As the luxury travel industry embraces sustainable design and proximity to nature, we see resorts like Eastwind Hotel and Bar and Arch Cape Loft re-imagine a classic accommodation format and incorporate environmentally-friendly practices and materials into their lodgings. Quebec-based Hinter Company does both, banishing the hotel, motel, micro-hotel, etc layout in favor of building singular, unique cabins hidden throughout the Mont-Tremblant region of Canada, weaving eco-conscious methodologies through each structure and offsetting some impact by planting 10 trees per booking.
The emerging business' most recent structure, the Hinterhouse, located in La Conception, Quebec—a breezy 15 min drive from the pristine hills of the Mont-Tremblant Ski Resort—seeks to re-connect visitors with nature by wrapping inhabitants in natural colors, materials, and an almost 360 view of the surrounding woodland.
Designed by Ménard Dworkind Architecture & Design, Hinterhouse sits atop a hill tucked away in the forest overlooking the Mont-Tremblant valley. Over 60% of the exterior is clad in glass, with the remaining covered in 2.5-inch native white cedar panels that will weather beautifully in time. Panels of the same siding can be slid over the windows to provide shade and protection from the outdoor elements, which range from bitterly cold in the winter to hot and humid in the summer.
A small porch sits adjacent to the main living space and a winding staircase leads down the hill to a sauna structure that includes an outdoor shower and two hammocks, for maximum relaxation.
Inside, surrounded by windows, an open-concept living area centers around a rotating fireplace flanked by a modern seating area and an ebony-stained plywood kitchen. A large kitchen sink triples as a cutting-board stand and mini-herb garden, while the counter itself runs into a kitchen island and dining table, making clever use of the cabin's modest footprint.
Concrete floors run throughout, leading to two bedrooms and a light-filled bath. The same black plywood lines the two bedrooms that house wall to wall queen beds, floor-to-ceiling windows, and built-in storage and TV consoles. The shared bathroom features an expansive window in a curbless rain shower, plywood counters, and keystone white mosaic tile work, all lending to a rather sophisticated, ethereal feel.
If your idea of R&R involves understated luxury and an escape to a remote location, then the Hinterhouse may be for you. Incorporating a mix of native and low-maintenance materials, the cabin is a perfectly executed contemporary retreat amongst the trees.
Rates start at $440 CAD per night.
Published 11-30-2020
