“All the rooms have breathtaking views of the mountain landscape.”
Nestled away in the community of Vals in Grisons, located in Leis, Switzerland, sits the Oberhus and the Unterhus,two detached vacation houses that are excquisitely placed a top a Swiss mountain wonderland.
Created by renowned architect Peter Zumthor, these architecturally inspiring vacation homes offer year round accomodation and fun for just about everyone.
In winter, the ski piste from the Gadastatt run passes right by Leis and the vacation homes. During almost the entire winter season it is possible to begin skiing out one’s doorstep in the morning and return on skis in the evening.
Durning the warm early summer months, that lasts well into the fall, the timber houses are the starting point for numerous breathtaking hiking trails.
And the best part about the Oberhus and the Unterhus, you don’t have to be a millionaire to experience this beloved mountain retreat. You can stay here for as little as $305/night (300 CHF).
Per the description from Plans Matter, a company that curates architecturally significant spaces that you can rent out during your vacation (think Airbnb for places created by architects):
The Unterhus has four-and-a-half rooms and sleeps 4 to 5. With a total area of 150 m2, it extends across three floors.
The living room is on the top floor. It could almost be described as an enclosed viewing platform and has a balcony facing southwest. With floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, it is as though the landscape were flowing right through it. The connecting kitchen looks out across the valley. A few steps lead up to the study and the evening sun. The study has a writing desk and a day bed that can be used to accommodate a fifth guest. In the lounge, there is a traditional wood-burning soapstone stove.
On the middle floor, besides two clothes closets and a lavatory, there are two bedrooms with direct access to a large, teak shower room. In the northeast bedroom there is a king-size bed; the southwest bedroom has two generous single beds that can be put together to make a double bed. All the beds have premium mattresses. The southwest bedroom has a balcony.
On the ground floor there is a spacious vestibule with a cloakroom area and shoe bench. The vestibule also leads to the guest lavatory and a utility room with a washing machine and a tumble drier. Both the lower and the upper entrances to the house have sunny, outdoor seating areas.
The Türmlihus has three-and-a-half rooms and sleeps 4 to 5. With a total area of 128 m2, it extends across three floors.
The spacious top floor has a cross-shaped layout, with four panorama windows looking out to all four points of the compass. The large window bays accommodate the open kitchen, the dining area, the living area with its cheminée stove, and the study-work area. There is also access from here to the mountainside sun deck.
On the middle floor there is a four-person sauna. The sauna changing room also has a sink, a washing machine and a tumble drier. Opposite the sauna is the main bedroom with a king-size bed (180 x 200cm), a writing desk and seating, which is perfect for reading or working. This bedroom has a separate lavatory, its own dressing room and teak bathroom, and a glorious view out over the valley.
On the ground floor there is another bedroom, the same size and facing in the same direction as the room above, with its own teak shower room with a toilet. This room has one double and one single bed. Like all our beds they have premium mattresses. Beyond the generous vestibule with its cloakroom area and shoe bench, there is a utility room with storage for sporting equipment. Outside the entrance there is a stone-flagged area that the Türmlihus shares with its neighbors, the Unterhus and the Oberhus.”
To book your stay, visit the Plans Matter website
To learn more about Architect and Designer, Peter Zumthor, visit his site: zumthorferienhaeuser.ch
