Over the years, I have traveled for work as a jewelry designer, often looking for quaint, affordable lodging. Stays in cabins and cottages are much more cozy and welcoming than hotels (although hotels have their place too!). Only more recently have I begun to document these accommodations to remember the whole experience. I am in love with unique architecture, so I thought I’d share some of the places I’ve been lucky enough to stay!
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Little Black Cabin
Cosby, Tennessee
Talk about rustic, this tiny cabin is off the beaten path, surrounded by a small community of vintage campers and tipis you can rent. The property is named Camp Grits and owned by Rosie, Jim and family who also live on the property. The cabin was built by Jim from locally milled wood and reclaimed materials.
Freshly baked bread, almond milk and eggs await you every morning. The only electricity is generated by solar power and collected rainwater comes out of the tap. Be prepared to start a fire in the Norwegian wood burning stove if it’s cold outside, as this is the only way, other than a shot of whiskey and a pile of thick wool blankets, that you’ll stay warm. Heat up your tea in the kettle on the stove and use the remainder of the warm water for dishes after breakfast.
There is a wood fired bathtub on the property (unfortunately we didn’t get to experience this as we were too busy hiking), a public bathhouse, and a private outhouse for the Little Black Cabin. No flushing toilets here, but the outhouse is rather charming, decorated with interesting bits and bobs.
Chickens roam the property and roosters crow in the morning, which always made me smile, but earplugs may be your friend.
Blue Lizard Tipi
Terlingua, Texas
A few years ago, I helped my friend move to California from Cincinnati by driving across the country. Once we hit Texas, we visited a place called Terlingua near Big Bend National Park. We ended up booking a tipi in the middle of nowhere. It was magical, but sadly, we only stayed one night.
The morning after our stay, we took a short walk around the property and met the owner, Ronda, a super cool lady who we would have loved to talk with much longer! We were greeted by her pet burro as we chatted.
Ronda owns the remote piece of land and rents out stationary campers, tipis and even a boat to guests. Her home was also on this land- a vintage camper with a portrait of Willie Nelson painted on the side. Desert vibes off the charts.
The Sylvan Float Treehouse
Slade, Kentucky
Childhood dreams do come true. Canopy Crew makes these dreams possible with their floating treehouse in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. If you live in the midwest, you are likely familiar with this area of geologic magnificence (because it’s the only great hiking within hundreds of miles, especially within reach of my home in Cincinnati).
This cabin is tiny, yet there is enough room to fit two people comfortably. There is a small kitchen with pots, pans and utensils provided to cook a simple meal. We loved sleeping in the lofted bed, with the windows cracked and the sounds of nature lulling us to sleep.
For being a backcountry accommodation with no frills. this space is cozy and made cozier with a unique hammock built right into the deck. Water is provided and and a composting toilet is located at ground level.
Chill out in this hammock built right into the deck.
The Canopy Crew has built many interesting treehouse cabins in this area. Check them out for more!
Getaway House
Lisbon, Ohio
Getaway House is a unique little cabin built from a shipping container. Their whole idea of a “getaway” is to relax and unplug from the hustle of daily life. In each cabin is a lockbox for your cell phone to let go of distractions and to enjoy the simplicity of nature.
The interior is absolutely gorgeous with the walls and ceiling lined with raw wood. Although tiny, the cabin is well laid out for comfort, complete with a queen size bed, dinette, kitchen and bathroom.
There is an outdoor area with a picnic table, fire pit and chairs to lounge around the fire. We enjoyed cooking dinner, making popcorn and roasting marshmallows over the fire. A s’mores kit was provided during our stay.
Keep in mind that these cabins are not super secluded. There is a whole army of them in a forested loop, fairly close to one another, but it still feels private. I would go back just to hang out and relax in the beautiful interior. The company that rents these cabins has many other outposts, check their website for one near you!
Tahoe Vista Cabin
Tahoe Vista, California
Darren and I stayed at this Lake Tahoe cabin late in the ski season. We wanted an affordable, cozy spot with fully equipped kitchen so we could ski all day and come back and cook some delicious meals. This 2 bedroom cabin, filled with beautiful modern design and functional style hit those marks.
One evening, we used the provided snowshoes to hike up some neighborhood trails as a snowstorm raged on.
Once we became too sore to ski any longer we explored around the lake, making sure to catch the sunset.
As the snow continued to fall the next morning, we fueled up with a simple breakfast and hit the hot tub, one of the shining features of this cabin! The snow drifts were so tall they hovered over the top of the tub. All in all a nice little spot tucked into a safe neighborhood.
Suite sul lago
Limonta, Lombardia, Italy
In 2018, we left the states to travel around Switzerland for a few weeks with a quick jaunt into Italy. We decided to dip down to Lake Como and stay at this Airbnb with a view. The apartment is small, yet leaves nothing for want. The flat is an architect’s getaway spot that she rents out to travelers.
The morning coffee and evening wines were enjoyed on the patio overlooking Lake Como’s insanely gorgeous views. You can’t go wrong with any Airbnb rental around here. I had such a tough time settling on one, but I usually go for the most affordable with style and function taken into consideration.
While in Italy, you bet we ate pizza and gelato, fish and drank Italian wine. We explored the beautiful city of Bellagio and some unique gardens- I Giardini di Villa Melzi, pictured below.
Eucalyptus Forest Hot Tub + Cottage
Berkeley Hills, California
When visiting my friends in Berkeley, California, I stayed at an Airbnb guest house in the Berkeley Hills. I only took photos of the hot tub in the beautiful eucalyptus forest. The owners live on the property and you must use their private gated entrance to access the cottage. I love these types of stays because they have a lot of personal charm and special touches added by the owners. In this case, the owners were textile designers and displayed and used their textiles throughout the cottage. I don’t have photos of the inside since I was busy with friends, but the mini forest in the city stole the show.
Berggasthaus Fluhalp
Zermatt, Switzerland
Mid-way through our journey around Switzerland in 2018, we decided we wanted a rustic lodging experience with lots of hiking. Berggasthaus Fluhalp with a view of the iconic Matterhorn was just that. The trip began with a hike up to the mountain hut with our belongings for a few nights. Each guest room faces the Matterhorn, a room with quite the view.
The rooms are tiny and feature 2 twin beds. We caught sunrise both mornings at the hut.
There is nothing but trails and mountain huts scattered around the landscape. We hiked to many lakes and to the glacier just a short distance behind the hut. On our hike, we stopped at another hut to eat lunch and came back in time for dinner. Breakfast and dinner are both provided.
