale.

Barrière Le Fouquet's Room by © Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet

As for the “hanging up your hat” part, the rooms and suites are second to none. With packages that vary from “extremely comfortable and accommodating,” to “holy WOW! I never want to leave this room!” Hôtel Barrière Le Fouquet's Paris has all of the modern amenities, contemporary design, and convenience that are almost too much of a good thing. You’re in the middle of the city after all, so a supremely comfortable room might be hard to leave!

No great day of exploring the city of lights is complete without cocktails on the rooftop. Le Rooftop Marta is the place to be in the summer. Sometimes the best thing to explore while traveling is the food and drink offerings. At the end of the day, that’s what brings us together. Sharing plates with your travel companion, and experiencing a unique pairing with innovative cocktails designed to bring out the best of your senses.

Marta Rooftop bar by © Globe Infinite

GPS location

53.534746416889625, -9.284865801773938

Unique lodges

Europe

Sustainable Hotels in Europe Recommended by Discover Earth

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Ireland

France

The Northern Lights from the Hotel Room in Finland

robinfinger — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 12:22:18 +0000

The Northern Lights from the Hotel Room in Finland robinfinger Wed, 11/17/2021 - 13:22

Imagine that your bed is floating through the middle of the Milky Way Galaxy, and you’re sipping from a hot cocoa after a long day out on snow shoes. Your muscles are relaxed as you gaze in panorama, and marvel at the jade majesty of Aurora Borealis that swirls around you from every angle within your periphery. You might see a shooting star streak across the sky and disappear into infinity as the rest of the sky lights your face with an auspicious and welcoming glow. Your arms and legs tingle, but that’s because you’re warming back up after a long day, but the tingling feels almost supernatural this time. It feels like you’re settling back into yourself for the first time in years as the very sky itself heals you.

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort

Losing yourself in the wilderness, and feasting your eyes upon the silent magnificence above you might seem like a lucid dream beyond your wildest imagination, but it’s not too far from the truth. Arctic cabins and glass igloos hide in the wilderness of Finland in cozy atmospheres that will wrap around you like a weighted blanket slowly lulling you into a gentle sleep. As you dream, you might flail and toss at first, but as you let the heavens wrap themselves around you, you will gently fade into the universe that surrounds you with a sense of all accepting familiarity, and be one with the Dawn of the North as you fade into where you truly belong. We’ve tried to use the proper words to explain it, but you really have to see it for yourself.

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort photographed by Helivideo

What you need to know

Booking: While you can book year-round, the most popular option is during the winter when the sky is the darkest and the stars are the most visible. Autumn offers myriad colors that you may not see during the winter, but the Aurora is visible from late August to late April.

Winter Attire: Some of the best stargazing will take place outside of your dwelling, and it’s encouraged to dress snug and warm. Thermals, gloves, a lined jacket, and comfortable boots are recommended, because comfort will directly influence the enjoyment of the spectacle that awaits you.

Accommodations: Cabins, igloos, and hybrids vary in size and price. Whether you’re looking for an intimate escape, or a family retreat, there are plenty of options for lodging.

Apukka Resort photographed by Alaa Othman

Santa's Home photographed by Alaa Othman

What is Aurora Borealis?

The phenomena known as Aurora Borealis is the result of solar wind at high altitudes. This solar wind causes disturbances in the magnetosphere, and creates the illusion of a ghostly green blanket that wraps itself around the sky. The visual stimulation is vibrant, awe inspiring, and all consuming. Pale green and pink are the most common of colors, and they display themselves in magnificent arcs of color and shape. You can easily lose yourself in the spirals as the Aurora Borealis encomposses your surroundings. Roughly translating to “The Dawn of the North,” Aurora Borealis occurs between the twilight and the obscurity of the early morning. It doesn’t matter if you’re an early riser, or a night owl, because the overlapping circle of this Venn Diagram is one of total awe-inspiring beauty, and majestic optical magnificence.

The Northern Lights photographed by Alaa Othman

The beauty that awaits you

Imagine hiking up a hill in snow shoes, eagerly awaiting your homestead; your body aching, and your soul weary. Maybe you were hunting, or maybe you were just hiking while your neck did all the work gathering in all of the surroundings. As you press on, and on, you catch a glimpse of the horizon that awaits you. You seat yourself on the incline for just a second, and take a sip of water as you look up. What waits for you in the sky at first seems like it’s too good to be true, but as you wipe your weary eyes, you cannot believe what you are seeing. Explosions of color and shapes that you once only thought belonged in long-lost fairy tales and stories innocently youthful exuberance. Your mind, your body, and your soul are rejuvenated by your surroundings. You can finally close your eyes and rest under a sky that you can call your home.

The Northern Lights photographed by Alaa Othman

The Majesty of Your Surroundings

Whether you’re residing in a glass igloo, a cabin, or a combination of the two, you’ll never have to worry about the amenities. As you warm yourself in the early evening waiting for the Aurora Alarm that waits for you in your sleeping quarters, you know that you’re taking things slow as the twilight emerges. Sleep might hit your eyes, but you know that laying back and staying awake for just a little while longer will treat you to the magnetic magnificence that will show itself in all of its splendor. Whether you choose to spend your day in a snow tank safari, skiing or snowboarding, ice fishing on Lake Inarinjarvi, or bathing in the icy bay of Bothnia, comfort will encapsulate your existence as you wrap yourself up and lay back to admire the natural beauty that you didn’t know you were missing.

The Northern Lights photographed by Alaa Othman

What You’re Missing

We get lost in the day to day of modern society; cars stalled in traffic, lines for lattes, mid day lunch recesses, and that aching desire to escape from the monotony that encapsulates our existence. Meanwhile, the sky has its own glorious map full of stories and bursting with light; an enchanting kaleidoscope of cosmic creation. We all get so lost in modern day minutia, that we often forget about what’s beyond the periphery; the universe precedes our existence, and will continue to exist long after we’re gone. We owe it to ourselves to feast our eyes upon it’s magnificent glory, and take it all in.

The Northern Lights photographed by Alaa Othman

GPS location

68.33463892153503, 27.33479301610306

The aurora season lasts from late August until the end of April

Finnish

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Europe

The Northern Lights from the Hotel Room in Finland

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