Clinging to a craggy cliff like an oversized artificial barnacle, this pod is only accessible to those willing to scale the 400-foot rock face from the base of a Peruvian mountain. If you’re brave and hardy enough to pull off that feat, you’ll probably do just fine taking up residence in a hotel room that the rest of us will only ever have nightmares about. In addition to its precarious location, the Natura Vive Skylodge is completely transparent, so you can’t exactly forget that you’re hundreds of feet in the air while inside.
As fragile as they look, these three pods are made of aerospace aluminum and weather-resistant polycarbonate, so they’re not likely to be blown down or punctured in a storm. At 25 feet long and 8 feet wide, each one is spacious enough to accommodate eight guests, offering comfortable beds, a dining room and even a private bathroom.
The journey to the pod is actually safer than it looks, as climbers can be tied to a steel cable as they traverse the trails, with ladders and bridges helping them to the top. This zipline route offers alternate access for those who aren’t experienced enough to make the climb. You can even hook yourself to the cables as you perch on a wooden observation deck positioned atop each pod, looking out over the valley.
Solar panels capture energy to power four interior lamps and a reading light, and the ‘sink’ and toilet are dry. The roughly $300-per-person-per-night fee includes transportation to and from your hotel, guides, equipment, snacks, a gourmet dinner with a bottle of wine and an al fresco breakfast.
