I love the outdoors, but I also love being comfy.
That’s why glamping is one of my favorite ways to travel. In the past, I’ve glamped in a treehouse, a dome, a lifeguard tower, and an Airstream trailer. But none of those accommodations were as memorable as the two nights I spent sleeping in a barrel in Switzerland in 2022.
For a two-week backpacking trip through Europe, I looked for unique accommodations in small towns near the cities I was visiting. I found the barrel home in a village near Zurich on Airbnb.
I thought it looked like something out of a quirky fairytale I’d want to live in. I booked the barrel, which cost about $200 a night, for two nights.
Located about an hour outside Zurich by train, the Airbnb is in the village of Roggwil.
To get to the Airbnb, I was coming from Italy and traveled by train to Zurich. From there, I took local trains to Roggwil in about an hour.
I stayed there just for the barrel, but thought Roggwil was a quaint, modest village with friendly families and a stunning mountain backdrop. People smiled at me, and little kids waved when we made eye contact at the train station.
The entire property is located inside a garden behind a huge house where 17 full-time residents live, the host, Maria, told me.
The property was just a two-minute walk from the train station in Roggwil. Maria met me in front of the house and led me through a side gate to the barrel.
It’s part of an exhibition by Sorglos, a company that designs barrel homes, saunas, hot tubs, and outdoor fireplaces, according to its website. Some of these structures are also for sale.
Until they’re sold, the two barrel homes on-site are rented to tourists on Airbnb, who also have access to the saunas and hot tubs for an additional fee, according to the company’s website. Only groups traveling together may book the second barrel, so it was empty during my stay.
To reach the barrel, I walked through a garden with potted plants alongside communal dining areas.
I saw seven barrel saunas, a few fire pits, and a couple of hot tubs for guests on a first-come, first-served basis.
When I opened the door to the barrel, an overwhelming smell of cedar filled my nostrils, which I thought made the place cozy.
The barrel was 7 feet tall and 14 feet long.
Inside was a living space in the front, with a table that pulled out between two couches, plus an elevated king-sized bed in the back.
Beneath the pullout table and under the bed was storage space for luggage.
The barrel had a heater with temperature controls and three power outlets, accessible from both the living space and the bedroom.
In the living space in front of the bed, I noticed additional storage cabinets beneath the couches.
The couches also had little nooks for shoe storage, which I thought was a nice touch.
In a small cottage next to the barrel was a private bathroom.
I thought it was modest, but it had everything I needed — towel racks, a sink, a toilet, and a small shower.
There was also a heater and a blow dryer in the bathroom.
I thought the heater came in handy for nighttime showers when it was cold outside.
In addition to the bathroom, there was a partially exposed private outdoor rainfall shower. I love outdoor showers, so I made sure to use this one on my second night.
I liked the feeling of the cool breeze and hot water on my skin.
Maria also gave me a key to the house, where I could use the kitchen shared with the full-time residents.
It was the only key provided, as the barrel and bathroom didn’t lock. I initially found that odd, but Maria assured me no one would go inside my barrel.
The kitchen appeared to be large enough to host an event, I thought.
There were rows of long tables and chairs, and I could use any of the dishes. Aside from the residents I occasionally crossed paths with, it appeared empty.
When I was ready to sleep, to access the bed, I pushed the pullout table almost all the way in, leaving a sliver of room to climb in and out.
I used the table as a stepping stool.
I thought the bedroom area was luxurious, especially for such a small space.
The bed felt like memory foam and came with soft linen sheets. Towels and robes were provided, too.
On the second day, I decided to check out the garden’s unique offerings, like the sauna and fire pit.
To use these amenities, I took firewood from the tool shed. Maria told me that my booking included one bag of firewood. Extra was available for a fee, but I didn’t end up needing more.
First, I checked out one of the saunas, which cost $60 to use.
It was my first time in a sauna, and I thought it was a spiritual experience. As I sweat through the steam, I felt a tingling sensation in my body.
The wood-fired hot tubs cost $80 to use, but since I wasn’t there long, I decided to skip this amenity.
I used the fire pit, too. The pit came with a mechanism called the tongue of fire, which has a chimney to keep smoke away from people’s faces as they cook.
I roasted sausages and s’mores, and I thought it was my most pleasant experience ever cooking over fire since I didn’t breathe in smoke.
On the morning of my departure, I got up early for one final walk through the garden.
I thought the barrels complemented the plants, giving the whole space a peaceful, calming vibe.
I longed for more barbecues, sauna sessions, and outdoor showers. But my luxurious stay was over.
The barrel offered me my best glamping experience yet, and I won’t soon forget it.
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