In 1926, Walter Gropius designed the new Bauhaus building in Dessau, Germany. Glass was then used not just to let light into a building but to change the way people experienced the space around them. Its workshop wing was wrapped in a glass facade attached to a load-bearing frame, allowing the building's inner workings to remain visible from outside. The idea was part of the Bauhaus' larger attempt to use modern materials such as steel, concrete and glass to rethink the relationship between architecture, function and space.
Nearly a century later, that principle has found a more intimate expression in glasshouses designed for stays. You can lie in bed and watch birds move through a wetland, see the sky change over a lava field or look out towards a forest without quite stepping into it. The glass may be a boundary, but it offers the intimacy of being surrounded by nature while retaining the shelter of a room. From wetlands and forests to farms, hills and deserts, here are seven glasshouse stays that bring a different landscape into the room.
Watch Birds From Your Bed At The WonderINN Mirrored Glass Cabin In Norway
At the edge of the Øyeren delta, 25 minutes from Oslo, the WonderINN Mirrored Glass Cabin combines floor-to-ceiling glass with mirrored exterior walls that reflect the surrounding trees, sky and water. The cabin is in the Nordre Øyeren nature reserve, where two of Norway's longest rivers meet and more than 270 bird species are recorded around the property. Guests can watch for deer, squirrels, ospreys, eagles, moose and migrating birds, or explore the reserve by bicycle, canoe, boat or on foot. The cabin accommodates four across two bedrooms and has a kitchen, air-conditioning, fireplace, outdoor space and private wood-fired hot tub, while a pier and boathouse 150 metres away provide access to a canoe.
Enjoy Northern Lights From The Glass Cottages In Iceland
Five minutes from Hella in southern Iceland, Glass Cottages sits on a lava desert surrounded by about 500 hectares of lava fields. The Grænn cottage has floor-to-ceiling glass walls providing 360-degree views of the Icelandic sky and landscape, with a private hot tub for stargazing and, on clear nights, viewing the Northern Lights. The cottages use sunlight as their primary heat source during the day, supplemented by a heat pump, while water comes from a private well; hunting is prohibited on the property, creating a refuge for birdlife and other wildlife. Interiors use driftwood collected from beaches in Ísafjörður and wool cushions dyed with natural products, reflecting the property's focus on lower-impact materials.
Sleep Under The Stars At The Glassvillas In Bali
The Glassvillas sits in the foothills above Lovina and is presented as Bali's first glasshouse, with panoramic views across North Bali's coastline. Its infinity pool extends the experience outdoors, while the glass walls allow guests to sleep under the stars and watch the landscape and distant lights of Singaraja from inside. The property is on a working mango farm and is about 15 minutes by car or scooter from Lovina's shops and restaurants, making private transport useful for guests. The tropical setting also means insects can enter the glasshouse after rain, during the wet season or at night, making the experience one of being immersed in the landscape rather than simply looking at it.
Wake Up Among Pohutukawa Trees At The Glasshouse In New Zealand
On New Zealand's Northland East Coast, The Glasshouse sits at the tip of a private peninsula among mature pohutukawa trees, with glass, steel and timber forming the main structure. Floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides are designed to make guests feel immersed in the surrounding environment, while a separate bathroom building has an electrically opening window that allows the shower to open towards the landscape. The property has private walking tracks and access towards the rocks below, where conditions can allow fishing, swimming and snorkelling, with equipment provided for guests. Semi- or full catering, massage and beauty services are available, although some walking and swimming areas can occasionally be shared with guests staying at another house on the gated property.
Spend A Day On A Farm At Glass House Farm In Neemrana
About 80 kilometres from Gurgaon and eight kilometres before Neemrana, Glass House Farm is set between agricultural fields, an organic vegetable farm and an orchard against the Aravalli Hills. The experience is less about dramatic glass architecture and more about spending time within a working rural landscape, with a pool, lawns, verandahs, kitchen and private access to the farm. Guests can garden with the caretaker, walk through the property, birdwatch from the verandah and explore nearby sites including an ancient hilltop temple and a bauli, or step-well, in Neemrana. The farm is exclusively available to guests, is wheelchair accessible, allows up to two pets and regularly attracts birds including kingfishers, drongos, owls, bee-eaters, parakeets and greater coucals.
Sleep Amidst Utah's Red-Rock Canyons at Zion Eco Cabin
The Zion Eco Cabin sits in the backcountry of southern Utah, about 45 minutes from Zion National Park, with a floor-to-ceiling window wall that opens directly onto a private deck overlooking the canyon landscape. Its three-level layout places the A-frame bedroom and bathroom on the first level, a grilling and dining deck with an outdoor fireplace on the second, and a hot tub and wood-burning firepit on the ground level. Guests also have direct access to BLM land, allowing hiking and exploration without driving to a trailhead, while the cabin is within driving distance of Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Kanab and Water Canyon. The property has four other cabins, while its shared eight-person cedar sauna provides an additional space for guests; the cabin itself has no Wi-Fi but strong cell service.
Look Out Over The Hills At This Glass Villa In Lonavala
Five minutes from Bhushi Dam, this six-bedroom glass villa in Lonavala is designed for larger groups, with glass walls in its first-floor bedrooms framing views of the surrounding hills. The property has a private pool with a cascading water feature, garden, gazebo, outdoor dining area and sunken seating area, while each bedroom has an attached patio or balcony. Inside, the double-height living room connects the accommodation's open design with the landscape, and the villa has a butler, chef-on-call service and a stocked fridge for guests. Its appeal is less about remote wilderness and more about experiencing Lonavala's hills from a private villa without giving up indoor comforts.
FAQs
1. What is a glasshouse stay?
A glasshouse stay is accommodation designed with extensive glass walls or windows that allow guests to experience the surrounding landscape from inside the room.
2. Where can you find glasshouse stays?
Glasshouse stays can be found in destinations including Norway, Iceland, Bali, New Zealand, India and the United States.
3. Which glasshouse stay is best for viewing the Northern Lights?
The Glass Cottages near Hella in southern Iceland offers floor-to-ceiling glass walls and a private hot tub designed for watching the night sky and, in suitable conditions, the Northern Lights.
4. Are there glasshouse stays in India?
Yes. Glass House Farm near Neemrana and a glass villa in Lonavala offer different versions of the glasshouse experience, combining extensive glazing with agricultural or hill landscapes.
5. What makes glasshouse stays different from conventional hotels?
Their design makes the surrounding landscape a central part of the stay, allowing guests to experience forests, wetlands, farms, mountains, deserts or night skies without leaving their accommodation.
