Suzanne Padovani
Champlain College Robert P. Stiller School of Business
Lindsey Godwin
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Since its creation in 2004, Whitepod aims to prove that hospitality and environmental conservation can coexist to create a unique and positive experience. Clients are invited to join in the ecological mission and experience nature with a dose of luxury but not at the expense of the environment. An overnight stay on the side of the mountain in your individual pod heated by a pellet stove facing a breathtaking view over the beautiful Swiss Alps restores and revitalizes body, heart, and soul.
Pitched at an altitude of 1400m, Whitepod offers an a very unique form of accommodation. Fifteen pods, dome shaped tents of 7 m diameter x 4.3m high, serve as individual bedrooms with all the comforts of a traditional hotel. Immersed in more than 200 hectares of nature, guests can discover and appreciate the beauty of the Swiss mountains from their own luxury pod. Whitepod is the proof that comfort, luxury, sport, and leisure can co-exist in harmony with nature and the environment.
The geodesic form of the pods is energy-efficient and low impact on nature. The energy required to heat and cool a dome is approximately 30% less than a conventional building. All pods are equipped with wood-burning stoves, organic luxury bedding and fully serviced bathrooms with shower and toilets connected to Whitepod’s own underground spring water source.
Guests are invited to become "eco-responsible" and all activities organized have a central theme of co-existing in harmony with nature and respecting the environment. The use of energy and water is controlled, the waste is recycled, local and regional ingredients are purchased locally, and the staff lives nearby and simply walks to work. Motorized transport is limited and guests need to walk or snowshoe from reception up to the pods.
The original concept in 2004 was started by Sophia de Meyer after seeing research on pod-like structures as potential astronauts’ living quarters in space as the geodesic form can withstand huge wind impact. She was looking for a hotel concept that would be different from the masses and at the same time aligned to nature. Three small pods were initially installed in Villars-sur-Ollon and from 2005, they moved to Les Giettes and started building out the concept. Patrick Delarive, the current owner since 2008, then took over with a vision of larger pods, 100% autonomous and a level of comfort and luxury in accordance with nature that continues to be developed today.
Everything about Whitepod is coherent with their mission of providing guests with a unique and positive experience of nature and respecting the environment.
The pods have expanded from initially three in 2004 to their current 15, with three additional currently under construction, pushing further the concept of eco-luxury. One of general manager Emilien Sommier's future dreams is to develop a pod that is constructed 100% from natural materials and potentially becomes the place where researchers can come and test out their products and services, aimed at advancing the ecological mission, with Whitepod clients.
Whitepod is also a human experience: the employee team is very stable, inspired by the mission of co-existing in harmony with nature and the local community joins in the spirit with a public compost area for all to put their organic waste and to take back prime compost for their own gardens. Local produce and suppliers are used with only seasonal products on the menus. Activities support raising guests’ awareness to and respect of the surrounding fauna and flora. The Whitepod team headed up by Sommier never misses an opportunity to invite guests to think about the environment and to become "eco-responsible."
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Mr Emilien Sommier, General Manager
