A swiss hotel that does not bet on the most absolute comfort is almost oxymoron. Although it is precisely for this reason that it is in the land of hospitality and haute cuisine that the concept of Null Stern Hotel , powered by conceptual artists Frank and Patrik Riklin and hotelier Daniel Charbonnier. And, above all, his most recent creation: the anti idyllic suite.
“This anti-idyllic suite feels like it fell from the sky, like a disturbing anomaly from which it is difficult to look away. It is not the dream that is in the center of the room, but the self-reflection on the current world situation, so that it becomes a statement about the urgency and need for radical change in society”, explain its ideologues.
Since 2016, the creative group has been astonishing the world with its outdoor beds in the middle of the most beautiful nature ; this time, although they have also given birth to three of these initiatives, they could not sit idly by in the face of the drift that the planet is taking.
Until now, the rooms that the group has created were really ideal
“This year, due to the current situation in the world (war in Ukraine, environmental crisis, rising energy and cost of living, etc.) , we felt that it was important not only to show an idyllic world”, Charbonnier explains to Traveler.es.
The peculiar room, created in collaboration with the Municipality of Saillon (VS), is located precisely between a gas station and a public road; the sign of the constantly rising price of gasoline, gasoline pumps, cars and passers-by become the landscape of this living scene.
“The purpose of the anti-idyllic suite is not to sleep, but think of any topic that is relevant to you. It is a moment that you invest in yourself to reflect on our world and our choices as a society. Big changes can start with small thoughts ”, assures Charbonnier.
This facility, which "can both fascinate and disturb", in the words of its creators, it keeps us all awake with burning questions: “What is security? What is luxury? How can we conserve the planet's resources and reduce our energy consumption?
A space for reflection
“With this new suite, we try to address the contradiction of the human relationship between the ideal and reality. Humans are part of nature, but at the same time, they are strangers to it and put their needs before their own,'” brothers Frank and Patrik Riklin explain. “If we continue in the same direction we are going, there could soon be more anti-idyllic places than idyllic ”, they add.
A 'MODERN BUTLER' FOR A FRIENDlier EXPERIENCE
Despite its lack of comfort, the suite features a 'modern butler' available 24 hours. "In the context of the anti-idyllic suite, the butler has an even more central role, providing a sense of security and care in an environment of insecurity”, explains Charbonnier.
The staff baptized -and trained- as 'modern butler' in the Null Stern Suites embodies the essence of the project, which consists of put people at the center of the experience.
“All modern butlers undergo a rigorous theoretical and practical training in the workplace. They acquire not only technical skills, such as carrying a tray uphill or making the bed in windy conditions, but also human skills, such as personalizing service, anticipating guest needs, or practicing empathy.”
HOW TO SLEEP IN THE ANTI IDYLLIC SUITE?
Both the anti-idyllic suite and the three new open-air rooms inaugurated in Saillon by the group will be Open until September 18. An overnight stay with butler service costs 325 Swiss francs (about 325 euros) and includes a welcome drink with organic canapés, breakfast pastries from a local bakery with fresh fruit juice from the region and the booking a hotel room at the nearby Hôtel des Bains de Saillon in case of bad weather.
Until now, all the Null Stern Suites have a waiting list of more than 6,000 people, so perhaps, despite the strangeness of the matter, the anti-idyllic room will also be filled. “We already have reservations”, Charbonnier assures Traveler.es.