Travel

Mountaintop Switzerland Hotel Has No Walls, No Roof and a Butler

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The Null Stern is an open-air hotel in Switzerland. Its name translates to “zero stars,” as the only star involved is the guest. It was first conceptualized as an art installation by Swiss artists Frank and Patrik Riklin in 2008. (Claudio Baeggli /Null Stern)

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The Null Stern is an open-air hotel in Switzerland. Its name translates to “zero stars,” as the only star involved is the guest. It was first conceptualized as an art installation by Swiss artists Frank and Patrik Riklin in 2008. (Claudio Baeggli /Null Stern)

At a Glance

A mountaintop hotel in Switzerland has no walls, no roof, a bed and a butler.
Surrounded by breathtaking views, the guest becomes the "star" of the experience.
It was first conceptualized as an art installation in 2008.

A mountaintop hotel in Switzerland has one of the most breathtaking views because it has no walls or a roof.

The Null Stern is an open-air hotel that features essentially just a bed and linens. Its name translates to "zero stars," as the only star involved is the guest, according to its website.

"We got rid of all the walls, and the only thing left is you and your experience," hospitality professional and hotel co-founder Daniel Charbonnier told Business Insider.

Null Stern first launched in July 2016 in the Safien valley and a second location was opened in early June on the Göbsi summit in Appenzellerland, which rises nearly 4,000 feet above sea level, according to a release provided to weather.com.(MORE: 10-Year-Old Trips Over 1.2-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil in New Mexico)

The hotel was first conceptualized as an art installation by Swiss artists Frank and Patrik Riklin in 2008, according to the release. They partnered with Charbonnier to transform their artwork into the hotel.

"The Modern Butler is one of the links between the traditional hospitality world and the concept Null Stern," said Charbonnier in the release. "He encapsulates the essence of the concept which is to place people at the center of the experience."

In addition to welcoming the guests upon arrival, the butlers are trained to do a number of things to make their experience one to remember – including climbing over fences while carrying coffee and balancing a serving tray while going up a steep slope.

This year the hotel added "TV-Direct," which features the Null Stern’s own exclusive channel. The butler delivers all of the day's news, weather forecasts and local anecdotes through a recycled TV frame.

The open-air suite is only available during dry weather conditions, so if it rains during one’s stay, the guests are moved to a nearby Swiss Alpine hut, according to the release.

Charbonnier and the Riklin brothers intend to spread their vision across Switzerland and create hotel rooms in every tourist region as temporary installations. Their goal is to highlight and introduce different areas of the country to the world.

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