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Going outside is usually the best way to see the full 360-degree panorama of the night sky, but staying in a dome, cube, or other special accommodation set up for stargazing can provide incredible views from the comfort of your bed. Some even offer beds that roll outside for an unrivaled perspective. If this sounds like the perfect end to a day full of adventuring, check out some of the best accommodations in the world for stargazing. Consider aligning a trip with a meteor shower for an unforgettable experience.
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1. Wadi Rum, Jordan
Image by Palmera Camp Wadi Rum
Sitting inside my dome in Jordan’s Wadi Rum, a wondrous desert landscape with arches, cliffs, petroglyphs, and more, I gazed outside through the clear panels and saw endless stars. After a long day complete with a jeep tour to check out the desert and an evening astronomy adventure with Rum Sky—including opportunities to gaze deep into the cosmos with enormous telescopes—I settled into the comfy round bed in my dome and gazed out at the stars. I was spending the night at Palmera Camp Wadi Rum.
Deep in the desert of southern Jordan, the dark skies are amazing, and a number of camps are set up that allow visitors to gaze deep into the night sky. Some provide basic accommodations while others, like Palmera Camp Wadi Rum, offer a luxury experience. Stay in a simple wall tent or opt for a full glamping night in a bubble tent or dome while you soak up the night sky.
2. Alta, Norway
Image by Yannick Schuetz
In northern Norway, the winter nights are long and staying in a dome is a fantastic way to enjoy the dark skies—including the stars and, if you’re lucky, a peek at the Northern Lights. Staying in a GLØD Aurora Canvas Dome is a cozy way to watch the sky from the comfort of your bed. Norway gets cold, but with a wood-burning stove, snuggly duvet, and electric blanket, you will stay toasty warm on cold, clear nights when you’re looking up. The dome allows sounds of nature in, but you’ll have the comforts of home, including an en suite toilet.
3. Eastern Townships, Quebec
Image by Le Vertendre
In Quebec, le vertendre offers a truly unique glamping experience with great views of the night sky from a sustainable off-grid Zoobox. In the units, beds descend from the ceiling and expansive windows provide beautiful scenery by day and night. With the accommodations set out in the woods, you’ll need to be prepared to walk to your unit. The length of these paths can vary based on which one you have, though the walk can be up to 1.5 miles (luggage assistance is available). Enjoy a climbing wall, outdoor campfire, suspended hammocks, and wood or propane heating.
Zooboxes even include a “human-sized hamster wheel” or an electricity generating bicycle set-up. But don’t worry—solar panels provide most of the juice that’s needed, so you don’t have to pedal to keep the power on. The Zoobox is a special way to see the night sky while also enjoying local outdoor adventures during the day, such as hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding, as well as winter sports like snowshoeing.
4. Big Bend, Texas
Image by Brooke Burris
If you’ve stargazed from all sorts of domes, tents, yurts, and other dazzling accommodations, here is one you still probably haven’t crossed off your list: stargazing from bed in a cave. That will change with a visit to The Summit at Big Bend in Texas. It is located around 17 miles from Big Bend National Park, which is part of the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve. This spectacular reserve renowned for its dark skies totals more than 9 million acres. This property offers a number of different accommodation options that are perfect for soaking in the dark skies. Opt for a stargazing dome that comes complete with a clear ceiling, or splurge on a luxury cave. These luxe hotel rooms are carved right into Tres Cuevas Mountain and include panoramic windows that offer breathtaking views by day and night. They also have all the amenities you’ll want, including a king-sized bed, climate control with heating and air conditioning, a private bathroom, and even Wi-Fi.
5. Baa Atoll, Maldives
Image byAnantara Kihavah Maldives Villa
Look up at the night sky from an overwater bungalow in the Maldives. Located on Baa Atoll, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas features an “overwater observatory” at Sky Bar—complete with luxury cocktails. Enjoy stories of the sky from a local expert, peek through the region’s most powerful telescope, and simply look up. Since the Maldives are located near the equator in the Indian Ocean, skygazers can see stars in both the northern and southern skies. After an evening out at the Sky Bar, settle in for the night and look up from your accommodations—a variety of villas and residences are available.
6. Nova Scotia, Canada
Image by Ryerson Clark
Sleep in a heated Sky Bubble under the night sky in Nova Scotia, Canada’s Acadian Skies and Mi’kmaq Lands Starlight Reserve. The Deep Sky Eye Observatory Sky Bubbles are inflatable tents that feature a large dome that allows people to gaze into the night sky from a queen-sized bed. The bubbles feature cozy beds, lighting, tables and chairs, nightstands, and a shared restroom is available onsite. Family Sky Bubbles are also available with two double beds to accommodate more people. Activities like the Nocturnal Sky Theatre Experience are also available, providing opportunities to enjoy an expert-led tour of the universe outdoors, using telescopes, and even sitting in an anti-gravity chair to watch the sky above.
7. Patagonia, Chile
Patagonia is known for its stunning glaciers and rugged mountains by day—but by night, a new world emerges: dark skies. EcoCamp Patagonia is located about 7 miles (a four-hour hike) from the famous Torres del Paine, and you can even see the iconic rock towers from camp. After a day of exploring, spend the night in a cozy geodesic dome. Every dome option has clear panels to look out at the night sky, but the suite domes have the largest clear panels for the best views of the stars.
8. Onduli Enclave, Namibia
Image by Ultimate Safaris
Scheduled to open this November, Namibia’s Onduli Enclave promises to provide a phenomenal stargazing experience. This remote villa camp is located near Onduli Ridge, and its suites will provide stunning views, with “star beds” that can be rolled out on private decks for the full stargazing experience. Guests will be able to relax in bed and watch the night sky directly above. Other options include outdoor wood-fired hot tubs on private decks. While starwatching is a great draw in the evening hours, day time also provides wonderful opportunities for wildlife viewing, swimming, and other activities.
9. South Africa’s Garden Route
Image by Daniele Schneider
The Lifetree Collection features a number of unique luxury pods, cabins, cubes, and more that feature awe-inspiring stargazing in South Africa. Along Tsitsikamma National Park and Garden Route National Park, The Stargazing Cube and The Pyramid are two distinctive accommodations geared towards people who want to watch the night sky. The Stargazing Cube is a transparent cube where you can even move the remote-controlled bed outdoors for an unobstructed view of the night sky. The Pyramid is one-of-a-kind, with a fully transparent pyramid shape to provide full views of the forest, ocean, and the stars. It is located on an escarpment with fantastic views of the forest and beyond.
