Since the “lockdown” started in Switzerland (back in late March), this was the first trip that we took in what felt like a long while.
In mid-May of 2020, we stayed for one night in Monthey, Switzerland at the Whitepod Eco-Luxury Hotel. This was the first week of their reopening since COVID started. We weren’t exactly sure what the experience would be like to “travel” during the pandemic, but Whitepod sure did an astounding job and paid attention to the details.
Whitepod has a number of different rooms (aka pods, which are like mini stand-alone rooms). We got the standard pod, but you can also go for some of the fancier themed pods that you’ll often see advertised on Instagram. The room pricing is quite expensive. You should expect to pay a minimum of 500CHF per night for a standard pod and upwards of 700CHF+ for the themed ones. This includes breakfast and some welcome snacks. On top of this price, you’ll probably also order dinner though their hotel, and that will probably cost you an extra 100CHF or so, depending on what you order.
Our drive to Whitepod was pleasant and the location was quite easy to find. It was super foggy almost the entire time that we were there, but we still managed to find our way around.
Not too far from the parking lot was the reception.
You’ll notice that just outside of the reception entrance, all of the usual fixings are there — hand sanitizer, towels for cleaning your hand, some social distancing communications and polite signage asking you to wait outside (it’s 1 client at a time inside).
Once inside, everything is handled contactless. We were required to provide our information and fill out all necessary forms prior to arriving. The receptionist used a TV to visually show us information at a safe distance.
After we checked in, they gave us our pod number and off we went!!! Something to note about getting to the pods; It is like a mini hike (you’ll see in the photos below). There was a lot of uphill, trekking through nature (and mud), but it’s a pleasant walk nonetheless. Just don’t bring luggage on wheels!
After around 15 minutes or so of walking, we arrived in the pod vicinity. Some of the first areas that we saw were the communal hangout areas. We didn’t really spend our time here, but I did snap a photo in passing.
Continuing onwards, we searched for our pod. It can be a little confusing because there are a ton of pods! The pods are located on the mountain side, each one facing out towards the beautiful Swiss Alps. We didn’t get a chance to see the Alps because of how foggy it was. The fog provided mystery and privacy.
We eventually found our pod. Lucky number 13! My favorite. Each pod comes with a terrace that’s equipped with some dining tables and lounge chairs. We didn’t use any of the terrace furniture since it was also quite misty, but we did enjoy some tea on it.
All pods are these kind of dome shaped structures. The side facing the adjacent Swiss Alps is where the view is. This way you’re not forced to look at other hotel guests. On the side, there’s a zipper entrance to go in and out of the pod. Some of the fancier pods have additional attachments which feature amenities such as a built in jacuzzi!
Although our pod was just the standard one, I felt that it was all that we needed. The setup is perfect for a romantic getaway or even a family trip. Right next to the entrance is a ladder that leads up to two additional beds. This is a great spot to play fort or hang out and see what everyone in the pod is up to.
On the lower level, we have the master bed that faces the mountain views. There’s a fireplace to keep you warm if it gets cold. As far as lounging goes, there are plenty of little spots to hang about.
When we arrived at our pod, we found some welcome drinks and snacks to eat. This was a nice detail.
The pod came with lots of other amenities as well, such as a fully stocked bathroom with all of the toiletries. One thing to note is that our water stopped working around 9PM… I’m not sure why, but maybe it’s because this was the opening weekend? Or because it is a pod? Haha, who knows.
Some other amenities included a headlamp, glasses for wine, wine opener, cups for hot liquids, hot water, hand sanitizer, and a walkie talkie to communicate with the reception.
Prior to booking our stay, I also purchased some CBD tea and flower which came with tea bags, wrapping paper, and matches. The portion was quite generous and this was a nice treat to be able to order in for our pod.
The stay here was really comfortable, even without the grand Swiss Alps view.
I love the cozy vibe of the pod against the misty mountains.
These water droplets are also cool. I shot these photos of the water droplets from the terrace. My favorite is the spiderweb with the beads of raindrops in them.
When it was time for dinner, our meal was delivered directly to our pod in these clever containers. Fresh bread, wine (I can’t remember we brought this on our own), and all the other food items that we ordered. We preordered all of this during our check-in.
For the remainder of the night, we sipped on wine and read our kindles. There’s no TV in this particular pod by the way. When it was time to go to sleep, we simply closed the curtains (yes, there are floor to ceiling high curtains).
At night, we drifted off to sleep listening to the light pitter pattering of rain 🙂
The next morning, our breakfast was delivered again to our pod in a waterproof Patagonia duffle bag. Inside, we had a menu to tell us about all that was included.
The bag included everything that we would need for breakfast, even all the plates and cutlery. The bread came in a bag, coffee in canisters, and juice in a jug.
It was a great breakfast and I loved all of the variety. Such a fun way to receive and eat breakfast, haha.
After we finished breakfast, we got together our things and prepared for check-out. There’s not really anything that needs to be done to leave since there isn’t a key to return. You only need to change the status of the flag that’s posted outside of your pod to help indicate that you’ve left.
On the way out, we noticed that there were llamas! I had no clue they were there the whole time. It’s so sneaky how the fog can hide things. I wonder what else we missed.
All in all, this was one of the most memorable hotel trips that I’ve had. Top 5 for sure. It is expensive, yes, but at the same time you spend the entire time in and around the pod. The funny part is that as we were leaving Monthey, the fog started lifting! Oh well, no one can predict nature and nature is always beautiful.
Ok, I’m rambling on now. Talk later.
x Sarah