Hotels with no walls are no longer just a bold artistic experiment. They have become one of the most unusual yet luxurious ways to experience nature. The idea is simple but powerful. Instead of being boxed in by walls and windows, you sleep directly under the sky with little more than a bed, crisp linens, and the landscape around you.
This is not camping. It is not glamping either. It is a curated hospitality experience where comfort is not sacrificed, but the barriers between you and the natural world are removed.
The Origins of Hotels with No Walls
The concept first gained global attention in Switzerland when artists Frank and Patrik Riklin created Null Stern Hotel. Instead of designing a building, they placed a bed frame, mattress, and two bedside tables out in the open. The word “null stern” means “zero star,” a playful twist on the five-star hotel rating. Yet ironically, it became one of the most luxurious experiences money could buy, because its real value was in the setting.
From the Swiss Alps, the idea spread to other parts of the world. Today, a handful of hotels and lodges have embraced the “no walls” style, adapting it to deserts, mountains, and coastlines.
Null Stern Hotel, Switzerland
This is the original. Beds are placed in remote Swiss Alpine meadows at altitudes where the stars feel close enough to touch. Each stay includes a personal butler who brings you drinks at dusk and breakfast at dawn. Guests sleep without a roof or walls, just a wide alpine view and the silence of the valley.
Loisaba Star Beds, Kenya
Located in Laikipia, the Loisaba Conservancy offers “star beds” overlooking a valley where elephants and giraffes roam. The bed itself is mounted on a raised wooden platform that can be rolled out under the open sky. At night, guests sleep with a view of constellations and often wake to the sight of wildlife moving across the savannah.
Little Kulala Lodge, Namibia
On the edge of the Namib Desert near Sossusvlei, Little Kulala Lodge has suites with rooftop “sky beds.” These wall-free sleeping platforms let travelers lie under the Milky Way in one of the darkest skies on Earth. The desert is silent at night, and the only sounds are shifting sands and distant winds.
Lion Sands Game Reserve, South Africa
In Kruger National Park, Lion Sands offers open-air “treehouse” stays where guests sleep safely elevated yet completely open to the stars. The Tinyeleti Treehouse is especially popular, a platform with a luxury bed and lantern lighting. The sounds of lions calling in the distance or hippos grunting by the river make the night unforgettable.
Amangiri Camp, Utah, USA
Part of the Aman resort collection, Amangiri is known for its dramatic desert setting. Guests can book the “Camp Sarika” experience, which includes outdoor lounges and open-air sleeping arrangements overlooking Utah’s red rock canyons. It is one of the most luxurious interpretations of wall-free living in the United States.
Hotel Habitas Bacalar, Mexico
In Quintana Roo, Habitas Bacalar offers eco-conscious stays where suites open directly to the lagoon. Some rooms are designed without solid walls, using flowing curtains and wide openings to create an atmosphere of exposure and openness. Sleeping here means hearing the water, feeling the breeze, and waking to sunrise over the lagoon.
What It Feels Like to Stay in a Hotel with No Walls
The first thing that strikes guests is the silence. With no barriers, every sound of nature feels closer and sharper. It could be the sound of desert winds sweeping across the dunes, the cry of a night bird in Africa, or the subtle hush of alpine grass.
Sleeping under the stars has a rhythm of its own. The sky is not a ceiling you forget about but a canvas that changes throughout the night. Moonlight, shooting stars, and shifting constellations keep the night alive. Waking up with the sunrise, without blinds or curtains, is often described as spiritual.
Who Stays at These Hotels
Hotels with no walls are not for everyone. If you dislike insects or feel uncomfortable with open spaces, you may struggle. Yet for adventurous couples, honeymooners, and travelers who crave authenticity, this is the type of stay that becomes a lifetime memory. It is luxury stripped to its essence, with the natural world as the main attraction.
The Balance Between Simplicity and Comfort
Although these hotels strip away the physical walls, they do not abandon comfort. The beds are usually top-quality, the linens are five-star standard, and staff are discreetly nearby to provide service. It is not about roughing it. Instead, it is about recognizing that walls can sometimes be the only thing keeping us apart from the world we came to see.
